Very nice install and write up! I've run methanol in several forced induction cars in the past. Most recently BMW 135 and 535 both with twin turbo N54 engines and switchable maps. I can certainly concur with you that methanol makes a very big impact on performance!

Looks like it from the pics but just curious, you installed the jets on the exit of the intercoolers correct? I always install mine just post of the intercooler (between the throttle body and intercooler).

I have been debating whether or not to up the power on my CTT. If I do it will be a tune + meth injection.

For now I'm still happy with the stock power (only have secondary cat delete) but the massive gains I could get with that tune + methanol is VERY VERY VERY tempting

 

Cool - great to see other users have experience with it. The way I tell it to my friends & co-workers is that methanol is even considered extreme among most car guys for a variety of reasons. Who wouldn't want to run race gas all the time on their performance car, if you could make it affordable?


Yes, you are right that I installed the jets just after the exit from the intercoolers before it travels into the intake. Not sure exactly where you installed your jets, but I talked to several knowledgeable sources before I decided on that location - including direct port injection.

The theory is that you want to install you jets as far downstream from the throttle body as possible (also perpendicular to air flow) so it has as much time as possible to atomize in the air tract. This allows the most time possible to lower air intake temps before it travels into the combustion chamber. You also want to try to mitigate dumping liquid methanol into the combustion chamber since it is adding fuel to the stock maps and will result in running rich.

You do not want to install the jets BEFORE the intercooler (even farther downstream) since liquid methanol could pool in the intercooler and could detonate in the intercooler itself (no bueno). So tapping the intercooler as soon as the air leaves the intercooler is the ideal location (so I was advised).

I should note that this is in contrast to where many 911 guys place their jets, in the y-pipe/plenum. I am told that this does not give the methanol much time at all to cool the incoming air before reaching the combustion chamber and can also result in methanol leaking into the first cylinder, pooling, and detonating on initial startup (also no bueno).

What are you waiting on? Who doesn't want MOAR POWER?!

 

LOL, yup ... you can NEVER have enough power!

I also always install the jets post intercooler(s) (right after the intercooler(s)). I agree with you exactly keeping it as far away from the intake/throttle body but AFTER the intercoolers to give the mist a chance to atomize.

I also personally don't think meth injection is extreme at all. In fact if run and tuned how you are doing it the truck will continue to run as "normal" even if the system shuts downs, runs out of methanol, etc... Perhaps you are not squeezing the absolute most power increase from the setup by doing it this way but you are still getting a nice boost in power without too many downsides (if any at all).

 

I meant extreme in the sense of having to source methanol, store it, and refill another volatile fuel source for your vehicle. Right now I am getting this in 55 gallon drums to get the most savings possible.

You are right that I am leaving approx 10-15% of my gains on the table, but the trade off is safety and never having to worry about running out of methanol. It is nice when you are in a rush in your daily driver, do not have time to refill your tank, and you can simple just reach over and temporarily disable the methanol injection system and be on your way. Very little compromises here.

The water is warm, want to jump in

 

Great post! I also plan on adding a meth kit to my Cayenne. A few questions for ya...

What size jets you are running? Did you raise the boost after installing or bump up the timing maps? Who does your tuning? Are you running 50/50 or 100% meth?

Wouldnt you would need a custom tune after installing the meth kit (depending on jet size)? Or does the ECU correct for this automatically? What are your A/F ratios at WOT?

Also, I dont understand your post. Arent you injecting it directly into the combustion chamber just farther down the line for better atomization?

On my 996tt my tuner installed my Aquamist so when the tank is empty, or if their is a problem with the meth system it disables the factory boost solenoid so the turbos boost to wastegate spring levels. This way I am able to drive it and give it full throttle even if the car is out of meth.

 

Dual 1.2 mm jets

No - neither. The stock turbos are at the edge of their compressor maps at 16.9 PSI; they have nothing else to give, besides added heat.

I chose not to bump up the timing maps and stay tuned for a 93 octane base with stock programming to bump timing with race fuel. This allows me to turn off the methanol and still WOT safely.


Base Turbo S tune file with 18 psi boost cut limiter removed; Softronics


100% methanol


No, the DME automatically adjust for it. It sees it no differently than race gas on a cool day.


Not sure off the top of my head. When I last checked my Durametric logs, I did not see anything alarming.

No, direct into the combustion chamber means just that; think about the fuel injectors. The injectors introduce fuel directly into the cylinder with the piston and spark. The methanol is being introduced at the end of the intercoolers, so it has time to better atomize with the oxygen molecules for higher combustion. The methanol has to travel through the last part of the intercooler neck, through the chargepipes, into the plenum, past the throttle body, into the intake manifold, where it finally reaches the combustion chamber.

This sounds like the methanol kit safeguards. I did a more simple approach and disabled the methanol kit safeguards since I am not tuned for a base 100+ octane map; so there is no risk in running 93 octane fuel.

 

I know, a little late to the party, but I am a new CTT owner. This is a great write-up. Everything thoroughly detailed and easy to understand. I was wondering, after having this system for a while and now looking back; is there anything you would have done differently, or in addition to, while taking on this project if you were to do it again? Thanks in advance.

 

Awesome write-up, I had dog-eared this post to come back at a later date when I'd done everything else (outside of bigger turbos/injectors/intercoolers) and was finally ready to make the plunge into meth.

You've had it installed for around 4 years now, do you still own your pepper?

Did you install the kit primarily to reduce intake or egt or was it with the intent to play with timing, boost, and octane for fuel?

The install looks a bit daunting, was a lot of it playing by ear or did you map it out before? How long did it all take?

As for performance - the rule of thumb is 3.6-5.4% (so much varies on intake size, engine size, etc etc) per 20 degrees F. So, arguably if you experience an increase of 80-90 degrees F typically at WOT, and with the kit running you experience no increase at all, it would feel like an increase of 100-170 hp. Not to mention heat-soaking would be nearly a thing of the past.

Sorry if this is 'necro'ing' a thread of if any of this was already covered.

 

It's all covered in this thread.

I am a firm believer that this mod is one of the most cost effective and highest yielding mods available for the CTT.

 

I wish there were photos or any explanation of how that Aquamist or any WMI kit is getting boost reference.... This is an an amazing mod but there's no talk of how that controller is getting any reference to boost i.e. tapped off the intake manifold (tee), the blowoff valves? Or did it get wired up to the factory MAP sensor? SIgh.