Trunk Bracket WMI Reservoir

I need a way to mount the SP WMI tank in my trunk. Several days ago I watched a video where a fellow had a pair of 3D-printed brackets that secured the tank in the inner left rear corner without drilling, and I'd like to try something like that.

I realize there are fancy-schmancy tanks available for [easier] trunk mounting - and I have seen the "mini-kits" that provide a larger tank, brackets, hose & solenoid - but my kit comes with a perfectly usable tank, and I want to use it. I've seen a few pics with thin aluminum straps, but I wanna do it on the existing threaded studs in the left rear corner.

Anyone? Please?

Velossa tech 3D printed the ones that came with the Tune+ kits. They could probably make one for you.

Thank you for that tip! I contacted VT and the owner says they no longer make the brackets. He suggested contacting TUNE+ which I did, but Adam says the ones he was using were for AEM kits and are no longer available.

But surely there are other solutions(?) What are the rest of our WMI guys doing? Maybe there's a better/easier way to install the kit(?) Has somebody located an ideal spot to put the components under the hood, perhaps?

Please.

I would also be eager to hear from anyone who has fabricated -- or think that they could fabricate -- a nice bracket solution to mount the tank and the pump in the trunk.

I have reached out to a couple of places -- and they have said they can fabricate a bracket -- but they wanna see the car. That's not too surprising; I would too if I were them. But I can't just pop over to NC or FLA or wherever the shop may be!

But I'd guess that over 90% of the guys that are reading this have the exact same car sitting right outside their window! And I'm hoping that out of all those S550 owners...perhaps 1 or 2 are skilled fabricators. I'm thinking it's not too complicated if you have some experience(?)

Anyone? :cheers:

ronemca said:

I would also be eager to hear from anyone who has fabricated -- or think that they could fabricate -- a nice bracket solution to mount the tank and the pump in the trunk.

I have reached out to a couple of places -- and they have said they can fabricate a bracket -- but they wanna see the car. That's not too surprising; I would too if I were them. But I can't just pop over to NC or FLA or wherever the shop may be!

But I'd guess that over 90% of the guys that are reading this have the exact same car sitting right outside their window! And I'm hoping that out of all those S550 owners...perhaps 1 or 2 are skilled fabricators. I'm thinking it's not too complicated if you have some experience(?)

Anyone? :cheers:

Click to expand...

Do you have a link to info on the tank?

There is a nice close-up photo of the tank along with a small drawing that shows most of the dimensions here:

http://www.snowperformance.net/Stage-2-Boost-Cooler-Water-Methanol-Injection-Kit-p/20010.htm

And - at the 5:50 minute mark in this video - there is a good look at the 3D-printed bracket set that Adam was using. (I can't get the link to yield an actual video clip, so I have put a space in the address. You need to copy&paste but then remove the space I entered so it'll work)

h ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9LDKQh9Tlc&t=324s

I am expecting to use a simpler one-piece mount of some sort. Close your eyes and picture this with me....

* I cut a clean, smooth, round-cornered panel of 1/2" or maybe 3/4" plywood about 5" x 8".
* I lay my panel down on a table and lay the tank down on top of it.
* Using four short (3/4" ) #10 screws, I attach the tank to the panel.
* Now I flip the assembly over and drizzle a bunch of hot glue onto the plywood panel.
* Then I dash over to the open trunk and stick the glued side of the panel onto the plastic scuff plate at the rear left corner of the trunk...positioned low enough that the trunk lid will close without hitting the tank cap.

This is what I want to do, but there are two small stumbling blocks that I think will be easy to overcome:

(1) the surface onto which I want to affix the plywood panel (the rear scuff plate) is NOT flat like the panel itself; it is contoured. Therefore the flat plywood panel will only contact the plastic in a couple of tiny spots - not enough to hold it with glue.

(2) of course I do not intend to use glue at all. Instead I need to find a way to utilize the 2 studs that are already there -- onto which are screwed cargo net hooks -- just like the 3D-printed bracket guy did.

I believe that I could use a pair of thin metal strips (about the size of a stick of gum) with a small hole drilled into each end, and if I bent each one into a 'Z' shape I could screw one end to the plywood and have the other end as a "foot" (which also has a hole drilled into it to go onto the factory studs) These little strips would provide offset legs to the outboard top & bottom of my plywood panel that would allow me to affix it there in the corner quite securely.


