AEM N54 Methanol Injection Kit 135i/335i/535i

NOTE: AEM and ModBargain.com holds no responsibility for any engine damage that results from the misuse of this product!

This product is legal in California for racing vehicles only and should never be used on public highways.
 

Specifications

• Boost-Safe output

• 1 Gallon reservoir

• Fluid level sensor

• Progressive pump controller

• 20-amp pump driver with over-current, over-voltage and under-voltage protection.

• Error protection output with over-current, over-voltage and over-temperature protection.

• Cockpit status LED for errors and low fluid.

• Pump open and short detection and indication. Works even if the pump is off.

• “Test” function that includes manual pump triggering.

• Two dial pump speed control.

• Battery voltage compensation.

Parts List:

Mechanical Kit:

Injector Nozzle Kit:

System Diagram

Pump and Tank Install

Find a suitable location to mount the tank and pump. The pump should be mounted so the top of the tank is lower than the final injection location. The pump should be mounted at or below the level of the tank. Use 4 of the 8 supplied #8 sheet metal screws along with the 4 large washers to mount the tank.

On the pump, note the directional arrows indicating fluid flow direction. Use the other 4 #8 sheet metal screws along with the 4 small washers to mount the pump. The orientation of the pump is not important, it will work regardless of position. Measure the distance between the fluid outlet on the bottom of the tank and the fluid inlet on the pump. Make sure there are no sharp bends in the hose. Cut the hose to length with a clean perpendicular slice, making sure the ends are clean and flush. Push in the hose at the tank and pump to install. Make sure they are pushed in all the way and check with a light tug on the hose. Secure the hose to the chassis using sections of the supplied hose routing strip or with zip-ties.

Controller Install

Find a convenient location for the controller. The adjustment settings should remain in an accessible location but still be protected from possible water incursion. If you need to extend the wires to mount the controller use at least 14 AWG wire for the pump and controller ground circuits and 18 AWG for the remainder. Use the 2 supplied #6 screws to mount the controller.

LED Install

Find a suitable location in the drivers line of sight to mount the status LED. Mount the LED and run the wires to the controller. The LED indicates the operation of the controller. If the pump is off and there are no errors the LED will be off. If there are no errors and the pump is on the LED’s intensity will vary with the pump speed. If there are any errors they will be indicated by flashing the LED.

Nozzle Selection and Assembly

Three jets are supplied with the kit. This ensures that regardless of your desired horsepower you will not need to purchase additional jet sizes.

-1 (Small, 155 cc/min) is recommended for 150-250 HP

-2 (Med, 315 cc/min) is recommended for 250-400 HP

-3 (Large, 630 cc/min) is recommended for 400-650 HP

The nozzle will come pre-assembled with the smallest jet. Regardless of your eventual horsepower settings it is recommended that you start with this jet for your initial testing. The nozzles are interchangeable and you can disassemble them for cleaning. If you find excessive debris in the screen check your tank for contamination. When installing the screen it is only necessary to be slightly tighter than finger tight. Do not over-tighten. The nylon washer included is reusable but a spare is included for future servicing.

Select the location where the nozzle will be installed. It must be before (upstream of) the throttle plate. If a MAF sensor is present, it must be placed between the MAF sensor and the throttle plate. For the maximum cooling effect mount the nozzle toward the filter or turbo discharge. Either weld on a 1/8” NPT bung or drill and tap a hole for the nozzle mounting. Measure the length for the hose and cut. Before installing the nozzle for the final time proceed to the “Pump/System Check” stage to confirm proper operation.

Boost Pressure Hose

Find a location after the throttle plate to tap into your manifold pressure (boost). DO NOT hook it up to the pressure at the turbocharger or at your boost controller. It must be after (downstream of) the throttle plate. Use the supplied hose and “tee” if needed.

Variable Controller Installation

Fluid Level Switch (The switch has 2 black wires, the polarity is unimportant)

Black wire connects to Controller - Brown wire

Black wire connects to Controller - White wire

LED

Red wire connects to Battery Positive

Black wire connects to Controller - Gray Wire

Pump

Black wire connects to Controller - Orange wire.

