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During this process, the piston is continuing on it's way to top dead
center in which it is further compressing this burning air/fuel
mixture and expanding gases. Cylinder pressures rapidly increase as
the piston makes it‘s way up and over TDC (top dead center). It's at
this point in which it begins to use this power to drive the piston
down on what's called the "power stroke". Actual maximum cylinder
pressure is achieved a few crankshaft degree's after the piston
passes TDC. There by giving the piston a harder push when its speed
and mechanical advantage on the crank shaft gives the best
recovery of force from the expanding gases.
What is detonation?
Detonation occurs when the air/fuel mixture that is ahead of the
flame front ignites before the flame front arrives. It is believed the
air/fuel mixture ahead of the flame front self ignites due to the
pressure and heat of the advancing original flame front. Under these
conditions, the combustion becomes uncontrolled and sporadic,
producing a violent explosion that creates a “pinging” or “knock “
sound. During this process, cylinder pressures can raise rapidly,
beyond the limits of the pistons or rods, leading to engine failure. If
your luck only the head gasket will blow out.
What is pre-ignition?
Pre-ignition is a different phenomenon from detonation as explained above. It
occurs when the air/fuel mixture in the cylinder (or even just entering the
cylinder) ignites before the spark plug fires. This pre-ignition is caused by an
ignition source other than the spark plug. Such alternate ignition sources
include, excessive heat and pressure. Spark plugs with a heat range too hot
for the conditions. Spark plugs with to high of a heat range will run hot
enough to burn off deposits that lead to plug fouling in a worn engine, but the
electrode of the plug itself can occasionally heat soak, and begin glowing hot
enough to become an uncontrolled ignition source on its own. Another
common source is carbon build up in a combustion chamber. Carbon build up
can also become heat soaked to the point where it is glowing red hot and
ignite the air-fuel mixture before the proper time. Under these circumstances,
known as "pre-ignition", the piston will be traveling up towards an on coming
wave of exploding gases. This places a tremendous amount of pressure on
top of the pistons and on down to the connecting rods and crankshaft. These
are the most unfavorable kinds of conditions, which can bend and break
connecting rods, score cylinder walls, break piston rings/lands, destroy
pistons and worse complete catastrophic engine failure.
In simple terms, water methanol injection protects your engine and the
investment you have in it, by reducing and eliminating engine damaging
detonation and pre-ignition, while safely allowing you to run more boost and
timing for increased horsepower. How does it do it? Here’s a quick summary
below.
So, how does it work? Well, it’s not as simple as hooking up a water hose and
pouring it in to the intake of your engine. Wouldn’t that be interesting? No, it
must be sprayed in a controlled manner at the right time, into the intake air
charge in a fine mist so that it can properly mix with the air/fuel charge. Since
water does not burn, it effectively increases the fuels octane by increasing
the fuels ability to resist self-igniting under higher pressures and hotter
cylinder temperatures. Octane rating is nothing more than how much the fuel
can be compressed before it spontaneously ignites. That’s why pumping 116
octane racing fuel into your grandmas 1980 Toyota Corona won’t turn it into
a race car.
Conclusion
The benefits from a simple water injection are so remarkable it’s hard now to
imagine running a supercharged or turbocharged system without one.
Regardless, if it’s equipped with an intercooler already. Below is a summery
of these benefits.