Hey all...

I just installed my Snow Performance methanol injection kit (amazing kit by the way). I will be using 100% methanol and using the 2 quart tank / reservoir that was supplied with the kit.

My question:

Can 100% methanol degrade and lose its strength and potency from sitting in its tank / reservoir after a period of time?

I am just curious to know if it sits in the tank for awhile if it will change into something other than methanol or lose its octane/power strength. If so, how long would it take?

Thanks!

 

Methanol isnt going to degrade into anything. The only things I can see happening are evaporation of the methanol or water getting into the tank so that its not 100% methanol anymore. Id assume that the kit is designed for methanol so that corrosion wont really be an issue.

 

Correct, it will absorb water if the tank is ventilated (most are). So you're right, it won't be 100% methanol forever and ever. I don't know the rate at which this absorption occurs - I asked a similar question a few weeks back and never found an adequate answer.

I assume that it doesn't happen too fast since there are a ton of people out there running 100% methanol and nobody complaining about it's hygroscopic nature.

 

I would agree with evaporation and water contamination. I know alcohol will pull the moisture out of the air so you really need to watch water contamination. This is why you become dehydrated when you consume a lot of alcohol. It will pull the water out of your system. Methanol most likely acts the same way.

 

Interesting...

No one knows how long it takes to absurb the water huh?

 

?????

 

Well, you could study chemical kinetics and mass balance, but that will just tell you why it is so hard to predict. Concentration, rate law, physical state, temperature, pressure, and ionic strength, all can effect the absorbsion rate.

Literally, it can be 6-12 hours, it can be days. But be forewarned that it isn't just 'less pure', you get a mildly corrosive acid and a gelatanous goo.

-jjf

 

yeah if you run straight methanol you need to flush your lines out with gasoline regularly since it has a tendency to form a yellowish gel like substance when it degrades.

but jfitzpat is correct, theres no way to tell how fast methanol will absorb moisture. if you want to be precise get a hydrometer. the specific gravity of pure methanol at around 40 degrees F is .805 and 100 degees F .774 so anywhere inbetween is good.

 

there are too many variables to give an exact time frame...

 

As a second part to the question - at what methanol/water ratio does it stop absorbing moisture? 75:25? 50:50? 25:75? I don't need an exact figure, I'm just looking for an answer that's "in the ballpark."

 

so if you use a 50/50 mix then you will not have to worry about absorbtion of water or draining the lines

 

I dont know...

I would like to know what the ratio would tune into too...

 

Is that a question or a statement?

 

There is still methanol in it. I would imagine the mix can get even more unequal because it can still absorb more.

 

So that makes an Evo one happy, drunk motha