just wondering if anyone has tried this as a means of improving flathead engine performance

 

I have heard of some guys using this on drag racing and LSR engines to help control preignition
The only direct experience I have is with aircraft engines and water/alcohol injection was only used during takeoff for the same reason as above

 

I've read a lot of post on this calling it BS. My neighbor has this set up on his '52 F-1 and says he gets better gas mileage by something like 3 miles a gallon.

 

How could injecting something that absorbs the heat of combustion do any good, unless you made major modifications to the engine to take advantage of the potential benefits? Right up there with the 100 mpg carburetor. The aircraft situation Dick pointed out is a completely different concept, it was to prevent detonation at specific conditions.

 

The only water injection that I know of that increased hp or thrust was on jet engines - Some models of both the B-52 and KC-135's used dematerialized water that was injected into the last stage of the burner to make steam to get the increased thrust on takeoff

 

I think you need a really high compression ratio for water/methanol injection to be of any help. I understand that it helps control detonation in such circumstances. I doubt it would be of any benefit otherwisel

 

I have a 1937 john deere model D. I think the compression ratio is something like 3.75:1 and from the factory it has an injector that runs from the water jacket to the carb. Talking to old timers that used them in the day, I was told it really made it come alive when plowing in tough ground. I sometimes use my F6 for hauling hay and tractors and thought it might help when hauling something heavy. My truck does fine on level ground but on even the slightest inclines, could use a little help.

 

We used to install water injection systems in cars and trucks for pulling holiday trailers over the high mountain passes in the Rockies back in the late 60's and early 70's for the same preignition condition .

 

My experience with water injection:

Back in the late 70s I read an article about how you could get better fuel mileage with a water injection system. Instead of buying one, I would make my own.

I had a 73 chevy van & I used the factory windshield washer bottle, hooked up a fish aquarium air metering valve that had a dial on it to adjust the water flow.

Hooked it up and it ran fine, so I thought cool we will see if my mileage gets better.

Well when I went to start it the next morning, the engine turned over about 1 rotation and then it locked solid.

The washer bottle was mounted higher than the vaccumm sorce on the carb and the water drained down and filled up a cylinder and it bent a rod

Not to smart