Red wire connects to Battery Positive

Variable Pump Controller

Black wire connects to Battery Ground

Red wire connects to Battery Positive

Yellow wire connects to Arm switch (+12V = System On, Connect to Ign Sw for always on)

Green wire, Boost-Safe output for timing retard or boost dump solenoid. 1.7a Max

Blue wire (opt) 0-5vdc pressure signal. (.328v = 0psig, 5vdc = 38psig)

Pump/System Check

The “TEST” push button on the controller module can be used to test the system. Press and hold the button to activate the pump. The pump speed will gradually increase from zero to full speed over 6 seconds and then stop. When the button is released the controller will return to normal operation.

After all wires are hooked up, add water to the tank and with the nozzle pointed into a container, press and hold the test button. The flow will start gradually and increase to a steady amount. If this happens then your system is connected properly. Check and repair any leaks. Drain the water out of the tank and install the nozzle.   

System Error Checking

Whenever a system error is encountered, the Boost-Safe output is enabled. All errors are indicated by a flashing sequence of the status LED which can be determined by counting flashes. Only one error can be counted with the higher priority at the top of this list:

Pump Driver Shorted

Trigger Condition: Current exceeding 15A on the driver output. The status LED will flash a count of three and repeat. The pump driver will turn off to protect itself and automatically retry every second. If the short is removed the controller will function normally. Fluid flow is lost in this condition.

Pump Driver Open

Trigger Condition: Open circuit between pump drive and battery voltage. The status LED will flash a count of two and repeat. The pump driver will continue to drive the pump. If the open is repaired the controller will function normally. Fluid flow may be lost in this condition.

Battery Voltage Out Of Range

Trigger Condition: Battery voltage is below 8.5V or above 16V. The status LED will flash a count of four and repeat. The pump driver will turn off to protect itself and automatically restart when the voltage returns to the normal range. Fluid flow is lost in this condition.

Controller Tuning

The controller will monitor the manifold pressure, battery voltage, potentiometer settings, push button and error conditions. Two potentiometers are used to set the pump PWM rate. The “Start PSI” dial has a range from .5PSIg (full counterclockwise rotation) to 11PSIg(full clockwise rotation). This is the pressure that the pump will start to operate. The “Full PSI” dial has a range of 6PSIg (full counterclockwise rotation) to 38PSIg (full clockwise rotation). This is the pressure that the pump will be running at full speed. Additionally, the controller will automatically correct for battery voltage variations to give the same flow.

Adjust the “Start PSI” value by setting the dial to approx 25% of the vehicles maximum boost. Adjust the full-in value to your maximum boost (up to 38 PSIg of boost).

Error LED

The controller has an “ERROR” LED. This will mimic the operation of the cockpit LED. It will flash out error codes as well as illuminate with varying intensity as a function of flow.

Short circuit testing

There are two modes of pump-driver short circuit protection available. One can detect a short at any time but produces a slight buzzing in the pump. This should not be noticeable under most conditions, but can be turned off if it is objectionable. If the less functional mode is chosen, then a short can only be detected when the pump is running. Pressing and holding the “Test” button while applying power toggles the mode. The change is acknowledged by a fast flashing (6 flashes and then repeats) of the status LED output and the on-board status LED. Once the button is released the controller will continue to function normally. You can also tell what mode has been selected by listening for the buzzing sound in the pump. Repeating this operation will toggle between the two modes.

Boost-Safe Output

The progressive controller includes a Boost-Safe output (grounded when active) that activates whenever the system is armed and runs out of fluid or an error code is flashing. The green wire on the controller is the 1.7 amp switched ground. This wire can be hooked up to a solenoid that will vent waste gate pressure when activated. Apply 12v to the other side of the solenoid (AEM P/N 30-2400 or equivalent). This output can also be used to trigger a timing retard function in a stand alone ECU or a CDI whenever the system runs out of fluid, thus protecting your engine.

Engine Tuning

A Water/Methanol mix will increase the charge density of your mixture. A significant amount of the power gain available when using a water/methanol injection system is due to the fact that the ignition timing may be increased due to the reduction in the tendency to knock. If the timing is not advanced to take advantage of this benefit then the power gains available will be substantially reduced. As always when tuning ignition advance, use small increments.

Maintenance

The injector nozzle should be cleaned periodically. Disassemble the nozzle and clean it with a suitable cleaner until all debris is removed. If excessive contamination is found check the rest of the system for the source.