In this sketch the tank-mounting holes are green. Hopefully this perfect, to-scale architectural masterpiece illustrates what I'm thinking. I'm not keen to use plywood, mind you; I'd much prefer something a little more elegant! But as I said I'm no fabricator.

ronemca said:

(2) of course I do not intend to use glue at all. Instead I need to find a way to utilize the 2 studs that are already there just like the 3D-printed bracket guy did.

Click to expand...

Perhaps your problem would be easier solved if you considered mounting in another location. The rear speaker deck offers a fairly solid platform to work from. A much simpler fabricated bracket could be attached to the speaker deck using quality, self-drilling screws. You would just have to do some noodling to find a spot that allows access to fill the tank. Maybe a long-necked funnel would help in that regard.

Moving the tank up and forward provides the added benefit of getting the tank out of the way for when you need to use the trunk to actually carry something.

Aha! See - this is exactly the sort of feedback for which I'd hoped! I will investigate this option today.

* * EDIT * *
I looked. And indeed there is a transverse bulkhead there beneath the rear deck...but I cannot imagine how I might utilize it. First of all, the vertical surface is about 14" forward of the lip of the trunk opening, so I have to bend forward like I'm touching my toes just to see the bulkhead. And even if I mounted my tank to that bulkhead...the filler neck would be pressed tightly against the underside of the speaker deck. Impossible to refill without drilling a 3" diameter hole down through the speaker deck from above! Additionally, the tank would hang down into the compartment alot. So it would be in serious danger every time I stuck almost anything into the trunk...and folding down the seat-back would not help, because it would still be hanging right in the insertion path for anything longer than 24".

BUT...

Maybe I am not comprehending what has been suggested. I'm the 1st one to admit that things like this are tough to explain with words. That's why I agonized over that fantastic, multi-colored design marvel that you saw above.

At this point the adventure is complicated by the fact that I do not yet actually have the kit. It's on its way...but meanwhile I'm trying to predict and make a plan for some of the logistical issues.

Let me sidetrack my own thread here to ask:

Does anyone know why Snow Performance says that a solenoid must be used if installing the tank & pump in the trunk? I understand why the tank must be mounted at a higher level than the pump, but the necessity for the solenoid has escaped my comprehension.

ronemca said:

Aha! See - this is exactly the sort of feedback for which I'd hoped! I will investigate this option today.

At this point the adventure is complicated by the fact that I do not yet actually have the kit. It's on its way...but meanwhile I'm trying to predict and make a plan for some of the logistical issues.

Let me sidetrack my own thread here to ask:

Does anyone know why Snow Performance says that a solenoid must be used if installing the tank & pump in the trunk? I understand why the tank must be mounted at a higher level than the pump, but the necessity for the solenoid has escaped my comprehension.

Click to expand...

The longer the wire run the more amps the motor will pull. The switch is rated at a certain amperage, so if amps required exceeds the switch's rating you need a solenoid (which is another word for relay). The switch then only uses enough amps to close the solenoid, which then carries the amps needed by the motor.

Thanks! I understand what you've said; I have fairly extensive experience with relays and comprehend their function, but...

I was under the impression that the "solenoid" that is so strongly suggested by Snow was inline with the fluid-carrying hose. Is it not an electrically-actuated valve? intended to prevent gravity flow (when nozzle is lower than pump) and/or vacuum/siphoning (when nozzle is installed AFTER throttle body)? :shrug:

Or perhaps there are TWO additional components needed for certain installations - a relay and a solenoid(?)

Egad. I hope not. Yeah it's not rocket science...but I would rather keep it simpler than all that.

ronemca said:

Thanks! I understand what you've said; I have fairly extensive experience with relays and comprehend their function, but...

I was under the impression that the "solenoid" that is so strongly suggested by Snow was inline with the fluid-carrying hose(?) Is it not an electrically-actuated valve? intended to prevent gravity flow (when nozzle is lower than pump) and/or vacuum/siphoning (when nozzle is installed AFTER throttle body)? :shrug:

Or perhaps there are TWO additional components needed for certain installations(?) A relay AND a solenoid(?)

