How many Alky pump failures have you had

[ttypewhite]

Another question is, how many people install these incorrectly....get by for a while, then have issues after time due to not properly soldering connections and mounting things properly. I had a guy I saw at a car meet ask me if I could diagnose his alky kit. Sure, told him to reach out to me during the week and we will set up a time to meet so I can have a gander. What a rats nest. The pump was hanging by the harness alone behind the headlight, wiring connections were just spliced together using painters tape. Just a butchered job like the rest of everything I saw under the hood. Too many round hole square peg guys out there that cause their own grief. I told him that if he wanted me to put my hands on this car, he was going to pay for me to take it all out, and do it again the right way.
I personally only had a PAC controller take a crap on me after winter storage. Contacted Julio, bought another one off of him. I never had a pump failure because I don't wait for the pump to die. I just replace them in the Spring as regular maintenance.

 

[turbo89]

Another question is, how many people install these incorrectly....get by for a while, then have issues after time due to not properly soldering connections and mounting things properly. I had a guy I saw at a car meet ask me if I could diagnose his alky kit. Sure, told him to reach out to me during the week and we will set up a time to meet so I can have a gander. What a rats nest. The pump was hanging by the harness alone behind the headlight, wiring connections were just spliced together using painters tape. Just a butchered job like the rest of everything I saw under the hood. Too many round hole square peg guys out there that cause their own grief. I told him that if he wanted me to put my hands on this car, he was going to pay for me to take it all out, and do it again the right way.
I personally only had a PAC controller take a crap on me after winter storage. Contacted Julio, bought another one off of him. I never had a pump failure because I don't wait for the pump to die. I just replace them in the Spring as regular maintenance.

Sounds like it just "Needed a TUNE"

 

[Mr.Spool]

I never had a pump failure because I don't wait for the pump to die. I just replace them in the Spring as regular maintenance.

Smart

 

[Mr.Spool]

personally only had a PAC controller take a crap on me after winter storage.

I'm still running the one from mid 2000s

 

[Mr.Spool]

Doesn't even have the numbers on it

 

[murphster]

Curious .. do you have any idea as to where the threshhold is on various ranges of tunes as to when pressure loss impacts knock suppression .. figure you probably have significant experience in various power ranges with ALKY...

Anyone else feel free to chime in on this ?

Not that I have much experience in this.... but the most common side effect of bad alky system, most likely from leaks, is not having alky soon enough when you build boost. After an alky system has been primed it can build up pressure very quickly. However, a leaking system after a pause in use will take much longer to build up a reasonable pressure and alky distribution to suppress knock. This could be on the street where you are cruising around and haven't punched it in a while.... you go WOT and build up to 20+ psi boost but the alky isn't there quick enough and boom.. head gaskets. Also, when an alky system has sat for a while or first time use... its amazing how long it takes to build up to max pressure (whatever it may be).

The threshold for how much alky you need... even a very old system with low pressure will be enough on dual nozzles to go as fast as anyone ever has. The leaks are the danger because a big enough leak where the output is low enough not to suppress knock would likely take forever to build up to a decent pressure. You would do damage as the boost rise would be way faster the alky pressure rise and alky would never come up in time. Unless you are at the track sitting at the tree staged forever at high boost... this could help mask this as you've given the alky system a long time to catch up to the boost. But on the street, on and off WOT, it would never catch up.

As far as making up for lower alky output over time or from say a new leak.. and we are not talking about increased response time like above... this depends on whether you are running on a chip or an aftermarket ECU like FAST. With FAST, typically there is enough freedom in the fuel adjustment where it would just add fuel to make up for the less alky and it would be a non issue. With a chip, you could definitely run lean as you are missing fuel. If your tune was on the edge, could be dangerous. You'd have to keep an eye on things... knock gauge and A/F display would be handy. No different than a fuel pump starting to crap out gradually.... you'd start to lean out if not paying attention and need to add fuel through the chip. With FAST or similar, it can mask fuel pump issues by increasing injector DC% on the fly but like with everything else... careful attention and logging can prevent disaster.

