Melted piston using methanol

[johnb]

Has anyone melted or seized a piston using methanol and gasoline? My #2 melted and seized on the first hard lap at the track. #2 cylinder is under suspicion because it dropped the plug electrode last year. We are looking for something peculiar about #2. Apart from probems with individual cylinders, has anyone melted a piston with the fuel tuned on the rich side of max power? In this case using 20% methanol mixed with 98RON gasoline, the measured fuel lambda is 0.8, and on the dyno it loses power with richer fuel air mixtures. The EJ20 easily makes 334hpatw at the limit of the 400hp turbo at 23psi
using 20% methanol. By comparison it makes 280hpatw using straight 98RON gasoline. The ignition is advanced by 7degrees using 20% methanol.

Experience appreciated,
John.

[Richard L]

First of all, I am sorry to hear your misfortune.

I have read this question on another board - http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show....php?t=1310495

Rather adding to what was already there, very good answers. Hotrod was preety sharp on this, platinum spark plug can cause pre-ignition, may be the cause of your problem.

I have not yet heard this problem happening to manifold based methanol injection application.

[raddy]

Hi John
Just note that I gat probably same piston damage like you (top of the pistons untouched, but destroyed ring lands, ONLY at exhaust side of pistons). But Im using common WI (20% ethanol, 80% water), but reason was probably too high advance, what was about 25deg at top rpm/load for used boost (1.3bar).
Here is my original link
http://www.aquamist.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1286

I really would like real reason of this damage, as now I have 8 broken pistons at my garage and thay are laughing to my stupidity everytime when I come around :roll:

[kismetcapitan]

it was definitely not the methanol by itself, but preignition conditions. With melted rings, it could also be from a sustained dangerously lean condition, running an effective AFR of like 17:1 while on WOT for example.