Methanol/Water Injection vs. Air Cooler

5111 said:

Who has used both and what do you think?

The Snow Performance kit costs $300 and the Vortech cooler costs $1400. Other than having to fill up the injection system occasionally, what are the benefits/downsides between the two? My mods are in my sig and the car is an everyday driver in Texas. I am not a hot-rodder and only occasionally run the car hard. I almost never race it (can't afford to fix what breaks at the track).

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I've never had an intercooler but have run water injection for almost three years. IMO, water injection is just as efficient as an intercooler and in some situations better (can cool intake air to below ambient temps). It is not effected by ambient air temperatures and doesn't need air flow through the exchanger like an air-air cooler. The water actually steam cleans the combustion chambers and keeps them from having carbon buildup which can cause detonation. Water injection also allows the use of alcohol which can be used to suplement a weak fuel system and/or add high octane fuel to the mixture. One other advantage is that it is much cheaper and easier to install than a water-air or air-air intercooler. I use the SMC kit: http://www.smcenterprises.com/injector_kit.htm

To get the most out of water injection you need to take advantage of the cooling and detonation supression effects of the water/alcohol by increasing timing and/or raising boost pressure. The key to using it is to not spray any more liquid than necessary to get the job done. With water/alcohol injection more is not better. It may take a little tweaking to get it just right but once you do it works very well. I've run 16 psi using a JMS chip burned for when I ran 8 psi of boost without water injection. With the water injection turned off the engine would rattle like a can of rocks at that boost level.

Mine is being installed this week (snowperformance). Also C&L plenum with 75 mm BBK TB, X2 balljoints, and Steeda bump steer kit. I got new wheels (10th anniversay cobra light grey 17 x9) and tires (NittoZR 275 x 40 x 17) last week.