Egad. I hope not. Yeah it's not rocket science...but I would rather keep it simpler than all that.

Click to expand...

I assumed you were referring to an electrical solenoid. You shouldn't install a relay unless the instructions call for one. It won't hurt anything, but it does introduce another failure point; if the relay fails the pump won't run.

Very good, Sir! Thanks for clarifying!

I'm not afraid to drill small holes into the car so i would probably use plumbers tape with good tension and self tapping screws. Put in the sub cove like mentioned. Also you can use metal from a hardware store called s-lock or drive and fold your own bracket arou.d the tank where you want and screw to frame. Of course only for those willing to screw to car lol. I made supporting brackets out of S-lock to go over my pump in the spare tire area so I could still put heavy things in the truck without fear of pump damage.

ronemca said:

Aha! See - this is exactly the sort of feedback for which I'd hoped! I will investigate this option today.

* * EDIT * *
I looked. And indeed there is a transverse bulkhead there beneath the rear deck...but I cannot imagine how I might utilize it. First of all, the vertical surface is about 14" forward of the lip of the trunk opening, so I have to bend forward like I'm touching my toes just to see the bulkhead. And even if I mounted my tank to that bulkhead...the filler neck would be pressed tightly against the underside of the speaker deck. Impossible to refill without drilling a 3" diameter hole down through the speaker deck from above! Additionally, the tank would hang down into the compartment alot. So it would be in serious danger every time I stuck almost anything into the trunk...and folding down the seat-back would not help, because it would still be hanging right in the insertion path for anything longer than 24".

BUT...

Maybe I am not comprehending what has been suggested. I'm the 1st one to admit that things like this are tough to explain with words. That's why I agonized over that fantastic, multi-colored design marvel that you saw above.

At this point the adventure is complicated by the fact that I do not yet actually have the kit. It's on its way...but meanwhile I'm trying to predict and make a plan for some of the logistical issues.

Let me sidetrack my own thread here to ask:

Does anyone know why Snow Performance says that a solenoid must be used if installing the tank & pump in the trunk? I understand why the tank must be mounted at a higher level than the pump, but the necessity for the solenoid has escaped my comprehension.

Click to expand...

From my understanding that is just added protection from siphoning in case your back end is ever higher than your front. However it's best to get that solenoid as close to your injection nozzle as possible. Also I trust solenoid more since they fail closed vs open.

ronemca said:

Aha! See - this is exactly the sort of feedback for which I'd hoped! I will investigate this option today.

* * EDIT * *
I looked. And indeed there is a transverse bulkhead there beneath the rear deck...but I cannot imagine how I might utilize it. First of all, the vertical surface is about 14" forward of the lip of the trunk opening, so I have to bend forward like I'm touching my toes just to see the bulkhead. And even if I mounted my tank to that bulkhead...the filler neck would be pressed tightly against the underside of the speaker deck. Impossible to refill without drilling a 3" diameter hole down through the speaker deck from above! Additionally, the tank would hang down into the compartment alot. So it would be in serious danger every time I stuck almost anything into the trunk...and folding down the seat-back would not help, because it would still be hanging right in the insertion path for anything longer than 24".

Click to expand...

Because the filler neck needs to be exposed it's going to be in the way to some extent no matter where you put it, so I guess you have to consider what kinds of things you are most likely to carry. I tend to put things toward the back of the trunk because it's easiest to get them in/out. If the tank is mounted against the back bulkhead you'll have to lift things over it every time you put them in/out of the trunk. That poses a greater likelihood of damage in my mind that having it up and forward. In addition, if something heavy enough were sliding around back there you might damage the tank.

The ideal solution if it were me would be to fashion a remote filling system. That way you could mount the tank all the way forward, up and against the left or right side. My cursory look at the speaker shelf suggests that while it would be difficult to access during the install it's doable, and it would provide a solid point to mount from. It's certainly not a canned solution; you would have to do some noodling and fabricating to make it work.

You might also consider bolting directly to the drain trough. This would simplify your brackett fabrication and make the tank filler neck easily accessible. Two L-shaped brackets would do it. You could run bolts down through the drain trough to attach your brackets to. If you go that route be sure to carefully seal the bolts, otherwise any water that gets past the bolts will go directly into your trunk.