Ever heard of this?

I thought I’d add this little bit of family history-

My grandfather was a WW1 aircraft mechanic, he told me that he made up a water vapor injection system so water vapor could be drawn into the air intake of the engine.

I don’t remember if he even detailed what he used or how he kept the intake from getting a gulp of water.

But I do remember he said that the water vapor helped with fuel economy, engine performance, engines ran cooler, and were cleaner because of a more complete combustion.
He said think about it, doesn’t your car run better in fog or a heavy rain?

Years later during some “lean times” I took a mason jar, and punched 2 holes in the lid.

In one hole I put a piece of copper pipe long enough to almost reach the bottom of the jar, the other end was open to atmosphere.
I put a valve in the other hole and ran a line from the valve to a vacuum line from the carburetor of my Ford van.

With water in the mason jar the carburetor drew air from atmosphere through the water
making bubbles (the amount was controlled by the valve) then drawn into the carburetor and mixed with more oxygen and fuel vapors.

Now from what I remember my little science project did result in a bit more fuel economy, but most notable was the van ran better, better throttle response.

I was pretty pleased with what looked like a miniature moonshine still, and in the winter I would add an ounce or two of gas line anti freeze.

I used to drive a tricked out '67 Ford 4X4 with a built 390 engine. At 6000 feet elevation, there wasn't much piston knock, but near sea level in the heat---Zowwiee! The water injection quieted the knock almost completely. The system was a pain to maintain and regulate. I took it off one day and threw it far away.

Water in the oil is always a problem if you don't make enough heat to drive the water out. Even if you don't add water the combustion process creates it. Adding water does not create a problem, just makes it more pronounced.

Every successful application that I have heard of was on engines that are already very hot from being worked to the max. Mostly racing and WWII fighters. On the fighters it was only used when gasoline alone wasn't providing enough power and then only for short periods.

Me Again wrote:

larry cad wrote:


I was "next door", a few years later (from the date on your photo.)

Fun times, huh?

When I arrived around the 2nd or 3rd of July 1966 there were:

200 AF Redhorse Construction guys building the runway
50 US Army
4 Marines
12 USCG Electric Techs, a W4 XO and LT CO as a construction detachment.

I rotated out on June 2nd 1967 and there were:

7,000 USAF
5,000 US Army
28 USCG
and the same 4 Marines and are probably still there!!!! They had huts down on the beach in Sattahip, with Thai ladies to clean, cook and provide for their needs.

Never made it that far west. I did get to Pleiku over on the western boarder. :D

larry cad wrote:


I was "next door", a few years later (from the date on your photo.)

Fun times, huh?

When I arrived around the 2nd or 3rd of July 1966 there were:

200 AF Redhorse Construction guys building the runway
50 US Army
4 Marines
12 USCG Electric Techs, a W4 XO and LT CO as a construction detachment.

I rotated out on June 2nd 1967 and there were:

7,000 USAF
5,000 US Army
28 USCG
and the same 4 Marines and are probably still there!!!! They had huts down on the beach in Sattahip, with Thai ladies to clean, cook and provide for their needs.

Me Again wrote:

larry cad wrote:


Sometime later!

Description
English: A KC-135A taking off with water injection to its J-57 engines
Date 30 September 2013, 15:35:08
Source USAF photo
Author USAF Photographer

This picture is from the top of our 625' tower looking over at U-Tapao. Between the B-52s and KC-135, and a war, we thought at times our buildings would fall down.

I was "next door", a few years later (from the date on your photo.)

Fun times, huh?

larry cad wrote:


Sometime later!

Description
English: A KC-135A taking off with water injection to its J-57 engines
Date 30 September 2013, 15:35:08
Source USAF photo
Author USAF Photographer

This picture is from the top of our 625' tower looking over at U-Tapao. Between the B-52s and KC-135, and a war, we thought at times our buildings would fall down.

Just keep in mind that water does not compress and injecting too much water into the intake will cause a change in the compression ratio of the cylinder. Water will also lower the combustion temperature.

Me Again wrote:

larry cad wrote:

notsobigjoe wrote:
I've never heard of this type of conversion. When I lived in upstate NY a friend of mine ran something on his snow plow truck that injected water into the fuel, I don't know anything about what happened but I remember him showing me. I find this stuff interesting not as the effect that the user intends "whatever that may be" but just the scientific inventing end of it. I thought it was interesting and am passing it along for comments.

https://www.truckcampermagazine.com/camper-tech/misadventures-in-grease-camping/

B-52s and other military aircraft have been using water injection into their "diesel" engines for years. Here is a KC-135 with "wet" takeoff

Was that at U-Tapao in Thailand? I was 4 miles off the end of the runway and 3 miles to the side. I was part of the construction crew that build and man'd the Loran C Station the USCG built there in the summer of 1966.

Sometime later!

Description
English: A KC-135A taking off with water injection to its J-57 engines
Date 30 September 2013, 15:35:08
Source USAF photo
Author USAF Photographer

Thankfully the KC-135's in use near me changed engines long ago. When the base first got them, they had those original engines and they are the noisiest. They use to trim the engines right on the flight line and you couldn't hear somebody standing right next to you inside the building.