A boost switch I have found is too late in getting the water flowing. After boost is up to 30 psi then the water is trying to play catch up. I have found with the 'manual' switch I can get it going full blast before its really needed, before the boost is high. The EGT's then have a hard time getting to hot. With boost switch's I was never impressed with water injection, with the manual switch I am now very impressed with water injection. Also, I don't use nearly as much water as before because I'm controlling with its on and off. What do you think of the IVS being used Nate?

 

The issue with using it with the IVS is that it will switch on as soon as you touch the throttle (too soon, I would think). What about setting the boost switch to a lower pressure setting (10-15PSI)?

 

He would be using the IVS with the manual switch, so it would come on exactly when he wants it to. The IVS will just shut it off if he lets off the throttle at the top of a hill to slow down for a turn and forgets to turn the manual switch off.

A low pressure switch in conjunction with the manual switch should work just as well too.

 

If wiring it into the IVS is designed to act simply as a "safety" so that it doesn't activate unless you're driving, that would work. If you like having the control of flipping the switch and flowing the water, then this is a decent way to ensure that it isn't pumping your engine full of water while you're at a stop light. The issue is that it could still come on under part throttle, which isn't ideal.

That's where the pressure switch in the plenum really shines, it defeats the system unless you're making pressure, and since pressure is made by the heat in the exhaust, it's about the closest you can hope to come to having the water switch on right when you need it. You could still use the manual switch to "disable" the system when you don't want to use it, but having it on a boost switch, set to come on at an appropriate boost level is about the closest you're going to come to making the system work exactly when you need it. My guess is that the switch you had before was activating at too low or too high a boost level. But hey, if you like telling it when to run and when to stop, the way you have it (with or without the IVS tie in) is what you want. You just have to flip the switch all the time.... There's no getting around that without a boost switch (unless you wanted to get really fancy and tie it into a PID with a thermocouple mounted in the manifold -- now that would be cool!).

 

I put a toggle switch on mine that switches power off and on. I also have a boost switch plumbed into the boost line to the gauge. It is adjustable, so I can set it to come on at the boost pressure I choose. I also wired in a led light (put it right beside my boost gauge) that only comes on when the boost switch opens up, so I can tell exactly when its spraying

 

Not that I'm trying to save water but I tried all those boost setting before. Its the progressive part of the control I didn't like. Also, I can most of the time look at a hill and know if I'll need water or not. I have found out that all or nothing works the best. If I think I'll need it then I'll flip the switch a little early to better control the EGT's.


I haven't looked in awhile but is there two wires to the IVS? I suppose I would tap into the wire that sends the PCM the signal that I'm really to go. I also like my cruise control, I don't have any idea if this would effect anything. By low pressure switch do you mean a boost switch set on low?

Good point about partially throttle, that wouldn't be good at all. It's starting to sound like the boost switch is the way to go but if I really wanted to be safe use the IVS as a back up to a boost switch.


Sounds good Brian. If I understand it, if I set the boost to come on at 10psi for example and then if I forget to shut it off manually the boost switch will shut it off below 10psi for me. I just want to be able to WOT the water when I think I'll need it to stay ahead of the game. I've been finding out that once the boost gauge is showing 10 psi and above I'll take a look at the hill and decide by how steep it is and how long it is if I need water and go with it one way or the other. Where did you get your boost switch?

 

http://www.alcohol-injection.com/en/water-injection-parts/1-adjustable-pressure-switch.html

​​​​​​This is a improved version of the one I have. I have the cheap one, but am now ordering one of these.
You just run a boost hose to it. Wire it in between your power source and the injection pump. When the desired boost level us reached, it sends power to the pump. Just like a light switch. It is open or closed / all or nothing

 

Thanks Brian, I appreciate it!!

 

This might be of interest to Glenn and his Glycol in oil analysis. This guy has some good videos.

 

Glenn, Just curious after watching this video what the oil analysis company says about the sodium in the water. Could that be coming from the water you're using (if it isn't distilled water)?

 

Nate, the water is not distilled, just filtered. Maybe I should switch to distilled water. If I'm seeing that video right then maybe I shouldn't use water at all. This is what the report said:


*WEAR LEVELS APPEAR NORMAL.

*SODIUM LEVEL APPEARS HIGH. THIS MAY INDICATE A SLIGHT OR

INTERMITTENT ANTIFREEZE LEAK. GLYCOL TEST IS NEGATIVE,

HOWEVER.

*CHANGE OIL AND FILTERS (IF NOT ALREADY DONE). RESAMPLE AT

NORMAL INTERVAL.

 

I'm betting that the sodium is from the water injection. If it were from a coolant leak, why would the glycol test come back negative? Sodium is a mineral, I don't see where you'd be getting it in the oil if not from the water.

And I wouldn't hesitate to run water in it. Running it in a big diesel is a lot different than running it through a lawnmower. I think he was using way too much water. You don't run so much through it that it causes the engine to spit, sputter and miss. I'm betting in the two hours he ran that thing he put as much water through it as he did fuel, plus he was just dribbling it into the carb and not spraying it into hot intake air (post turbo) like you are.

 

I don't know if you saw that first post I made about this lab test Nate? At the same time I was putting 7K on the oil I was using a little coolant. Being in the UP of Mi out in the middle of nowhere I was 50 miles from a auto parts store. They didn't have an adapter to fit our coolant tanks to do a pressure test so for $12 I just bought a new cap from Ford's. It hasn't used any coolant since. Confusing I know but I believe your right about the sodium coming from the water injection. I already have 4.5K on this oil so its a little late to change to distilled water but if I did the sodium content would be lower on the next oil test. But for sure after I change oil in AZ I'll switch to 100% distilled water to see what happens.


I'm going to have to watch that video again when I have time. Did he say the compression went down because of water injection? I could see that happening because of the water in the oil that he had. I run a #7 injector, Nick said he ran a #10 for hours and hours against a head wind in WY without any problems. With the manuel switch for all or nothing I've seen great results, so much better then in the past. Thanks for the encouraging words about running water, I would like to continue because of the results I'm getting.


Edit: I didn't mean first post, I meant to say I started a thread call 'sodium'. I didn't get much response so I googled it and found that it some time is used as a oil additive.

 

That would be it...

 

Borrowed a buddys truck and went to Indy. Drug the 94' home for parts. A roller cam 351 came with and a set of 31x10.5's on steelies hopped in the bed too. Now to part it out and get the carcas gone. Net a 87' super cab is coming home lol...gonna look like a junk yard soon...