Water Injection

JDBRIDER · Jun 19, 2017

Has anyone ever tried to put water injection on a model "A" tractor. I know Deere put it on the model "D". I always wondered why they didn't have it on the other 2 cylinders.

Geo-TH,In · Jun 20, 2017

Water injection was used in WWII airplanes. A vet, who worked on airplanes said water injection worked for only a short time to boost hp. Once the engine temps cooled off, it took a while for engine to recover.

I never used water injection.

I think, can't really remember so this might be wrong, I think my brother's 1936 JD D might have used some water from radiator. Tractor may have been able to burn gas or diesel. Perhaps some old timers can correct me. I was only a kid when he had it.

May want to ask the boys on JD forum.
geo.

Texasmark1 · Jun 20, 2017

Back in the '60's water injection was used on USAF tankers and bombers for heavy load takeoffs. Made for some dense smoke coming out of those jets. Apparently it works. I would assume it's a density thing, adding water to air to make it more dense hence more bang for the buck. Also back in the '60's some after market sales occurred for kits for your car. Never knew the results of any of that. I don't know how to add it to an A so I can't help there. Just that it should be worth your effort if you choose to do it and succeed.

D beatty · Jun 20, 2017

The John Deere D had the water injection it and only used the water injection when running Kerosene to stop the knock that you get from the use of kerosene. If you run just gasoline through a D you don't need the water injection.

D beatty · Jun 20, 2017

Dad was a WWII vet and was ground crew for the B17's in England. The B 17 only used the water on take to give it more HP. The load those engines had to get of ground those motors never cooled down.

CGID · Jun 20, 2017

My understanding of water injection is it helped to cool the engine while it was running at maximum power.

kencombs · Jun 20, 2017

There were a few civilian applications too, early B707s before fanjets used it. Like you said, really smoky.

Water has two functions, it keeps the temp down and slows combustion to avoid engine damage. That allows more fuel to be burned. Also when it turns to steam its' volume increases 1600 times! Adds pressure to the piston or turbine.

Back in the early 60s GM made a cool little aluminum v8 in the Buick special and Olds f85. The Olds version had a turbocharger and very high compression, normally a no-no, but they used water injection to make it work. That was way before computerized engine management with timing control and knock sensors. Worked, if you kept the reservoir full!!

D beatty · Jun 20, 2017

On the John Deere D the water stopped the knock you get when running Kerosene. In the B 17 it was used to gain more HP on take off. A B 17 fully loaded took 250 gallons of gasoline to get it off the ground.

GarryinNC · Jun 20, 2017

I think that on piston engine aircraft, it was called ADI, Anti- Detonation Injection.

37chief · Jun 20, 2017

I see a lot of planes used water injection on take off. While stationed in the Philippines in the 60's, we had 12 P5M Martin sea planes. Each plane had two R3350 engines. The planes also used water injection on take off. The water was obtained from the San Migel beer brewing company. I often thought if that could be added to a vehicle it could help cool the motor on a long climb, when the engine temp started to get near the red zone. Then just something else to go wrong. Stan

rustyfarmall · Jun 20, 2017

I believe that Massey-Harris also used water injection at one time. Possibly on the 55?

Water injection was used on many internal combustion engines. It was NOT just aircraft or military applications.

The water turns to steam in the combustion chamber. Steam has anti-knock properties, aids in cooling, and yes, it does increase power. Steam will also CLEAN the combustion chamber.

notjustair · Jun 20, 2017

Didn't someone tell me one time that the Corvair Spyder with the turbo used water injection?

big tee · Jun 20, 2017

We run water injection on our pulling tractors. Son's tractor has a valve that turns on by it self when the boost gets to a certain level. More boost-more water. You can tell on the line when the smoke turns from black to gray when the water is on. Burns 3-4 quart of water in a 12-14 second run.

Denny K · Jun 20, 2017

Not the one I was familiar with I don't think. It was plenty snotty with just the turbo. 180 HP I believe.

RayP(MI) · Jun 20, 2017

Believe that was a turbo only. I had the 4 carburator version. When they opened up you had power right NOW. No turbo lag. Was hotter than the spyder and very competetive with muscle cars of the time.

Pete in Holland MI · Jun 20, 2017

Rumely was using water injection with their kerosene burners.

My Rumely M has nearly equal sized water & kerosene tanks. Understand at full load, water & kerosene were about 50-50.

buickanddeere · Jun 20, 2017

Water Injection does not make more power. Water injection allows more power to be made WITHOUT excessively high temps on the compression stroke on the D and such. And water iniection prevents excessively high egt with turbo diesels and gas turbines.
All the water does is absorb heat which lowers the temperature of the gasses. Water does not burn. The steam from water injection does clean the soot and carbon out which can improve performance.

Tramway Guy · Jun 20, 2017

Turning water to steam takes away 540 calories of heat per gram. Certainly helps to cool a combustion chamber.

Geo-TH,In · Jun 20, 2017

D,
I thought the JD D did use water. Thanks for confirming my old term memory is still working.

Vet told me water injection was also used for a burst of power to get away form enemy in a dog fight. He claimed it could only be used a short time because it cooled the engine temp too much.

Again, this is testing my old term memory.
geo

GarryinNC · Jun 20, 2017

I have always heard that some WWII fighters, P-51 or P-47, had a 'gate' at the top of the throttle quadrant, protected by breakaway safety wire. Up to the safety wire was 'military power', past the wire was 'war emergency power', which was an intentional overboost of the engine that gave more power for a short duration, if needed in a combat situation.

Also saw a film clip on the Military Channel of a F4U Corsair taking off from a carrier using a 'rocket assisted takeoff' bottle for added thrust. It looked like it was under the fuselage.

Garry

coonie minnie · Jun 20, 2017

I believe it may have been available on the GP as well as the D.

jimg.allentown · Jun 20, 2017

No water injection on Corvairs. I had several. Once you got things tweaked into shape, they would run with the big iron of the day. A bit of work on the turbo, a Muncie transmission instead of the Saginaw, and a few other odds and ends.
One peculiar thing about the turbo engines - the distributor did not use a vacuum advance. It had a similar looking device that retarded the timing while under boost to reduce detonation. One of GM's better designs.

David G · Jun 20, 2017

The P51, F4U and I think the B29 had water injection, not sure about the P47.

Water injection cooled the mixture to prevent detonation, not sure about the expansive properties.

buickanddeere · Jun 20, 2017

(quoted from post at 22:09:10 06/20/17) I have always heard that some WWII fighters, P-51 or P-47, had a 'gate' at the top of the throttle quadrant, protected by breakaway safety wire. Up to the safety wire was 'military power', past the wire was 'war emergency power', which was an intentional overboost of the engine that gave more power for a short duration, if needed in a combat situation.

Also saw a film clip on the Military Channel of a F4U Corsair taking off from a carrier using a 'rocket assisted takeoff' bottle for added thrust. It looked like it was under the fuselage.

Garry

When in emergency over boost power , the water injection was also placed in service. the amount of water on board was limited thus emergency over boost duration was limited.

Texasmark1 · Jun 21, 2017

USAF Boeing B-47 bombers used it routinely, called JATO, Jet Assisted Take Off.

Water Injection

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