Has anyone run meth in their tank to increase the octane of their fuel in their tuned Mini R56?
I read this article but am concerned about the effect on the HPFP.
http://methanol.org/Energy/Transport...n-(Final).aspx

 

Issue is the VOLUME of fuel needed goes up...methanol/ethnol has less btu's per VOLUME, so more is needed to make the same power (the reason for mpg loss with biofuel blends)...
So unless the computer can compensate for the change of the fuel mix, you are getting more octane, but getting leaner....small %, say 5% can csusecminor issues, but the cars run on...
The fix is to tune the car on the fuel that will be run...but then you MUST ALWAYS use that custom mix...
"Flex-fuel" cars have a computer that can adapt to the changes in gas/methanol/ethanol blends...the MINI cannot...
As for the fuel system components....they are not vetted or tested for the custom mix...so there is good reason to be concerned.

 

It depends on the mix that you want to use. Assuming that methanol has similar corrosive properties to the fuel system as ethanol then the MINI is rated for 10% (as per the owners manual). But I believe that methanol is more chemical corrosive than ethanol.

That being said some people have run +30% ethanol with no issues (at least short term). Fuel trims may or may not be able to keep up with that amount methanol since it has lower specific power rating. I believe that the main component that can fail is the low pressure fuel pump and a company is currently working on an E85 solution.

A better solution is methanol injection into the intake. You'll get the added octane plus lower charge temperatures and since it is added in addition to the gasoline that is directly injected you'll have no lean issues. Another benefit is that you will not use a whole lot since it is only injected when needed. I typically use 10-15 gallons per year.

EDIT: sorry I just now realized who made the original post and that you're already familiar with meth injection.

 

ETHANOL yes.
METHANOL no.
I used about 2-3 gal E85 mixed with 91 octane.
Seemed fine.
I did it a lot when I had the JB+ but a few times with the Manic Tune.
I still sprayed meth so I was comfortable that the car won't starve from fuel.

 

Thanks for the feedback. Familiar with the lower a/f issue and corrosive properties.
Here in CA I believe we get 10% in out fuels; not E85 but still added.
I read from what appears to be a sincere article that adding 15% meth bumps RON octane 6-7 points which would mean for us tuned guys pump gas plus the meth. is fine.
I'm looking for someone who has done it or is doing it and their experience. I could even see myself adding 1 gallon of 116 leaded octane, 1 gallon of meth and the rest 91 pump gas. Right now 100 octane is 9.10 out here.

 

Frankly, if you are running meth injection, a little in the tank might be OK...I would worry less about ethanol, then methanol, just because it has been tested....do they suggest a "co-solvent" to help keep the methanol in solution...it tends to separate out more than ethnol from what I have read, thus needs a bit of basivly "soap", aka a co-solvent too keep it from separating if the car sits for a bit..like overnight....
I would run away from mixing leaded fuel...even if the cats are out.
In aviation, we still deal with leaded fuel...the high lead content in even "100LL" aviation fuel can buildup on sparkplugs, and it is MADE to create deposits to lube valves, OK on older motors, heck even needed, but modern motors with tighter tolerances.... I would worry.
Yanking plugs to clean them every 100 hours on a airplane with 2 per cylindar is a pain...having similar buildups in a motor not made for it makes me worry....

 

One thing I've wondered about when mixing in relatively small amounts of octane enhancers (like a gallon or two)...the gas tank is a saddle type design so will you get good mixing or is it possible to have it concentrated only on one side?

 

http://www.snowperformance.net/Nitro...er-p/40007.htm

Anyone try this ??

 

Ran 2 gallons of E85 and 1 gallon on ethanol.
Fuel trims were getting maxed out but I feel my VC is causing some vacuum leak.
I went back to 95% pump fuel and fuel trims corrected down some 25%; from 25 down to 18 or so LTF. This is to be expected but I was getting pending fault codes for fuel trim.

 

You have ~18% LTFT using pump gas? That seems pretty high.