super interesting discussion. sounds like you just fried that ring with too much heat.
so is the solution for cyl1 as simple as run full E85 and try to put the highest flowing injector on that cyliner to run it a touch more rich? or is it possible with COBB or any other tuning solution to just put a little more fuel on that cylinder? is there anyway to get the car to run at a sustained lower coolant temp maybe?
wonder if oil sprayers would help on this, but maybe just a real race ring that can tolerate the temp is the fix
I'm not sure a turbo blanket and downpipe wrap would make a difference but open to being wrong if you guys think otherwise. Maybe that guy with the is20 car running without a hood was actually onto something.
On the LS motors we had "steam vent" kits that were plumbing to help get fresh coolant to the back cylinders that were last in line on the coolant passages, and also allow steam bubbles in the coolant that occur along the cylinder liners to rise off them and upwards back into the coolant. zero idea how to do something like that on these cars though. In my last fast car though (LS) I was heating up the back #7 cylinder a lot and putting in the steam vent kit, getting a 185* thermostat, and then putting my highest flowing injector in that cylinder fixed the issue, but I've heard of some guys going so far as to put a spark plug one full heat range colder than the rest of the cylinder in the hot one.
I've used methanol on past cars and initially I liked it a lot but as I pushed the car and learned more about the fuel distribution issues and how dangerous pump gas in bigger power builds I won't be using methanol on future cars anymore actually. just better to run good fuel.