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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Powertrain and Drivetrain Discussions > N54 Turbo Engine / Drivetrain / Exhaust Modifications - 335i > Snow Performance Stage 3 Water/Methanol Kit **EXTENSIVE REVIEW/DIY**



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      08-31-2009, 11:29 AM   #1
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Snow Performance Stage 3 Water/Methanol Kit **EXTENSIVE REVIEW/DIY**

Water/Methanol injection has been a point of huge interest on the N54 for quite some time. Why would we want a Water/Methanol injection kit? There are a number of reasons, but I will list just a few:

1. Methanol is about 116 octane, so injecting it into your charge will raise the effective octane of your fuel.
2. Injecting water into your charge pipe will remove a great deal of heat as it vaporizes by extracting heat through the latent heat of vaporization. I have personally seen drops of 20F almost instantly.
3. Carbon buildup on this engine is already becoming a problem and these kits can “effectively clean the valves, valve seats, and piston tops”.

So, basically a water/methanol kit will cool your charge temperatures and transform your pump gas into about 100 octane fuel. Why is this good? Well cooler charge temperatures allow more O2 into your engine allowing you to create more power. Second, cooler charge temperatures assure you that you won't get into the IAT boost decay that many tuners employ to protect your car (this is the feeling of the car getting slower on back to back runs). Finally, if you have higher effective octane fuel, then you can run more boost without knock when you need it or simply advance timing on your current tune creating more power. There are a lot of reasons to use water/methanol kit. The buzz is getting louder and louder for this mod, so I felt the time had come to review a kit and put together a DIY for the community.

Getting started was not immediately easy because there was no N54 specific kit when I started this project. I looked at a number of kits on the market and ultimately chose Snow Performance. Their reputation is stellar in the water/methanol injection world and their parts are top notch. That still left me with the problem of what kit? They have 3 different "stage" kits, upgradeable fuel pumps, dual nozzle setups, larger fuel tanks, safety, where would I mount the nozzle, etc. Well, this lead to more research on a lot of different topics.

So where did I land? After extensive research, I decided on the Snow Performance Stage 3 Gasoline MPG MAX Boost Cooler with the 2.5 gallon fuel tank, low fuel level indicator, solenoid upgrade, and their new SHO 220 psi fuel pump (adjustable to ~270 psi). Originally I ran the 150 psi pump for 3 weeks, but now have transitioned to the new SHO pump that is included now in every Snow Performance kit. The Snow Performance Stage 3 controller in the kit allows the water/methanol to be triggered based on Boost only or Boost/IPW (Injector Pulse Width) as well. Snow is in the process of adapting the controller to work with the N54 Piezo Injector Signal or possibly use RPM instead of IPW as a secondary trigger. The kit has a dual nozzle setup meaning it triggers a primary nozzle and then a power nozzle can come up at the high boost levels when you really want that kick. Why is the two nozzle system a good idea? It allows better atomization of the mixture, very effective conservation of the water/methanol for daily driving, and more precise quantities can be sprayed. A dual nozzle setup was critical in allowing me to inject the amount of fluid I wanted without and misfires or quench. I chose the extra capacity of the 2.5 gallon fuel tank and mounted in the trunk where everything can come together for a very clean and stealth look. Finally, the SafeInjection will trigger a light to tell me if my flow is interrupted and it will possibly trigger a valet map on the JB3 in the future (still beta testing).

Of all the reviews I have put together on the BMW 335i, this has to be the largest and most intimidating project I have tackled without question. I knew going into this project that this was going require some thought and creativity because there was no DIY or help really from anyone. I wanted to make sure that the install would match the luxury of a BMW and I feel that this is exactly what has been accomplished. I hope after reading this review you guys will have confidence in DIY'ing this mod, clearly understand what you get with Snow Performance, and visual examples of how water/methanol can help your car.

BMS deserves an enormous amount of credit for the help they has provided to me and the community along the way. Terry helped me to modify my JB3, emailed me new maps allowing the JB3 to provide a 0-5v rpm based signal, and he has been of enormous technical help along the way. I could never have completed this project without Terry and I appreciate every single thing he has done to help.

DISCLAIMER: I cannot be held responsible for anything you do to your car as you do it on your own free will.

Ordering/Shipping/Parts

Ordering the kit was quite easy and Snow Performance has been hugely helpful during the entire process. They do have incredibly knowledgeable tech support with very friendly staff. Matt Snow, the owner of Snow Performance, has even helped on more occasions than I can count on both hands. This is a company that clearly cares about its customers.

Once I ordered, I received a confirmation email with a tracking number. The parts arrived very well packaged to my house. Everything was bubbled wrapped and organized well for installation.







Each item was individually inventoried by hand giving me confidence that a part was not missed when the kit shipped to me.



