[bowtie_thunder]

NOTE: This is not my photo, nor my vehicle. For reference only.


A friend of mine and his buddy were talking to me yesterday, and his friend said that he'd been using a direct meth system similar to the photo above (directly into the OEM LT4 supercharger bricks) on his bolt-on 2019 ZL1 1LE with a "pretty wide open injector pulse width" on that system to compensate for not running an intercooler in front of the radiator. Which I thought was odd, because the only reason he said he wasn't running one was because he apparently is trimming weight--he's aiming for a 9-second car. He claims he's currently making 658 rwhp on 93 only, and 702 on alcohol + 93.

I have never heard of someone doing something like this before (and quite frankly, it sounded like hogwash), but I have two questions:

What would be the long-term effects of using meth injection in this way?

How much weight would he *actually* save by deleting an intercooler brick for the dragstip?

Thoughts?

[clg82]

It's not possible for you because you live in California and you have to smog......joking/not joking aside......but i'll let the experts chime in.....I made that HP with a tune and Magnuson on 93, so I'm not sure why his numbers are so low, or if that's in the ballpark for a whipple and meth.....You didn't already gain that much HP from your american authority fuel door????.....also joking/not joking hahaha

[Smokin19]

Low number for meth. I have 720 rwhp with what you see in my sig.

[Katech_Mike]

All serious race cars do not use a heat exchanger. It's pointless for that type of racing. Most people are going to be running an ice tank plumbed directly to the intercooler bricks.

[clg82]

Originally Posted by Katech_Mike

All serious race cars do not use a heat exchanger. It's pointless for that type of racing. Most people are going to be running an ice tank plumbed directly to the intercooler bricks.

You can still hit a 9 second quarter mile and not have a serious race car though.

[Evansa22]

The main stock heat exchanger empty does not weigh much, probably not even 5 lbs. Not sure with it full of fluid, but at ~8.4lbs/gal I think it is, doesn't seem your shaving much weight. Also not sure how much fluid the HX holds, maaayyybbbeee a gallon

[RobZL1]

Yep, seems like overkill for a 700hp car unless he has bigger long term plans and just wanted to "do a mod" in the meantime.

If it's a dedicated strip car and he pulled the front HX, then why wouldn't he pull the I/C bricks, too? They are useless at that point. Just spray the meth directly into the charge air and let 'er rip, tater chip!

I think post-rotor meth is the best way to introduce meth, but it seems weird to me to do it with the I/C bricks but without the HX if he's all about reducing weight.

[bowtie_thunder]

Originally Posted by clg82

It's not possible for you because you live in California and you have to smog......joking/not joking aside......but i'll let the experts chime in.....I made that HP with a tune and Magnuson on 93, so I'm not sure why his numbers are so low, or if that's in the ballpark for a whipple and meth.....You didn't already gain that much HP from your american authority fuel door????.....also joking/not joking hahaha

Lol it's not my photo, just for reference. Also, I thought those numbers were rather on the low side as well if he was using alcohol. He didn't mention who tuned his vehicle, but judging by the way he speaks so boisterously and matter-of-fact, I'd bet the answer is that he probably tuned it himself.

Besides meth, he did mention he was using bigger TB with an adapter plate, a RotoFab Big Gulp, and MSD Blaster coil packs (I think), with a stock upper pulley and plans to go 2.5. But I feel like I've seen people dyno 6th Gen ZL1s with only a ported blower make that much.

[bowtie_thunder]

Originally Posted by Katech_Mike

All serious race cars do not use a heat exchanger. It's pointless for that type of racing. Most people are going to be running an ice tank plumbed directly to the intercooler bricks.

I can totally see that, but he is currently turning his semi-daily driver into a racecar, so I don't think he's got a trunk ice tank yet. He specifically mentioned he was also using the meth as a compensator for not having a HX and is street/strip driving.

And that's the part that weirds me out. Would meth be enough to cool charge air temps to drive like that??

[clg82]

Originally Posted by bowtie_thunder

Lol it's not my photo, just for reference. Also, I thought those numbers were rather on the low side as well if he was using alcohol. He didn't mention who tuned his vehicle, but judging by the way he speaks so boisterously and matter-of-fact, I'd bet the answer is that he probably tuned it himself.

Besides meth, he did mention he was using bigger TB with an adapter plate, a RotoFab Big Gulp, and MSD Blaster coil packs (I think), with a stock upper pulley and plans to go 2.5. No mention but I feel like I've seen people dyno 6th Gen ZL1s with only a ported blower make that much.

660 to the wheels with just a ported blower, and a throttle body adapter plate huh?.....I should have saved the 12k I spent on the Magnuson ......all of this is a moot point once the cops impound the car for no CARB stuff

[Keko]

Originally Posted by bowtie_thunder

I can totally see that, but he is currently turning his semi-daily driver into a racecar, so I don't think he's got a trunk ice tank yet. He specifically mentioned he was also using the meth as a compensator for not having a HX and is street/strip driving.

And that's the part that weirds me out. Would meth be enough to cool charge air temps to drive like that??

Meth does wonders for air temps. Often times it will cool the air below ambient, depending on the setup and ambient conditions.

[bowtie_thunder]

Originally Posted by clg82

660 to the wheels with just a ported blower, and a throttle body adapter plate huh?.....I should have saved the 12k I spent on the Magnuson ......all of this is a moot point once the cops impound the car for no CARB stuff

I don't think his LT4 blower is ported, I was just mentioning that part because I feel like I've seen people with less mods get that kind of power (or close to it) with a port and polish and maybe ethanol.

Lol Also, you'd be surprised how many people basically say "screw CARB" and run catless headers and hog-ass cams out here. I personally loathe CARB in a lot of ways. But, unless you drive like a complete dickhead or pull up next to a motorcycle cop who will inevitably smell your exhaust, muscle car owners out in SoCal don't get harrased nearly as much as the JDM guys.

But...there is always that ONE cop on a power trip who just LOVES to state ref people, so the gamble is real, of course.

[KingLT1]

Not sure how anybody can claim the numbers are low without knowing pulley sizes and boost level. The Whipple 2.9 can support anywhere from 575-950whp depending on fuel, boost, and engine mods. Most kits shipped with an 8-10psi pulley configuration. So 700whp could be right in line for the mods.

[Katech_Mike]

Originally Posted by clg82

You can still hit a 9 second quarter mile and not have a serious race car though.

My response was to the question he asked. "Is it possible". Yes it's possible and plenty of people do it.