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RogerB
Joined: 18 Dec 2014 Posts: 177 Location: Suffolk Coastal. U.K.
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Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 11:11 am Post subject: 1950's Water Injection. The 'H2O Bomb' |
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Does any one remember this device?
It was sold in the early 1950's and advertised in The Motor magazine.
Basically it was a water injection unit with its own water container that pumped a metered amount of water vapour into the petrol mixture.
If any one has information/pictures etc of the H20 bomb, please let me know.
RogerB |
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Penman
Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4756 Location: Swindon, Wilts.
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Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 11:25 am Post subject: |
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Hi
The topic of Water injection came up sometime ago, I think it was mainly regarding modern hydrogen extracted from water but did touch on H2O injection;
I tried searching "Water AND Injection" on the forum's search button, it comes up with 19 matches. _________________ Bristols should always come in pairs.
Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10 |
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roverdriver
Joined: 18 Oct 2008 Posts: 1210 Location: 100 miles from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 7:20 am Post subject: |
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I certainly remember water injectors being bought and fitted as accessory units to cars in the '50's. I also remember that there was quite a lot of debate over their effectiveness.
I believe the concept arose from the fact that on a cool damp night, engines of the period seemed to run much better, and the water injector was a way of trying to duplicate those conditions.
I would certainly like to know more about them. _________________ Dane- roverdriver but not a Viking. |
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JohnDale
Joined: 19 Mar 2008 Posts: 790 Location: Kelvin Valley,Scotland
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 11:17 am Post subject: |
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In '59 a few of us got together with an Austin A90 Atlantic & rigged up a water injection kit. Don't think we did it very well as it seemed to improve performance over about half of a measured mile but couldn't get it to go the full mile as it was impossible to carry enough water. Probably would have needed a bag on the roof like the gas fueled cars during the war,cheers,JD. _________________ 1958 Ford Zephyr Mk2 Convertible
1976 Ford Granada Ghia. |
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Minxy
Joined: 22 Sep 2010 Posts: 272 Location: West Northants
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 12:51 pm Post subject: |
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I think in general water injection is most effective on forced fed intake engines ( turbo's etc) to cool the intake/charged air. We trialed it on numerous Quattro rally cars with varying success, the main issue was as posted above -carrying the vast amounts of water needed. Ideally the need for water is when the engine is at full chatter but with a rally car this is literally all the time.
If you google water injection you will find there are kits available for modern cars.
I have a vague recollection reading once that water injection was in use on WW2 fighter planes at the time. _________________ Hillman minx convertible. Lanchester LD 10 |
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RogerB
Joined: 18 Dec 2014 Posts: 177 Location: Suffolk Coastal. U.K.
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 5:58 pm Post subject: |
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The H2O Bomb was sold by Ridley Industrial Ltd of 28 Clemens Street,
Leamington Spa.(Telephone number- Leamington Spa 2187).
That information is according to my 1957 Trader Handbook.
If you go to Google earth and look at 28 Clemens Street it would appear to be just a shop; maybe in 1957 it was motor accessory dealer with a workshop in the mews producing the device OR it could be something brought into the UK from the US.
I shall continue to look for a picture of it but I know there was a small photo in the Motor magazine sometime in 1957; anyone out there have a 'run' of 1957 Motor magazines?
Water injection was used in WW2; that is something I'm researching as a variation of the WW2 device may have finished up as a 1950's car accessory |
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22446 Location: UK
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RogerB
Joined: 18 Dec 2014 Posts: 177 Location: Suffolk Coastal. U.K.
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Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2017 5:15 pm Post subject: |
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I have just found a small picture of the 'The New Mark 111 H2O Bomb' in a copy of the September 1955 'Practical Motorist'.
The text with the ad. says-
Economises on fuel.
Increases performance.
Disperses carbon.
Eliminates pinking.
Reduces engine wear.
'Introduces water vapour to the mixture in minute quantities automatically controlled by the demands of the engine'
Price-£5 10s 0 Delivered free in the UK.
Easily fitted to any make of car.
Initially I had the tyhe feeling that it was a US product but having trawled thro' copies of 1955/56 Practical Mechanics I'm still unsure where the device came from...
RogerB |
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ka
Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 600 Location: Orkney.
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 8:14 am Post subject: |
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On/off the subject, but has anybody tried the water spray decoke method. (referring back to a post where an owner commented that when a head gasket blows, the combustion chamber always looks the cleanest) _________________ KA
Better three than four. |
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Minxy
Joined: 22 Sep 2010 Posts: 272 Location: West Northants
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2017 12:23 pm Post subject: |
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ka wrote: | On/off the subject, but has anybody tried the water spray decoke method. (referring back to a post where an owner commented that when a head gasket blows, the combustion chamber always looks the cleanest) |
........problem being that the water also cleans the tops of the Pistons, bores and rings which in turn can cause ring damage and oil blow past. It is generally accepted that if one removes a cylinder head to do a decoke the tops of the Pistons should be left alone. _________________ Hillman minx convertible. Lanchester LD 10 |
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Minxy
Joined: 22 Sep 2010 Posts: 272 Location: West Northants
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2017 12:32 pm Post subject: |
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Back to the original thread I have a friend who lives in Leamington and I asked him if he could find out anything about the company or the product.
That address is now a print shop ( T- shirts, business cards etc). In that general area back in the day there were dozens and dozens of small engineering businesses most employing a few people in a shed working fly presses making small parts for the multitude of car factories in the area. There is a record of that business but not its connection with that product. I'm going to take a wild guess and suggest that as the call for work at these small firms started to dry up they may have attempted to diversify as stockists/middle men/ distributors/ importers of the H2O bomb and likely it never took off.
Sorry it's not more positive
Martyn _________________ Hillman minx convertible. Lanchester LD 10 |
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RogerB
Joined: 18 Dec 2014 Posts: 177 Location: Suffolk Coastal. U.K.
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2017 5:56 pm Post subject: |
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Martyn,
Many thanks for the information and many thanks to your friend for visiting Clement Street....
Can I ask what the record of the business is please?
RogerB |
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Minxy
Joined: 22 Sep 2010 Posts: 272 Location: West Northants
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2017 6:49 pm Post subject: |
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They were registered as light engineering. As above I think it was normal in them days for the likes of Rootes to outsource the manufacture of small parts, parts I would imagine are today shipped in from the East. My friends uncle used to work for one of the many small companies making lock tabs/ lock washers. _________________ Hillman minx convertible. Lanchester LD 10 |
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RogerB
Joined: 18 Dec 2014 Posts: 177 Location: Suffolk Coastal. U.K.
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2017 8:59 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you....
RogerB |
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badhuis
Joined: 20 Aug 2008 Posts: 1390 Location: Netherlands
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