Water Injection

[JAKEFORD]

A friend of mine with a 1949 V8 had a home brew water injection system in his car. He claimed it gave him terrific gas mileage.

I think he had a bottle of water hooked up to one of the vacuum connections through an adjustable needle valve. He experimented with the system until he was satisfied and than boasted his success. I saw the system but thought he was pulling my leg. I had forgotten about him until the other day and wonder if he had something going. Of course in winter it was useless.

Can anyone shed any light on this wild idea? I think the injection point was below the carb.

[ford38v8]

It would serve to reduce carbon buildup, but any gain in MPG would not be measurable. In my opinion, if he put Marvel Mystery Oil in his device instead of water, he'd be better off.

[cmbrucew]

I think it would get the top of the valves and pistons clean, but cause more sludge in your engine. A guy at work tried the system on his land cruiser. About once or twice a week somebody would add a pint of gas to his tank. He began really bragging how it was helping his mileage. When we quit adding gas he stopped his brag, and removed the system.
Bruce

[flatheadmurre]

With water injection you can increase timing without knocking and run a leaner mix in theory.
And you get an increased power with a lower intake temp.

[Fordestes]

Flatheadmurre , has it nailed , my late father made a system in the 60's designed off the system they used on on aircraft to cool combustion chambers, his set up was tied into the spark advance and intake, it used water and alcohol. during the move after his passing I found the original jet system he used, it reminds me of the ampco top oiling system we use to inject Marvel Mistry oil , it was adjustable to get the right mix , better set with an air fuel meter to keep from wasting an engine.
A similar principle system was sold by an aftermarket company and it was using vacuum and electronics to vary the amount of water injected at a specified time, It worked good during the early 454 chevy era to stop spark knock, I agree with what 38 v-8 said , I would use M.M .O instead

[larry/Texas]

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My dad bought a new '56 Ford station wagon with a 292 V8 and overdrive. Being a mechanic he installed a Marvel Mystery Oil system and kept the jar full. At about a 112,000 miles he thought he heard a noise so he tore it down. The cylinders were tapered .003 to .009 and the crank just needed polishing. He was using Shell X-100 oil. MMO is the best.

[Mike B]

Originally Posted by cmbrucew

I think it would get the top of the valves and pistons clean, but cause more sludge in your engine. A guy at work tried the system on his land cruiser. About once or twice a week somebody would add a pint of gas to his tank. He began really bragging how it was helping his mileage. When we quit adding gas he stopped his brag, and removed the system.
Bruce

That's funny...reminded me of a Gomer Pyle episode when he was buying or bought the Sarge's car.

[BUBBAS IGNITION]

Guys i made and ran one of these for many years in a 409 64 chevrolet.
It pretty simple using a jar with a aquarium stone and a aquarium valve. It worked just like the mystery oilers did, (by the way i have two of the marvel units in my swap meet stuff new in the box). I used window washer fluid so it didnt freeze and the way it worked it only allowed vapor from the alcohol mix to enter the intake. For me it helped with spark knock etc...
I guess i could draw up a drawing if anyone wants to try one??

[Walt Dupont--Me.]

I bought a new 1978 pickup, 300ci engine, It didn't take me long the install a 3 carb intake and a split exh. I made one of those water enject things out of a glass jar and a fish tank valve, 60 miles every day back and forth to work, I could feel the extra torque with that thing working. Walt

[Ian NZ]

I have had for several decades a N.O.S Ford V8 Taylor Water Injection Unit which had come from a country garage which closed down, still in its original cardboard box complete with instruction for fitting and other literature. I do not know what year it was produced.

[Alaska Jim]

water inj., if set up properly will increase H.P. and torque. will it be enough to feel it in automotive applications, probably not. moist damp air makes more power than hot dry air. I was a crew chief on B52's. they used water inj. to boost power on take off with heavy fuel and bomb loads. nothing like the roar of 8 j57 pratt& whitney engines belching black smoke on take-off roll. they did have a 2000 gal water tank

[Bertha]

I put a system on our 360 Grand Wagoneer tow vehicle. Used a BOSCH cold start injector spraying directly into the carb venturi. Solenoid wired to start spraying at 3/4 throttle.
Used the blue WW fluid mix. Did not notice any real power gains but it did cool things down & stop pre ign under load.

[Ronnie]

Water methanol inj was also used on some Rolls Royce dart turbo props.
Air Canada had a limited number when I worked there.

R

[JWL]

Water injection is much the same as a good ignition system. It will not add HP but it will allow an engine, which needs water injection, to more closely reach full potential. The circumstances where water injection seems to aid output can usually be traced to fuel quality below engine requirements.

[scooder]

John,
I'm glad you said that about ignitions, folk look at me like I'm mad when I say it won't add horse power.
Here's my take on water injection.
Good fuel, good carburation (not weak), good timing, no carbon and no stupid compression ratio, no need for it. If one of these is bad, you'll most likely see an improvement somewhere.
As posted earlier, you can add more timing, higher compression ratio and leaner fuel to outside normally ok levels and the h2o will let you do this to a point. Add a blower, again you can run more pressure with some water.
Don't let the water run out!
Martin.

[Ian NZ]

These pictures are of an article about water injection in a Hot Rod magazine.
Hope you can read them.

[Steve Staysko]

I stumbled across these Marvel Mystery Oil injector advertisements and I thought that you'd find them interesting since it was mentioned a few times in the thread.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by Ronnie

Water methanol inj was also used on some Rolls Royce dart turbo props.
Air Canada had a limited number when I worked there.

R

You talkin' about Viscounts? If so, you go back a ways. DD

[KGS]

Except for the paint scheme, it looks just like the one
Ray Charles used to have...

[forty-niner]

Dad said the WWII fighters he armed had an extra 200 HP for take off over the standard 1000 HP with the water injection. Had a kit on his 40 Pontiac to better use AV gas.