Pre-rain/Rain = Truck runs amazing!
 

Has anyone else had this? It's like whenever it rains or is very humid outside, my truck runs like a dream. It idles better, more torque and the HP increase is crazy! I mean, really... it runs like a scolded dog in these conditions!

Has anyone ever done a test on this regarding motors? Not just 4.3's but ALL motors. I'm wondering if dry air causes a truck to not run as good as humid (wet'ish) air? Like is there a scientific fact on this type of thing?

I just figured this would be a good topic if anyone else has experienced the same thing. Maybe it could just be the atmosphere and my head playing tricks on me about having more power and/or a smoother running vehicle. But it's always been like this with EVERY vehicle I've owned. (Which I've driven 14+ from a 89 GTI to my Blazer to a 1999 BMW 528i)

If THIS IS indeed a fact, then I wonder why a company hasn't come up with a device to humidify the air that your engine breathes? This is not a joke, I'm being serious... it truly seems legitimate and I'd love to do some kind of onboard diagnostic, during both conditions, to see the difference! (If any)

So anyone? :icon_shrug:

Water/meth injection........cools the intake air temp, and creates higher compression in the cylinders IIRC.

As far as the more humid runs better thing, never experienced it really...but i could see how it's SORTA possible considering the water/meth injection theory.

Water/meth injection huh? Never heard of that? Do you have a link to such a thing, preferably for our trucks? I'd like to do some research on this.

Here's a video i found. I didn't really watch it cause my girl was giving me funny looks.

[youtube]HkPFZWd8wj4[/youtube]

it's typically used in forced induction vehicles. I don't have more info because i've never used it. Just basically telling you what i've heard.

I got you... yea, it looks like it's simply for forced induction. Hmmm.... I wonder if there's a way to test my theory and then develop some type of system to keep the air humid going into the motor? This water/meth thing almost seems to me like a cheap shot of Nitrous or something...

I would really like to fabricate something that sprays some sort of "mist" of pure H20 into the intake filter (or general area). After some research it seems that the reason it runs better is due to cleaning deposits in your engine and so forth. I wonder if their is a way to create something that creates humidity into your intake or general area? (and no I'm not talking about a straight shot of water into the throttle body) just a MIST. Possibly it could be ran off of a vacuum line for its power source so that it consistently runs when the vehicle is running? This could work, but I would like to do a general test of MPG and HP while in DRY air conditions, as well as HUMID conditions.... see if it would even be worth the hassle. I SWEAR all of my vehicles run better in humid weather, and I've never owned a vehicle without having installed a "cone" type filter.

You could just get some windshield washer hose and drain and wash out your washer resevoir. Then you could run a switch to the washer pump with constant power, so that when the switch is on the pump would be on. Then you just run the hose to your intake or wherever you decide is the best place for it. Just fill the washer resevoir with water and add a mister from homedepot and you're set.

That would be one of the easier ways to do it, and you would be able to turn it off if your truck starts running strange/bad.

Just an idea.

i have water/meth injection on my supercharged cobalt, its a very nice thing to have. they do have kits for N/A cars/trucks.

However, i know on my cobalt, my tuner will add timing and whatnot, so without a tune i dont see much of a gain. Theres more to it then spraying water in the intake. I also know with the tune on my car if it runs out of fluid, theres a good chance the motor will blow.

I had a water injector in my 74 Duster when I was in High School. It was a pretty simple An Atomizing nozzle tapped into the top of the air cleaner, a high PSI pump and a container for the water. I used about a gallon per tank full.

Why it works is multi part

Because water doesn't burn . . . the fluid does (in effect) raise the octane of the fuel!This higher "flash point" produces three specific benefits ( as well as some offshoots). First, because the water cools the gas-air mixture, there is greater potential for expansion (since pressure is directly proportional to temperature). Second, combustion turns the water droplets to vapor . . . which also helps create a pressure bonus ( much as the same substance drives a steam engine).
Finally—and most significantly—the conversion of water to steam consumes heat (at a rate of about 1,100 calories per gram of the liquid) at a very critical instant. This absorption of heat prevents the temperature of combustion from rushing to a sharp peak (as it does in a standard engine) and then dropping rapidly off. Instead, the car's heat increases more slowly, reaches a lower peak, and descends much more gradually. (In addition, the longer overall combustion duration creates more pressure than does a standard engine's cycle.)