After opening the contents and taking a look, it is clear this is a top notch kit! In the small bags at the bottom you see things like the tank level, the solenoid upgrade, dual nozzle holder (with 3 nozzle choices included), and power solenoid, trigger switch, and hardware.



Going through each item, here is the 3 quart tank.



The 2.5 Gallon optional upgraded tank (sorry the picture is installed).



150 psi pump (adjustable to 180 psi).



The 220 psi (adjustable to 270 psi) referred to as the SHO pump. It is a beast!



Notice the heat sink.





And a comparison between the traditional pumps and the new Snow Performance SHO pump.



Snow Performance SafeInjection Controller.



Snow Performance Stage 3 Controller which displays Boost, Injection percentage (YES!), and Injector Pulse Width %.



Hardware Installation/DIY

Remember this is done at your own risk and just an example of the way I chose to install everything.

This is where we enter into the main part of this review. I think it is important to know I did the entire install with the car on the ground, ramps, and a jack with jack stands. The Snow Performance kit comes with an instruction manual. It covers everything on how to install the kit on a car from nozzle mounting, to assembling and mounting fuel tank, to wiring the controller, to cutting the fuel line, and finally how to test the system. Everything possible is covered, but you have a lot of choices to make on where to mount everything. I hope this DIY eliminates the process of deciding where to mount or how to run things. This can be a one day project if you are ambitious, but more of a weekend project.

If you want to take a look at the manual before installation, here is a PDF from Snow Performance’s website:

http://www.snowperformance.net/produ...on_pdf-108.pdf

I first closely looked over the schematic shown in the manual to get thoughts on how to attack this. My first step was to find a location for the fuel pump, so I could determine where to mount the 2.5 gallon fuel tank. I found a very nice location under the floor of the trunk. Lift the lever in the trunk and it will reveal this:



Notice the holes along the perimeter of the black plastic trunk cover. This black plastic trunk cover can be easily removed by unscrewing the bolts around the cover, then just drop down under the car and remove the other bolts until the tray comes loose. Once you can feel it is loose, then you need to unsnap 3 lines on the back of the black plastic cover. You can just slide under the car and you cannot miss them. After it is unbolted and the 3 lines are unsnapped, simply lift it out and it should look like this:



Now that you have the tray removed, you have a perfect spot to mount the fuel pump so that the fuel tank above it can gravity feed the pump. I suggest mounting the fuel pump first and the tank last. The first thing you will need to do is assemble the fittings on the pump. There are plastic fittings and elbows that are tightened down and sealed using supplied E6000 sealant.

NOTE, if you are using the SHO (220 psi) pump, there are no elbows to install.





With the pump assembled, you can move onto the mounting and installation of the pump. The black plastic trunk cover should already be removed and sitting on the floor in your garage. It has a perfect location in the middle to easily mount the pump. Place your pump in the location you want, and then drill 4 holes to mount it. Always start small on the drill bit and move up to the necessary size. I think I ended up with a 1/8" bit. I went to Home Depot and got some longer screws and bolts to help here. I think 1 1/4" is more than long enough. The beauty of mounting the pump this way is you can still turn up the pressure of the pump without removing the pump. It requires an Allen wrench and is clearly located at the back end of the pump. In the picture, you will notice silver Allen bolt on the top of the pump. To avoid confusion, I am showing the picture of the new pump which is my final setup. You will notice some pictures of the original pump from time to time in this review, but remember that is only because that was my original setup. Here is what it will look like mounted:



Next, it is time to run the fuel tubing. I put tape on each end of the fuel line to protect it from getting debris in there. Some will run it along the floor board of the car, but I don't want to take a risk of a leak happening and soaking the cabin carpet in my car. I know a leak is very unlikely, but it is not worth the risk to me, so I chose to run the line under the car. If this is your option, then the way I chose to run the tube is the plastic tray. I drilled about a 7/16 hole in the plastic. Go to any auto part store and get a small run of 1/2" fuel tubing and cut it about 2" long. Place this in the hole you drilled because it will protect the fuel line from rough edges or shock. It should fit snug and then insert a long run of the fuel line from your kit. I would start with a 15-20 foot run and you can cut it down from there later. Notice the location I chose to the left of the pump:



Now, it was time to run the fuel line under the car to the engine bay. Just follow the white tubing! Here is a view from under the car of the fuel tube coming out of the 1/2" fuel tube you used to protect it:





Use the supplied zip ties to mount the fuel tube to the white tube as you follow it over the rear driver's side wheel.





After you get past the fender well, the fuel line run will follow the white tubing to the under panels of the car. At this point you will want to release the plastic screws (using a torx driver) under the side skirts so you can see under the panels to run the fuel tubing. It will look like this:



Run the fuel tube all the way along the white tubing and it will take you to the engine bay.