 

[TampaTurbo]

At least 10 year running Julio's system. NEVER a complete failure. The old one started leaking and Julio rebuilt it. I think he recommends a rebuiltd every couple years as Methanol is pretty rough on the seals.

 

[TurboTGuy]

The biggest tip I can offer, for those that use a methanol kit, is use the damn test button!

Let the engine get to operating temp, push and hold the test button at about 40/50 cruising MPH for a second/second and a half and if it stumbles and wants to die, you're probably safe.

Then again, I've been wrong many times before.

Using methanol as a crutch for octane and fueling replacement will always be risky. If you use it, you live by it and you die by it.

The choice is yours.

Go forth and be plenty fast!

 

[3.8L V-8 eater]

I just bought a new pump because I did not know how old the pump on my car was when I bought it...After getting the new pump I can see that at some point someone had the head off the old pump and put their own goop on it rather than whatever gasket or seal Julio uses...The pump worked and did not leak, but I'm not going to chance it!!
This pump was one of the older silver pumps without the black rubber sleeve that is the newer pumps

 

[V8killR4U]

Do other injection kits require or recommend you replace the pump every year. Just doesn't make sense that after you spend $700 on an alchy kit you have to worry about the main component a bump going bad...? Are you guys buying new fuel pumps every year for maintenance sakes... Is this just being over paranoid... Im on E85 but was considering switching back to Methanol because I plan on doing some road trip and I know e85 isn't readily available like it is here in MI. Hard to believe a more reliable pump hasn't surfaced. All the paranoia has me thinking about just sticking with E85 and having once less thing to worry about.

 

[turbo89]

Do other injection kits require or recommend you replace the pump every year. Just doesn't make sense that after you spend $700 on an alchy kit you have to worry about the main component a bump going bad...? Are you guys buying new fuel pumps every year for maintenance sakes... Is this just being over paranoid... Im on E85 but was considering switching back to Methanol because I plan on doing some road trip and I know e85 isn't readily available like it is here in MI. Hard to believe a more reliable pump hasn't surfaced. All the paranoia has me thinking about just sticking with E85 and having once less thing to worry about.

Once you go E85... you won't go back

 

[~JM~]

Once you go E85... you won't go back

You will if you can't locate a source of E85.

 

[turbo89]

You will if you can't locate a source of E85.

Not in the midwest i wont

 

[broke]

E85 is the single best improvement I've made.

 

[NY Twin Turbo]

Do other injection kits require or recommend you replace the pump every year.

I don't know. But I would keep an eye on them as well.

Just doesn't make sense that after you spend $700 on an alchy kit you have to worry about the main component a bump going bad...?

I'm a big alky fan. But I have to agree with you on this one. I have learned to accept this as a maintenance inconvenience and expense. However, I just can't believe that someone can't come up with a way to make these frigging pumps live through the effects of alcohol. There's got to be some materials on planet earth that will not be broken down and deteriorate when subjected to alcohol.

All the paranoia has me thinking about just sticking with E85 and having once less thing to worry about.

I don't think one needs to change his alky pump every year or two years specifically. Nor does he have to crawl under his car and check for leaks every day. He just needs to be sure he has a spare on stand by for when he needs it.

 

[NY Twin Turbo]

Not that I have much experience in this.... but the most common side effect of bad alky system, most likely from leaks, is not having alky soon enough when you build boost. After an alky system has been primed it can build up pressure very quickly. However, a leaking system after a pause in use will take much longer to build up a reasonable pressure and alky distribution to suppress knock. This could be on the street where you are cruising around and haven't punched it in a while.... you go WOT and build up to 20+ psi boost but the alky isn't there quick enough and boom.. head gaskets. Also, when an alky system has sat for a while or first time use... its amazing how long it takes to build up to max pressure (whatever it may be).