Sounds like you know what you're talking about! I think I'm going to fabricate something up using vacuum as my power source (therefor whenever the truck is running, the water will be too - and possibly increase the PSI its putting out when the truck is at higher RPM's). I am going to go to a junk yard and pick up a old window washer fluid container to hold the water. Then try to find some type of "motor" that is ran off of vacuum (any ideas on what I could use, or where to find one?) Then tap a hole in the top of my air filter on the cold air intake, for the spray nozzle to go into. What type of PSI should I be looking for as well?

The only things I really need to figure out is what type of motor and what type of nozzle and psi I should run. The windshield washer motor was a good idea, but I have a feeling that one of those would burn out QUICKLY if it was constantly running. I also just want a LIGHT mist to be constantly injected, maybe some type of rigged up pressure washer tip would work?

EDIT: I think nozzle would be acceptable, problem is finding a water pump ran by a vacuum hose and how much PSI! http://www.amazon.com/Aero-Mist-5250...ata/B0026SVZI0

Also, is this pump (12v) could potentially work. Though I'm not real sure exactly HOW it works! I believe it's plug and play as far as power, and one nipple retrieves water while the other delivers it. It may be PERFECT. As long as its the correct pressure. (which I don't know how much I need) http://www.google.com/products/catal...ed=0CEMQ8wIwAw

This is EXACTLY why I think my truck runs so much better with humid conditions coming threw the intake! It's either been raining or SOOO humid outside between showers that my truck is feeling the effects lately. In a positive way! it runs almost HALF as cool as it does on normal days. Usually a little over 210. (according to the gauge in my cluster) The past few days... barely breaking 100!! I haven't had a stall, sputter, hesitation, high idle, low idle... it's like a brand new truck. Though I may not essentially be getting more HP, I can guarantee I'm getting WAY better gas mialage and my truck is running much more "in sync" (and not the band!) Do you have any more info on this setup you had on your Duster? I'd love to know about how much psi you had runnin'(or however they measure H20 MIST), what kind of motor pumping the H20 and at what rate (GPM/GPH) and from WHERE (separate tank?).... etc.

You can see two links I've posted up top, on the last post.... do you think that type of motor and nozzle could work? I would really like to figure this out, I don't want a STRAIGHT shot of water in my intake filter! I just want something pumping out a mist into the intake filter, to create a humid condition in the intake housing and throttle body(due to water and engine heat). Pretty much MOCK it raining outside.

So sir, (Raybz)... please inform me how many GPM/GPH you were pumping out and from what size tank. Because a tank of water = tank of gas, sounds like a damn good plan! :icon_wink:

DUDE! Check this out... this Chinese dude is SELLING the IDEA! http://www.water-as-gasoline.com/

What about purchasing a system designed for it? There's plenty of universal kits out there (they're kinda pricey though). If you wanted to build your own you could always get all the specs you can off of manufacturer websites and build your kit to match those specs as well.

Here's a kit i found on ebay for non forced induction applications....
Snow Performance Stage 1 Water Methanol N/A Universal | eBay

I don't want the methanol though, but thanks.for the link and idea. Maybe I CAN atleast get the specs because I'd like to build this myself. All I'm trying to do is "mock" humidity/rain

what are the long term effects on engine?
just wondering...

Just a thought here. But wether you build or buy you could run water or methanol or a mixture of both. Most people use methanol in winter because water freezes obviously. But i believe you could run just straight water during the spring/summer/fall months

Yea, well I would probably have the motor hooked to a switch anyways just so I could use the injection during times when I need to keep the engine cool. (towing, 4 wheeling, 105 degree days, etc, etc.) What exactly is methanol? Is this something you can just buy at your local hardware store or something? And I was under the impression it was under pressure, almost like nitrous. So your potentially saying I could MIX the water and ethanol into a container to be pumped out of and or just run pure methanol during the winter months??