Simple stuff. Do not connect the tubing anywhere at this point. Leave it in the engine bay and leave some extra length in the trunk.

To finish the hardware installation, we will need to mount the 2.5 gallon fuel tank in the trunk. If you chose to buy the optional low fuel indicator, then you will need to drill the tank to install it. Here is the installation guide from Snow Performance:

http://www.snowperformance.net/produ...ion_pdf-20.pdf

Use a step drill bit, and if you don't have one get it at Harbor Freight! They are dirt cheap there. Drill it to 13/16" anywhere about 1/3 of the way up the tank and insert the low level indicator as indicated in the instructions. Now the tank is ready to install.

You should have the gray trunk lid you removed that sat on the black plastic trunk cover. Grab the gray trunk cover so we can mount the tank. The screws will need to be about 3/4" - 1", so you may want to go buy them at Home Depot and match the diameter of the metal mounting straps. I chose to mount the tank on the left side of the trunk because there are electronics on the passenger side of the car (I think Bluetooth module).



Since we are mounting on the driver's side, place the tank where you will want to install it and trace holes for the mounting straps, fuel line, and finally to run the wires for the Low Level Indicator.



Again simple stuff. Mount the tank and it will look like this underneath:



Pull the Low Level Indicator wire through the gray trunk lid. If you want to pretty up the install, use some boost tube and insert the wire into tube then pull it through. Next, pull the boost tube through the grey trunk lid and pull it flush to the 2.5 gallon tank.







Insert the fuel tube through the hole you drilled for it and secure it. Always cut and secure the fuel tubing as Snow Performance indicates in their manual.



Finally you will need to use a hobby knife or dremmel to open a small part of the black trunk cover to allow the fuel tube to easily run to the pump. I used a dremmel and the large sanding barrel to open up one of the "notches" to easily feed the fuel line.



From a hardware standpoint, this ends your installation.

Wiring/Electronics Installation

Remember this is done at your own risk and just an example of the way I chose to install everything.

Now it is time to wire up the car. This was a huge challenge to me in a lot of ways. Where to mount things, how to get "key-on" power, etc. After I took a step back and thought for a while, I came up with a plan and I am very, very pleased with the results.

I want to start from the trunk and move forward. Keep the 2.5 gallon tank and gray lid out of the trunk for now. First you need to remove some interior parts to prepare the way for the wiring. There are great DIYs on E90post on how to remove the rear seats, so I will defer there. Basically you remove the rear side rest and the rear seat bottom on either the passenger or driver's side of the car. Really it is your choice which side. Next, pull the plastic molded door sill, runners, kick panels and you have a clear run under the carpet to the dash. Again, there are tons of DIYs here.

BEFORE you start, go and pick up:

1) Red, blue, white, black, and green wire to use. I think I chose 16-18 gauge spools of 20 feet to assure enough length.
2) Pick up some crimping bullets (red).
3) Pick up (2) "Tap-A-Fuse" wide fuse taps
4) Pick up (2) Posi-Taps. They sell these at Napa and here is a description http://www.posi-lock.com/posiplug.html

So, we are ready for the run. First extend the ground wire on the fuel pump and Low Level Indicator (doesn't matter which wire) long enough to reach the battery where you run the wire UNDER the grey liner in the trunk. Attach the two wires to an "O" clip to attach to the top of the negative terminal on the battery. Don't attach the wires yet to the battery.

Add extra wire runs of about 12-15 feet of RED wire for the power wire on the fuel pump and one wire on the Low Level Indicator (doesn't matter which). Run these wires under the trunk liner into the back seat, then under the seat, then under the carpet in the door sill, and finally up to the dash. At this point you will need to drop the panel at the top of the foot well on the driver's side. There are only 3 torx screws holding it in. Rix and BMS have good DIYs to remove this panel. Finally remove the center console. Again DIYs abound here.

-- Run the wire for the fuel pump now into the center console. Obviously you must remove the shifter section of the center console.
-- Run the wire for the Low Fuel Indicator to the spot you want to mount the LED indicator.

I personally chose to mount the Low Level Indicator LED and SafeInjection warning LED in the vent. There are two small holes already drilled in the vent that make a perfect mounting location. It is a stealth location that is super easy to access. Rix Gauge has a great instruction guide in accessing the driver's side vent. Here is what it looks like removed:



Open the already drilled hole and make a second hole 1/4" using a drill and mount the lights. You will need to run extension wires off the SafeInjection light to use later in the installation of the SafeInjection module. Make one of the extension wires red and one black (again it doesn't matter which side). I would give about 10 feet per side and leave the wires in the driver's side foot well to be run later. Once the LEDs are mounted, then re-install the vent and it will look like this when the lights are illuminated:





Now onto powering the system. You can go one of two directions here. You can use the Posi-lock to tap into the key-on power of your cigarette lighter or use the Tap-A-Fuse. Either way is your choice. I did one of each. I used the Posi-tap to power the Snow Performance Stage 3 controller and the tap a fuse to power the SafeInjection system. Remember other than your DME box, there is NO key-on power under the hood. Don't forget you will need to power the SafeInjection, so think ahead and run this wire (eventually out to the engine bay).



