I am looking into installing the AEM Water/Meth System on my 2013 Cooper S.
I am going to have a shop do it. Does anyone have knowledge about this system? Is it good at all? Anything bad about it? AEM 30-3000 is the part number. I do want to do Aquamist but it is way out of budget being a grand.

 

pay for what you get right? it's hands down the better system (hfs-4). there's no substitute in skimping out on the meth kit. I love the system and if you can't do it now, I'd say save up to buy it. I've installed this kit 3 times and know it's worth every penny.

 

Just save for aquamist. Everything else is faulty, under engineered and will simply result in failure.

 

The AEM system looks to only run on boost pressure to determine spraying which is not good for the mini engine. Reason is it's load based so the boost pressure fluctuates all over the place normally. The aquamist also uses injector duty cycle which is much more linear and allows you to vary the IDC/boost ratio that will trigger the spray. People that run 100% meth have found a 50/50 ratio works well. 100% boost trigger made the car run rich and pull timing killing performance.

 

My Opinion (and you know what they say about those).

Anyway, it depends on what you want to do, it you are adding the system for additional power, and performance (and going to tune for it) then I agree the Howerton/AquaMist HFS-2 or 3 is the only way to go.

NOW, that being said if you are only looking to add it for the cleaning of the valves and the minor performance gain that you will get without tuning for it, then any of the kits that will inject based on boost will work, assuming that you set the injection system to inject only at the top of the boost curve.

The problem is that most of the cheaper kits are really only a couple hundred away from the AquaMist setup.

I went with another kit originally and ended up getting the AquaMist HFS-3 and it is the best money I have spent on my MINI with the exception of the Pulley.

 

The other advantage of the hfs3/4 system is the support network here and with Howerton if you have questions.

On another note:

What are the dangers of having a meth system? I know that you're an advocate of installing it in the boot and not in the engine bay. My concern is that I have a 8 year old daughter who normally rides in the front passenger seat and I don't like the idea of having a container with 100% methanol in the car. Is a 50/50 mix a water/meth still effective. Is a racing fuel type cell an option? I do want to use it for power and not just cooling/cleaning.

 

50/50 is fine, I suppose it's preference. I run full 100%

A racing fuel storage cell can be an option, but you'll be paying $$$ for it and it'll probably limit more boot space if you're in to maximizing trunk space.

Plus, she's in the passenger seat, it's still more distant than the front where frontal impacts would easily puncture the windshield washer container spilling meth anywhere and everywhere.

 

Thanks for the advice guys. I probably will save my money on a non-universal product because Howerton does make a Mini Specific one. My only concern is the install. I don't really want to do it on my own. Lol

 

Its actually pretty easy and Jeff will provide you with instructions that are very easy to follow.

 

Drive down to socal and I'd do it for you. LoL. The install itself requires more time running all the cables than anything else.

 

Cool. Yes I will think about it when the money is available. Right now I really want my tune.
How did you guys tap into the ECU for the Aquamist? Is splicing wires something that has to be done? I don't want my dealer to trip out. They know I mod my car but splicing wires in the ECU might be pushing it.

 

Posi-taps. Safer way of tapping wires w/o splicing. There is 1 splicing, but I don't do it and nor would I do it unless someone told me to do it.

 

Yea. Posi-taps look good. I feel a little more confident now.
Just wish I had a lift. My car is pretty low. It's hard to fit a jack under. And it will be a pain in the *** to run the lines.

 

Eh, nothing a low profile jack can't get under. My buddy's ride is damn low and I have to jack the rear to slide under the fronts. Not a big deal.

Once it's up in the air it's not hard to roll around underneath with a crawler to run the lines.

 

I've had the debate on front install a few times on here, I'm using the washer bottle without any problems. With that install there's no noise just the button flashing, of course I'm only running a 50\50 mix and if the tank was to rupture its going straight on to the ground. I got my system directly from Howerton for $600+shipping with full instructions just had to workout how do do the front install which worked pretty well.

 

Nice! Sounds Great!
Do any of you guys know the difference from say an HFS-3 system and an HFS-3 system made for the Mini Cooper? What are the differences? In case I find a really good deal on the "non Mini" specific system.

 

You might have to get the board re-soldered from Jeff because the board layout may be slightly different but I could be wrong. I know the R53 board is slightly different that the R56. I'd rather you get a MINI specific one because of the housing. Other systems aren't so accommodating when it comes to mounting in the trunk.

It's great to catch a deal, but don't catch a deal for the sake of catching a deal. I'd say make sure it's a MINI version.

 

Damn. Just saw the price.
$1200 shipped with tax. Ouch..

 

Ok let me clear things up a bit the HFS-3 is an HFS-3 the controller just has to be flashed for your car so it is possible to buy secondhand and have it flashed for your car buy paying postage their and back to Aquamist, by that of course I mean the controller. What that means is that once you buy a aquamist system and down the track sell your car and buy another boosted car you can run the system on your new car, they flash it for free your only paying postage. I guess you could call that after sales service or customer support. Now having said that Howerton Engineering will sell you a kit specifically for the MINI Cooper with the tank and pump enclosed in a box designed to fit and be fix to existing mounting point in the back with correct nozzles and other parts e.g 90° push connectors etc. I chose to do my own install in the front to avoid reducing the already small boot. Hope that helps.

 

Wow. That's great!
Thanks for clearing things up for me!
I will be considering the Mini specific kit to avoid the hassle of sending it in for a reflash.
Do you guys run HFS-3 or 4?

 

For me just check my SIG, I prefer the discrete button and not having to pay more for a system that had extra failsafes I won't be using because I'm not tuning for meth.

 

So does it inject on boost pressure?
I've considered HFS-2

 

Up to you. I'm running it off IDC but you can use boost, IDC or both. You do know that the HFS-2 the HFS-3 has the same controller but comes without the gauge and flow sensor which is why you don't get the extra fail safe protection.

 

AEM meth injection kit is a great kit, I've installed quite a few of them on subaru's.

 

Have you tried an IDC triggered system on a subbie to see if that works better/worse? Seems you can only run a boost based system at the top of the boost curve on minis or it hurts performance.