From what I read, is it actually prolongs engine life. Your truck runs cooler, the water adds extra combustion/pressure in a safe way and it also cleans buildup deposits. Atleast that's what I get out of it! I've yet to read a neg effect, but than again - this is if it's all done correctly. If you got a pressure washer spraying 900PSI worth of water into your throttle body (exaggeration) than obviously the long term effects are going to be bad! Hell, the immediate effects would be!

methanol is wood alcohol. dry gas is pure methanol. Windshield washer fluid is a mixture of methanol and water...it's a pretty common substance.

Methanol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

so your saying it's possible to use windshield washer fluid to inject into my intake at a low psi mist?

Okie doke, so I pretty much found a step by step DIY Guide on this and plan to do it sometime over the winter. This link shows you every part needed and how to set it up! I believe I'm going to install my tank in the rear somewhere (POSSIBLY even use the rear washer fluid tank), just because I want room under my hood and use my front washers quite often. They usually do this on boosted cars to be able to run higher boost without causing damage, I'm doing it so my truck runs cooler and constantly cleans buildup throughout the motor. (and yes, people DO DO IT on non forced induction vehicles) Thank you humid weather and lots of rain (over the past week and a 1/2) for showing me something that can extend the life of my truck, give me better gas mileage and whatever else this EASY setup produces. I KNEW there was something to this when I posted it! If anyone else is interested, here is the linkage.... Do It Yourself Water Alcohol Methanol Injection

yes, yes it is as odd as it sounds.

wow... I'm in the process of building/fabricating some things..... I will DEFENITLY do a "HOW TO:" or a "DIY" while in the process. Pretty much I'm going to make it, make sure it all works and then dismantle it all and do a how to as I'm putting it back together! It'll be fun... I LOVE DIY's!!!

I hate to break it to ya.. but that does not compute. You have some cooling problems there. If your gauge reads down at 100, your ECM is never getting to closed loop.

OTHER Reasons {beside the well known phenomenon} why performance MIGHT be better on cool humid/rainy days - Dirty MAF sensor. It's a long explanation but think air vortex condensation and 'swamp cooler' to get the idea. IOW, if there's dampness on the sense element, it will read as 'more airflow' and you'll get more gas.

Key element is does your gas mileage improve or go down when this happens.

Improve

Hey! Raybz is absolutely correct in his situation-I also recall the water vaporizers availiable in the 70's! Not only did they help these anemic vehicles strangled by stone age emission controls run better,but they also helped eliminate pre-ignition knock as well by cooling intake temps in a time when engines were just getting weaned of lean mixtures and lower octane fuel.I suppose you could add any type of gizmo to your unit as you deem necessary,but will you really be gaining anything in the long run? I think not. Why do you think all atmospheric conditions are taken into account when any vehicle is tested? Just a thought,but I sure remember how my 66 Chevy pickup with a 400+ hp motor ran on those -20* days in VT & NH when it was too cold to have the salt running(I store it in the winter) Anyway ANY engine runs best at around 35*-40* with humidity at around 30% These are my findings only.Let me know!

Yea like pettyfog says. If you are only running 100,then your stat is sticking open and not giving your coolant time to warm up,and then the computer is staying in open loop,thus burning more fuel since its still thinking "ok so im cold,i need to dump more fuel to help warm up". Maybe thats where u are feeling that "extra power".cooler conditions,with more fuel. Its not too good for the engine either. It needs to warm up to at least 180ish.


I do have to agree though,ive always felt more umph! when i start any of my cars up in the morning etc. but I know that i cant be hard on them for the fun until they warm up.

Brand new MAF sensor.... just cleaned ICV, throttle body AND intake also. I feel as if I get better gas mileage though, that's the odd thing :icon_shrug:

Ok so here's my question. if I were to install a system that created humidity and cooler engine tempatures therefor "throwing off" the ECM into "must have more fuel" *ROBOT VOICE* mode.... then isn't there a way to level this out? A customed PCM tune possibly, with them knowing what kind of set up I'm running? I would say I could lean it out, but the cold air intake should do that. What about a better ignition system?

I'm reading alot about how guys with forced induction turn to this, in order to run more boost.... is it because it's giving it more fuel? Therefor letting them up the boost?