If you choose the tap-a-fuse, then you just plug it into an open slot in your fuse box behind the glove box. I used the spot below the 30 amp fuse that is spot in the middle of the box. There are great DIYs on how to get to the fuse area as well, so I will defer there.

Get the Snow Performance Stage 3 controller and extend every wire by about 10 feet. Also extend the boost line with the included tubing to about 10 feet. I used male/female wire plugs for the wire, so I can easily remove the controller if needed.

Now you have a wire mess.



Make sure you know what wires are intended for the engine bay and what wires are not. The controller has to be powered using the tap-a-fuse or you posi-tap the power to the cigarette lighter. I chose to use the posi-tap on the power wire for the cigarette lighter because it is so close and easy to get to. Use the second posi-tap to ground the controller on the ground of the cigarette lighter. If you choose to use the trigger switch, which I suggest, use the rubber part in the arm rest to mount it. The rubber part is about $10 from the dealer, so it is easy to replace. Here is the switch mounted and wiring it should be simple:





Leave the power wire off for now, but wire up the fuel pump wire, ground, and wires to go out to the engine and run the rest of the wires (the manual will show which are destined for the engine bay) out to engine bay through the rubber grommet around the steering column or up in the top left part of the foot well (Rix has a great picture of this). I would strongly suggest at least running the boost tubing through the rubber grommet in the top left part of the foot well. A metal coat hanger can come in handy to pull the wire through the firewall. Pop everything into the engine bay and route it as desired.

Note: Terry is allowing my JB3 to output the 0-5v RPM signal, I have tested both the Boost/RPM trigger and Boost only. Right now I am boost only and using a progressive spray pattern. For now, the dual nozzle triggered progressively by boost seems to be doing a great job, but there will be a new Stage 3 controller soon that will give another couple of options. So with that said, you will not use the blue wires for the IPW yet, however you will very soon, so you can route them into the engine bay and just zip tie them off for now.

Now we need to wire everything up. The boost tube needs to be "T" connected to the manifold pressure. That is the line to either your DVs or BOV. You can use the white “T” connector that came with your kit or just buy a BMW “T” for about $4 to make it look OEM. Really it is hard to make a mistake here.

Next your wires need to go to the SafeInjection. You are probably thinking that we haven't mounted SafeInjection and you are right! This was one of my biggest dilemmas. I found a fantastic location where the fuel tubing enters the engine bay. You need to have ramps to lift the car to get to this location. There is a piece of black metal angled up toward the top of the car at the driver’s side on the back of the engine. I placed the SafeInjection here because it was easy to adjust and perfectly inline with the fuel line. Place the SafeInjection and tape it in place, trace the mounting holes, drill them, and mount the unit. This is what it will look like mounted (sorry for the bad pictures but it is crammed):







Do not connect the wires yet! At this point, you need to get the fuel tube measured and cut to insert into both sides of the SafeInjection. Make sure you do not come up short on the length of the fuel tube to the engine bay. Finally wire up the appropriate wires on the SafeInjection unit. Ground everything where needed. If you need a ground under the hood, there is a nice location on the driver's side of the car near the brake fluid resevoir.

Now, it is time to find a spot to mount the solenoid upgrade and power solenoid. I used the bracket that runs along the top of the driver's side of the car. To access this, you will have to remove the cowl. It is easy to access and move as necessary. I used zip ties and velcro on the top and bottom to secure the solenoids.





Wire them up.

Finally, mount the nozzles in your charge pipe using the E6000 sealant provided. The Snow Performance Stage 3 Gasoline MPG MAX Boost Cooler kit comes with nozzle elbows and three nozzle sizes (with filters built in). I used the STETT Performance Charge Pipe with Meth Bungs and a 100 ml/min and a 175 ml/min nozzle. The STETT Performance charge pipe really makes life easy. STETT Performance’s charge pipe is incredibly high quality and has performed flawlessly for me.





At this point, use zip ties and wire loom to clean up everything and make it look OEM. Here is my engine bay.