The threshold for how much alky you need... even a very old system with low pressure will be enough on dual nozzles to go as fast as anyone ever has. The leaks are the danger because a big enough leak where the output is low enough not to suppress knock would likely take forever to build up to a decent pressure. You would do damage as the boost rise would be way faster the alky pressure rise and alky would never come up in time. Unless you are at the track sitting at the tree staged forever at high boost... this could help mask this as you've given the alky system a long time to catch up to the boost. But on the street, on and off WOT, it would never catch up.

As far as making up for lower alky output over time or from say a new leak.. and we are not talking about increased response time like above... this depends on whether you are running on a chip or an aftermarket ECU like FAST. With FAST, typically there is enough freedom in the fuel adjustment where it would just add fuel to make up for the less alky and it would be a non issue. With a chip, you could definitely run lean as you are missing fuel. If your tune was on the edge, could be dangerous. You'd have to keep an eye on things... knock gauge and A/F display would be handy. No different than a fuel pump starting to crap out gradually.... you'd start to lean out if not paying attention and need to add fuel through the chip. With FAST or similar, it can mask fuel pump issues by increasing injector DC% on the fly but like with everything else... careful attention and logging can prevent disaster.

Everything you said is real good info. Everyone should read this post twice.

 

[TurboTGuy]

Swapping an alky pump on a yearly basis, if you run one, doesn't seem so much to me to be a gripe for those who count on alky to keep our stuff from blowing up.

It should just be included in the "spring cleaning" ritual, if you want your car to live.

Nothing lasts for ever, why is it somehow different for a simple pump? Again, this kit keeps our cars from KABOOM'ing....... it's the manufacturers job to insure it works right, all the time, every time? I hardly think so.

This is an estimated $250 initial investment and $100 per year, give or take, "insurance policy".

Or you can be obstinate and feel the kit manufacturer "owes" you something and roll the dice. Good luck with that.

Either way, it's on you. Maintain your stuff.

 

[Pronto]

I've often wondered if there was some kind of fuel pump that would work.

 

[V8killR4U]

I don't know. But I would keep an eye on them as well.

I'm a big alky fan. But I have to agree with you on this one. I have learned to accept this as a maintenance inconvenience and expense. However, I just can't believe that someone can't come up with a way to make these frigging pumps live through the effects of alcohol. There's got to be some materials on planet earth that will not be broken down and deteriorate when subjected to alcohol.


I don't think one needs to change his alky pump every year or two years specifically. Nor does he have to crawl under his car and check for leaks every day. He just needs to be sure he has a spare on stand by for when he needs it.

Clearly your doing well on alchy seeing the time in your signature. A pump that leaks and cant maintain a certain pressure... all of this technology and no robust pump, just seems crazy to me. Im still on the fence.

 

[V8killR4U]

Swapping an alky pump on a yearly basis, if you run one, doesn't seem so much to me to be a gripe for those who count on alky to keep our stuff from blowing up.

It should just be included in the "spring cleaning" ritual, if you want your car to live.

Nothing lasts for ever, why is it somehow different for a simple pump? Again, this kit keeps our cars from KABOOM'ing....... it's the manufacturers job to insure it works right, all the time, every time? I hardly think so.

This is an estimated $250 initial investment and $100 per year, give or take, "insurance policy".

Or you can be obstinate and feel the kit manufacturer "owes" you something and roll the dice. Good luck with that.

Either way, it's on you. Maintain your stuff.

$250 is cheap for a alchy kit.. "Maintenance" goes without saying on any performance item. All of this technology and we have pumps that leak and cant maintain pressure. Kinda be like pulling a fuel pump or injectors and replacing them every year for "maintenance". I would just expect the pump last beyond a year without having to worry about It potentially failing and causing me to blowup. I ran alchy and had no complaints but on E85 now. They both have their pros and cons.