Hi guys – this thread caught my eye. I have a P1SC with the Alky Control kit. I had the Alky kit installed about a year ago. Since install the car would occasionally run extremely rough on startup almost like how it runs if you hold the test button down a while. I called Julio to see if he had heard of anything like this. He suggested the check valve. I installed it but had the same problem.

Fast forward a bit…long story short, I took the car in to the dealership for the passenger window regulator. The guy had the key on the entire time he was working on the window. I have no idea why but it’s a moot point. When he started the car it ran rough just like I mentioned above and then POP - the #7 rod bent and broke at idle. The meth tank was full when I dropped it off and was bone dry after this. I suspect hydro-lock but can’t prove anything really. I broke the motor down…the piston is fine, the bearings are good and no liquids in the oil. The head gasket was fine, etc. The car was running like a top before this.

The entire story is on the other forum. I can confirm they didn’t drive my car around as it was all on video. I suspect the meth kit but can’t prove it. Julio said it might be the MAF going bad which would trigger the pump. I havent ran that theory to ground yet. Since then I replaced the pump and rewired the entire setup. My motor isn’t done yet so I don’t know if the problem will return.

Anyway, I’m not disparaging the Alky kit, I like it. I’m just adding my 2 cents. I’m just glad that someone besides me had the same symptoms. I hope for your sake it doesn’t turn out like mine – if mine is related to the Alky at all. I do have to wonder though.
Please post anything you come up with.
Take care!

 

I though kit works off of boost only and does not use MAF (mass air flow).

Maybe you have MAP (manifold air pressure) mixed up with MAF.


Mike

 

That is seriously bad news.... you'de better make 1000% sure that it doesn't happen again.

I had this happen once, but i am running direct port, and the cracking pressure is more important, cause the nozzles are under extreme vacuum, being in the runners as opposed to pre-tb or whatever.

I believe that 20 in hg is equal to around 10 psi, so the check valve(s) need to hold back more than that , in my case.

I went to start the car and it was like the starter locked up. Pulled the plugs and when I turned it over, water came gushing out. Thankfully it was during initial testing and no damage was done.

same deal...tank was full and without ever going into boost, it was half empty...not a julio kit btw

I was able to fix my check valves by shimming the springs

Good luck with it....

 

I could have it mixed up but he mentioned something about a ground fault and I thought he said MAF at them time. MAP does make more sense but not in the context of a ground short, no?

Does it otherwise seem plausible that I could hydro lock from meth? Have you guys ever heard of this with that type of kit. Julio said he's never heard of it.

The good news is that the block was not damaged and I'm about 2 weeks away from a forged motor!

 

Well I guess it is not just me then. I have the ECS alky kit (single nozzle) on a Novi Paxton. I have the check valve installed. I have seen 2 symptoms:
1) After driving the car a bit it is hard to re-start. It acts like it is flooded and runs rough for a few seconds and then clears up.
2) I got the low level light and I know that I had not run the car in boost very much. The tank was indeed dry.

So it is apparent that alky is getting into the intake when not under boost.

After reading lcrhpr's story, maybe I should remove it until the problem is solved. How about it ECS/Julio what is the fix here?

 

Here is a link to a post I had from awhile back. I did have my meth tank empty itself with the ignition left on all day. In my original post I did not specify the ignition was on. I updated that part of my earlier post.

ECS and Julio have been great to deal with. I am in no way trying to say that they have a product that has an issue. My car has the issue

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1713627

 

I don't want to presume too much as I don't know details, but a ground loop can create sufficient voltage potential difference to fool controller analog input and have it start pumping (although very unlikely).

Best bet is to call kit manufacturer.

Hydrolocking can happen but as RJW mentioned more likely with direct port. With centrifugal do to location it would be very hard, as I would expect some it to gravity drain into IC...

A higher cracking pressure check valve is cheap insurance IMO.

Also Alky control kit uses 2 or 3 bar GM Map sensor as analog input to controller, so I'm fairly certain it's MAP (voltage output) as MAF is a frequency output often maxed out even on stock engines.


Mike

 

A simple test would be to put a multimeter on pump and look for any voltage to pump. You should see 0 VDC with key on but car not running or even running but not in boost.

If controller is PWM (pulse width modulated) it will be a little more difficult but meter should still interpret it as some voltage.


Mike

 

I thought about wiring my multimeter up to the pump and driving around and seeing what happens. That should be a gret way to eliminate the electronic side of the system.

 

Good info. Perhaps it would be good to run a Hobbs switch on the oil pressure to ensure the meth can't pump without the engine running.

 

I am more than willing to offer any info I have as always, but I have not had issues like this that I know of. We install a ton of these, and I have a dual nozzle on my own car. Starts up fine every time, in any weather.
If you suspect the alky, try removing the line at the nozzle and having it go into a container at the same level. Mount it anyway possible, get the car hot and see if it flows anything??

 

In my kit I run a solenoid valve actuated from a relay that will only open at the onset of the pump. The solenoid valve will not allow fluid without seeing power to the pump. No check valves required.

I inject behind the blower into the manifold so that the Maggie is always dry. A leak here will definitely go to the cylinders.

 

That would solve any issues with check valves. Which one did you use?

 

let us know

 

Does anyone know the cracking pressure of the current ECS/Alky control check valve?
And what are the seats made from?
Now that I think back before I lowered the rad. and went over the top I had no problem with hot starts or loss of alky w/o a check valve.
In looking at my setup now the nozzle appears to be in a lower position so it may be we are just leaking past the valve due to a siphoning effect.

 

Going over the top.... How was it routed when you didn't have any issues?

 

Sorry, didn't mean to confuse anyone I was referring to the air intake for the blower when I mentioned going over the top.
My original setup was the Procharger intake on the back of the radiator.
I just went back and measured the old air bridge against the 4" pipe I now have and I was wrong the new setup is higher.
So I readjusted the meth line to loop up higher and will give that a try if this darn rain will ever stop.

 

I found one of the problems on my car.Where the boost gauge line was tied into the map sensor with a tee,the hard plastic line from the boost gauge became briitle at the compression fitting of the tee.If it moved any bit it was throwing the map sensor off which was causing my rough idle and cutting off occasionally.The car was running rough like when you push the test button and flooding with meth.Also,my pump light was acting up like described in a few posts.I cut line at tee and put in new compression fitting and oh my,what a difference.I need to check the rest of the vaccuum lines now.Ran a 12.1 on 20" michelins after fixing the problem.

 

It looks like this is happening often enough that there is a problem that needs to be resolved. I heard from George at TTi today that while they were working on my car he left the key on for a while and it emptied my tank. Could have been disasterous. Why would leaving the key on be an issue? Is there something triggering the pump? How about a response from Julio.