You are now in the final stages of the setup. You need to mount the controller. I chose to use the ash tray location and custom fab a mount there. It is not hard, but requires a dremmel. Follow the DIY on how to remove the stock ashtray in the "Sunglass Holder DIY", but it just comes off the center console by removing 4 torx screws. Take a close look at the back of the center console and you will see and plastic alignment bracket that centered the ash tray. Trace this onto a sheet of Lexan or ABS plastic. This will be your frame. Here is what it looks like when cut:



Next, trace out the controller on the center of the mounting plate you just created. Cut it with a dremmel:



Test fit the controller by bolting everything up:



Now, I wanted to give the mounting point an OEM feel, so used closed cell rubber foam. I traced the exact line of the ash tray opening, not the mounting bracket and cut it out. After this was cut out, I used 3M spray adhesive to attach the bracket to the closed cell rubber foam like this:





Finally, I needed to make it look OEM, so I used carbon fiber fabric to wrap the mounting plate. You spray the mounting plate and the fabric with spray adhesive and wrap it. Techniques can be found easily online.



So how in the world do you mount it? Well, for $25 I bought the sunglass holder so I could take it apart. You can use the ash tray you have, but I found it easier to get another in case I wanted to revert. The ash tray or sunglass holder can easily be popped out of the frame with a simple flat head screw driver. Notice the tabs on each side of the tray as shown in this picture:



Pop each tab in and your will remove the frame that holds the ashtray to the center console.



The beauty of this solution is you can use the screw holes to tighten the frame to the mounting plate you just built and it will secure it very, very well. If the controller doesn’t hold its mounting point by friction, then you can mount a small piece abs plastic on the controller to hold its location. Insert the Snow Stage 3 Controller and use zip ties behind it to secure it to the mounting plate. Now make sure you have everything wired up. Power, pump wire, solenoid wire, power solenoid, ground, IPW wires, and boost tube need to all be connected. Now, pop the center console back into place.







Ok, so let’s button things up. Reinstall all the panels in the car and the rear seats. Now for the trunk. Attach the grounds to the negative terminal on the battery. Bolt down the black plastic tray and re-install the 3 hoses on the back of the tray! Cut and attach the fuel lines to the fuel pump (make sure you have the correct direction). Use wire loom on fuel line and wires where necessary. Place the gray trunk lid back in the car. Here is the final trunk product:









You can reinstall the foam in the bottom of the black plastic trunk cover, but I wanted to use that area to hold some spray detail.

Tuning? Do I need to tune this?

I first want to attack the tuning aspect of this. Is there anything you need to do? Yes and no. BMW as created a masterful DME that adapts very quickly with its knock sensor. What this means is your car will advance timing as it detects the kits greater resistance to knock. The bottom line is my car is a lot faster with the Snow Performance kit running the exact same JB3 map and I mean a lot faster.

Wait, I said yes and no to the tuning question. Well, you do need to determine where to spray the water/methanol and what quantity. The quantity is determined by the horsepower you are running. For almost every one of us that is about 375-500 ml/min if you are using a 50/50 mixture of water/methanol. Some will run more methanol than the traditional 50/50 mix and that can allow you to inject more fluid, but there are inherent risks because the flash point of methanol is 148F. Snow suggests a 50/50 mixture, but I have tested with a lot of different mixes in the last couple of months on the N54. My testing with more methanol than 50/50 was needed to avoid quench, so I settled on 67% methanol and 33% distilled water.

Now, lets move onto the nozzle choices and why. I have the Snow Performance SHO pump at 220 psi, I am using a 100 ml/min in the primary port and a 175 ml/min in the secondary port as my “power nozzle”. The Snow Performance nozzles are rated at 60 psi, so a correction factor is needed. For those that like math, here is the equation you need to use to determine your new flow rate.

NFR = OFR *SQRT(NDp/ODp)

NFR = the new flow rate at the new Dp pressure
OFR = the old known flow rate at the known old pressure Dp
NDp = the new Dp pressure
ODp = the old known Dp pressure

SQRT(NDp/ODp) is what is referred to as the “correction factor”. To make life easier, let me calculate many of the correction factors for you.

120 psi = 1.32 correction factor
150 psi = 1.51 correction factor
180 psi = 1.66 correction factor
220 psi = 1.85 correction factor
245 psi = 1.96 correction factor
270 psi = 2.07 correction factor

What this means is a 175 ml/min nozzle will flow 324ml/min (at 220 psi) and the 100 ml/min nozzle will flow 185 ml/min (at 220psi). That means on hard pulls I am injecting about 510 ml/min when the power nozzle is flowing.

