Water/alchol injection

[Excaliber]

Well not necessarily a BIG no, lets consider the benefits. Cobra Crazee may be onto something for his application. When the fuel/air is not so likely to detonate (higher octane or perhaps water/alky injection) you can run more 'boost' or a higher compression ratio and get away with it. Simply doing that will make more horse power. Also you can run more advance in your ignition timing, which is almost always a good thing. So there ARE potential benefits when used wisely, correctly and carefully. The real question is: Is it worth the expense and hassle? Do the benefits out weigh the risk? With a German fighter pilot on your tail and your in your P-51 Mustang you need ALL the power you can get right NOW! To heck with damaging the engine, you gotta survive the dog fight first! When you MUST win at all costs, perhaps it's worth investigating.

[JCoop]

You can actually make one yourself. I ran across some diagram when I had my MGB in the 80s. I had replaced the carbs with a Weber and tuned headers. I made a water injection bottle from a jam jar with a gasketed cap, 2" x 1/8" dia. copper tube that went thru the cap to just above the water level, and another 6" x 1/8" tube that went thru the cap and the water, to about 1/8" above the bottom of the bottle. I plumbed the short tube to a small hole in the intake manifold, and left the long tube as a vent that sucked air through the water, misted the air above it, and the short tube fed misty air upon acceleration through vacuum in the manifold. The car ran not unlike driving in the rain or heavy fog. Smooth combustion and maybe just a bit more power. Problem was...I'd forget to check and ran it dry a few times, burnt a valve. Interesting experiment but expensive lesson.