As we have talked about, the Snow Performance Stage 3 controller has the ability to control 2 nozzles and progressively control those nozzles. That means you can set a “start” condition for each nozzle and a “full” condition for each nozzle. With the Snow Performance Stage 3 controller you can control your fluid injection based on boost, IPW, or a combination of both (RPM is still being thrown around). In my 2 months of testing, I have concluded right now that Boost trigger is sufficient, but will likely test IPW/Boost soon as well. My Snow Performance Stage 3 controller is set at 99% Boost and 1% IPW. Your nozzle placement will affect how early you want to start the spray, but since many will use the STETT Performance charge pipe, I will cover my settings. What I settled on is starting my 100 ml/min nozzle at a boost at a start of 8 psi and max at 11 psi. For the power nozzle or 175ml/min nozzle, I am starting at 11 psi and max at 13 psi. Here is a cheat sheet:

Injection based on: BOOST
Boost/IPW: 99% / 1%
Injector start: 8 psi
Injector full: 11 psi
Power Nozzle based on: BOOST
Power nozzle injection start: 11 psi
Power nozzle injection full: 13 psi

The controller will the automatically map the spray according to my settings using Snow’s algorithms.

It is nice to be able to see on the controller how much fluid I am injecting at any time since the Snow Stage 3 Controller has percentage of fluid being injected on the display!



You can buy an optional flow gauge that is separate, but I honestly find the Snow controller display to be awesome and has shown instrumental in my testing. When the power nozzle comes on, the red light next to the “2” on the controller will illuminate. Once again, my total fluid injection is 500 ml/min max.

The stage 3 controller is quite flexible and can display other items if that is your choice. Overall, it is a very well designed item with a nice sleek design.

Results

My testing has included about 6 different combinations of multiple nozzle sizes and many different water/methanol mixes. What I have determined is best for my need is a 67/33 mix of methanol to water ratio. You can mix it yourself or buy the Boost Juice from Snow Performance and adjust the mix yourself using methanol and distilled water. The 220 psi SHO pump allowed me to spray over 500 ml/min on a 100 ml/min and a 175 ml/min nozzle giving extremely good atomization using the smaller nozzles under high pressure. I personally think the smaller (2) nozzle at high pressure is absolutely the best way to go. I tested many different setups and by far this performed the best.

The car is substantially faster now. I can roll out in second gear and basically get sideways by just stomping the gas. IAT temperatures are nothing less than remarkable, no knock noted by the DME at all, and a very solid timing curve.

The first graph we will look at is a multiple gear pull on map 8 normally reserved for race gas only. Notice zero knock flags when on throttle. Second, look how rock solid the timing is. Finally you see IATs on a multiple gear pull at 78-81F with a huge drop when you get into the throttle. Remember this is a race map on pump gas plus water/methanol.



Next, let’s look at another log from Map 8 on pump with the Snow Performance Stage 3. Here we see another example of the incredible cooling effect dropping from 83F to 71F and climbing to 78F after two long gear pulls. That is remarkable!



This next log is a single gear pull with the Snow Kit on pump gas running the JB3 Map 9. Again, the log shows a very good timing curve with IATs dropping nearly 10 below ambient.



For those that want to analyze more data, here is another more adapted JB3 Map 9 log.



In all these logs, you do not see a single instance of knock even when running JB3 Map 9 on pump on multiple long gear pulls. That is very impressive considering these are race gas maps.

Finally, here is a comparison of a run with the Snow Performance Stage 3 versus a run in nearly very similar conditions without the kit. All other mods are the same, but the Snow Performance run is on Map 9 where the non water/methanol log is running map 7. One would assume the higher Map 9 would produce much hotter IATs, but note the graph.



You can see as the Snow Performance kit begins to spray the IATs are only 4F difference. By the end of the gear the IATs are 109F without water/methanol and 75F with the Snow Performance Stage 3 kit. This kit alone dropped my IATs a remarkable 34F. Really that is astounding!

I wanted you to see the effect the Snow Performance water/methanol kit has on IATs (Intake Air Temperatures). What you are looking at the Snow Performance Methanol flow gauge (left in ml/min x10) and the BMS Tuning Gauge (on right & set to show IAT). Notice the incredible drop in IATs once the Snow kit flows. We start at about 80F and drop below ambient through the entire pull. It is wild to see.



So we are seeing much colder charge temps, smooth timing curves, and zero knock on the runs per any of the logs I have looked at in the entire 2 months of logging.

Safety

Is this safe? Well my testing has shown advance in timing, so what if the system failed? I have yet to detect a knock on my testing, but if something happens to clog to system or the pump fails on a high boost run on a race gas map what will happen to me? Snow Performance has incorporated SafeInjection to protect you. SafeInjection can protect you in a number of ways including retarding timing, wastegate solenoids to open BOV or DV, etc. A lot of that won’t apply to the N54. It monitors flow and in a case where it detects a leak, blockage, or failure of any kind it will trigger the system into fail safe.

SafeInjection has been packaged to be user friendly and not overly complicated. Snow Performance is really all about making things easy on the user so setup can be simple. You choose the minimum flow that will trigger fail safe and how fast it samples. It is simple and effective.

So what is “Fail Safe”? If a fail safe is triggered a few things will happen:

1. The orange LED you put in your cabin will immediately light up.
2. The system will send a signal to your tune and trigger valet mode on the tune through a 5v or 12v signal sent to your tune. Now, this will be up to your tuner to implement. I do know the BMS is working to integrate this into the JB3 soon.
3. You can have the SafeInjection fire the DVs or BOV in case of a failure. That would throw a CEL, but they can all be cleared with the BT and it will give an extra bit of safety.

The second item there is huge! This means if for some rare reason that you system fails, the boost will drop to 7 psi to keep you safe. This is the ultimate failsafe for the N54. Hopefully the JB3 and Procede will allow us to trigger this valet mode using SafeInjection of whatever form of safety you choose.

Conclusion

In my opinion water/methanol is about to become extremely popular on the N54. It provides much, much cooler IATs, transforms your pump gas into nearly 100 octane race fuel, and is very cheap to do. You can now run race maps on your tune with pump gas! The results are simply incredible and the car just pulls forever.

Snow Performance has been a pleasure to work with from day 1. Their tech/customer support is second to none, and their company is interested in creating satisfied customers. The Snow Performance Stage 3 Gasoline MPG MAX Boost kit is top shelf in every way. The Stage 3 Boost/IPW or Boost/RPM based controller is extremely functional and effective. The controller can also be your boost gauge and flow gauge because it displays boost, rpm, and injection percent. The kit controls multiple nozzles for precise and accurate injection. Their new SHO pump (220 psi & adjustable to ~270 psi) is now the most powerful pump on the market giving huge flexibility and unsurpassed atomization. It has more seals and a larger heat sink allowing greater durability in the long run as well.

The install was intimidating, but I hope this DIY will help you. A few items should be picked up prior to installing the kit as listed here as well. The system is fully reversible as well for those that are concerned. Any hole can easily be concealed with black silicone or by brushing the carpet strands over the holes. I have to admit that this was a very daunting task when looking at the install before I started the project. I think this should help you get a good grasp on how the install will go and how to keep your BMW still looking like a BMW with the Snow Performance Kit.

If you are interested in water/methanol injection, then I can definitely say that Snow Performance is really a company I feel 100% secure in recommending to anyone in the community. I would strongly suggest getting dual nozzle system because in my testing the greater atomization was essential in properly tuning my system.

If you are interested in more info, Snow Performance has a great FAQ section here:

http://www.snowperformance.net/faqs_...?type=gasoline

Snow Performance's website is found here:

http://www.snowperformance.net




NOVEMBER 1, 2009 UPDATE

I have started testing different nozzle combos for those that are interested. I started with a 100 ml/min and 175 ml/min at 220 psi. That equates to about 520 - 540 ml/min of flow. I bought another 175 ml/min and 225ml/min nozzle from Snow Perfromance and started testing this weekend. I ran two 175 ml/min to flow about 650 ml/min via my mathematical calculations and my flow gauge verified a flow of about 650-660 ml/min. I also changed my start on the main nozzle to 7 psi and progressively increased it to max at 10 psi. I am starting the power nozzle at 10 and full at 11 psi. Thus far, no quench or issues whatsoever. I will be logging higher maps soon, so we can look at the timing curve with more methanol injection. Right now, it feels really strong. I am fighting the back of the car at 50 mph.

UPDATE... November 10, 2009:

After running a whole lot of datalogs over the last week, I cannot find a single problem, but a lot of benefits from the increase in methanol. I am not running (2) 175 ml/min nozzles at 220 psi. That equates to ~650-670 ml/min of flow. I am running the first nozzle to start at 7 psi and full at 10 psi, then the power nozzle to start at 10 psi and full at 11 psi. The timing is smooth, there has been zero quench, and I seem to be able to run map 9 - 10 without any knock whatsoever. I haven't would suggest anyone with a dual nozzle starting with these settings.

I am now going to move onto testing a 175 ml/min paired with a 225 ml/min nozzle. That should flow 740 ml/min.

Last edited by Former_Boosted_IS; 11-10-2009 at 05:43 AM..
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      08-31-2009, 11:57 AM   #2
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OMG.... Now thats a product review...

Now to read it all LOL

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      08-31-2009, 11:59 AM   #3
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Wow, this is great info!! Thanks for taking the time to write it all up, much appreciated
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      08-31-2009, 12:03 PM   #4
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nice read. i applaud the work and time you spent in making such a comprehensive review. the stage 3 system looks dope, i hope it all works out well for you.

just curious though, did you reference my install thread a while back for the mounting of the pump/rear trunk tank/wiring? or is it just happanstance we mounted/wired-through them in extremely similar places.

anyway great review, i only wish we were closer to compare/dyno eachother!
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      08-31-2009, 12:03 PM   #5
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Wow, this DIY gives new meaning to the word thorough. Nicely done.
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      08-31-2009, 12:10 PM   #6
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one of the best Review and DIY!!
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      08-31-2009, 12:16 PM   #7
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How does the controller go off IPW?
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      08-31-2009, 12:19 PM   #8
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if only you lived closer...maybe jpsimon will commit to this bc i'm sold on the idea of meth.
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      08-31-2009, 12:23 PM   #9
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This gets voted as Best DIY of the Year!! Looks like Meth/Water is gonna be a new trend... But all the drilling and cutting is very much a daunting task! Grats on getting it all done beautifully man!
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      08-31-2009, 12:34 PM   #10
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thanks for the detail review and awesome DIY.

how long did it take to complete the whole install?
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      08-31-2009, 12:49 PM   #11
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Great work, I know it was a long road but well worth the effort.



It looks like several knock events occured in this pull. There was even the status knocking flag set around 2400 RPM.
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      08-31-2009, 12:52 PM   #12
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Great review and an amazingly clean install!
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      08-31-2009, 12:52 PM   #13
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excellent write-up
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      08-31-2009, 12:59 PM   #14
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Very nice! Your car is going to need to get on a dyno soon
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      08-31-2009, 01:01 PM   #15
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UNBELIEVABLE!!! Great review and write-up...you never fail to amaze! Thank you for all of your work and efforts (I can 't wait to do this)...now go enjoy your car.

Cheers
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      08-31-2009, 01:08 PM   #16
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nice write up, get to the dyno! people want to see with and without meth pulls back to back!

Last edited by jpsimon; 08-31-2009 at 01:52 PM..
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      08-31-2009, 01:24 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scalbert View Post
Great work, I know it was a long road but well worth the effort.



It looks like several knock events occured in this pull. There was even the status knocking flag set around 2400 RPM.
Scalbert, are you telling me that a status knock in tip-in is the end all in reliable? What I have found is the knock flags are unreliable when off full throttle, but more reliable at full throttle.

Second, I logged all boost data and can post it if you like, but there is zero drop in boost which would strongly indicate the car didn't not see a knock. The flag is not the answer, but a piece of the data.
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      08-31-2009, 01:31 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Former_Boosted_IS View Post
Scalbert, are you telling me that a status knock in tip-in is the end all in reliable? What I have found is the knock flags are unreliable when off full throttle, but more reliable at full throttle.

Second, I logged all boost data and can post it if you like, but there is zero drop in boost which would strongly indicate the car didn't not see a knock. The flag is not the answer, but a piece of the data.
That flag was accompanied by a drop in timing as well. I agree, the flag is not as telling as we would like but the ignition curve is which there appears to be knock events. Boost most likely will not be affected if knock is detected, the the ignition timing will. Timing is pulled at 3200 and 5600 which is indicative of knock events.
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      08-31-2009, 01:33 PM   #19
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wow, another INCREDIBLE write-up. thank you! & excuse my ignorance but maybe you could answer this more clearly for me, besides the controller, what are the significant differences between this & let's say, the coolingmist system, that terry provides?
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      08-31-2009, 01:40 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scalbert View Post
That flag was accompanied by a drop in timing as well. I agree, the flag is not as telling as we would like but the ignition curve is which there appears to be knock events. Boost most likely will not be affected if knock is detected, the the ignition timing will. Timing is pulled at 3200 and 5600 which is indicative of knock events.
So you are telling me the knock flag indicates knock at 3200 but no knock flag indicates knock at 5600 rpms? You are telling me this with IAT and timing that this occurred as fact. Finally, you are telling me with no decrease in boost and zero throttle closure two knocks occurred?

This is a thread that really deserves very little of this kind of stuff. If you want to make a new thread to debate how we can detect knock on a timing and IAT graph, then let's do it there ok?
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      08-31-2009, 01:47 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Former_Boosted_IS View Post
So you are telling me the knock flag indicates knock at 3200 but no knock flag indicates knock at 5600 rpms? You are telling me this with IAT and timing that this occurred as fact. Finally, you are telling me with no decrease in boost and zero throttle closure two knocks occurred?

This is a thread that really deserves very little of this kind of stuff. If you want to make a new thread to debate how we can detect knock on a timing and IAT graph, then let's do it there ok?
We know the Status Knocking value does not always show up. It comes and goes too quickly it appears. But sharp drops in the ignition timing is indicative of knock being detected regardless of what the Status Knocking shows. And yes, boost may not change or throttle cut occur as timing is the primary method for eliminating knock.

A discussion on the data provided is not warranted in the thread presented? It is your thread and I shall respect your wishes. But at no point was this a knock (pun intended) on the write up as you did an excellent job and should be commended. It was merely on the presentation of the data and results as I, and I suspect others, may interpret it differently.

But I digress, it is your thread.
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      08-31-2009, 02:32 PM   #22
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great writeup man....thanks for taking the time!
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