OH NOEZ
01-29-2003, 05:02 PM
What exactly is nitrous? How does it work? Why does it work? How much nitrous can I run? Is nitrous expensive? What kind of setup do I need? Who makes the best kit? What are the different types of kits?
I will do my best to try to answer all of these questions.
First, let's start out with some basic engine theory. Your motor makes power because it takes the heat energy created by combustion, and turns it into mechanical energy. Combustion is simply the rapid oxydation of fuel. The more air and fuel you can cram into your cylinders, the more power you will make. The ratio's in which these two components are added, however, must be kept within a certain range. For arguements sake, however, we'll say that you are adding the two in the correct proportion.
Nitous is an oxydizer, which is an oxygen-bearing chemical that has more easily available air than atmospheric air.
Air is 23.6% oxygen, and nitrous is 36% oxygen. However, we can't forget that nitrous is much more dense than air at room temperature, so pound for pound, nitrous contains much more oxygen.
The stoich ratio for air/fuel is 14.7:1. This is, however, NOT the stoich ratio for a nitrous powered motor. In order to completely burn the air/fuel/nitrous mixture, the ratio should be somewhere around 8.5:1.
We've talked about alot about nitrous, so let's talk about it's "Better Half", or fuel. In order to keep a safe nitrous burn going, fuel must also be injected with the nitrous. Because Nitrous already has oxygen in it's chemical composition, fuel must be injected independently to keep you from running lean (too much oxygen) and potentially harming your engine.
Now on to the actual kits. There are MANY companies that manufacture nitrous kits. Some of the most popular are NOS, Nitrous Express, Nitrous Works, Zex, and TNT.
The kits are all fairly similiar, but there are a few exceptions. The NX (Nitrous Express) solenoids are the biggest, and therefore, can be the safest. The NOS solenoids are small, but you can upgrade them for larger units. The Zex kit is a dry kit (No fuel added) so the amount of nitrous that can be added is kept at a minimum.
Zex likes to advertise that there 'Purple Box' keeps everything under control, but I've read a few stories of where the box failed, the motor went lean, and proceeded to either blow up totally, or burn a hole through the piston. If it were my car, Zex would be my last choice.
There are two setups you can order from almost any company. The first is a 'wet' kit and the second is a 'dry' kit. A wet kit has both fuel and nitrous solenoids, so it injects both fuel and nitrous. This is the safest way to run nitrous. The second way to inject nitrous is through a 'dry' kit. This kit doesn't inject any fuel, so you must keep an eye on your air/fuel ratio, and keep your nitrous on a low shot.
One of the biggest questions about nitrous is, 'How much can I run, and still be safe?' Well, the answer is quite simple.
First, you'll need a new clutch, FAST. Nitrous will kill the stock one in a hurry. Second, you'll need some new spark plugs. NGK V-Power's are my personal recommendation. I've heard nothing but great things about them. Depending on the size shot you want to run, a blockguard, spark plugs wires, or a fuel pump might be required. Anything over a 100 shot should be accompanied by these three accessories. The money you spend on these will be well worth the 'insurance' they can can provide.
If your running an aftermarket ECU that tends to lean the motor out, you'll definately want to get a fuel pressure regulator to keep your air/fuel ratio in the safe zone.
Other than that, you should be set.
If you've got any more questions, feel free to post them and I'll do my best to answer them.
If I've messed up anywhere (I'm sure I have) feel free to correct me.
Enjoy.
I will do my best to try to answer all of these questions.
First, let's start out with some basic engine theory. Your motor makes power because it takes the heat energy created by combustion, and turns it into mechanical energy. Combustion is simply the rapid oxydation of fuel. The more air and fuel you can cram into your cylinders, the more power you will make. The ratio's in which these two components are added, however, must be kept within a certain range. For arguements sake, however, we'll say that you are adding the two in the correct proportion.
Nitous is an oxydizer, which is an oxygen-bearing chemical that has more easily available air than atmospheric air.
Air is 23.6% oxygen, and nitrous is 36% oxygen. However, we can't forget that nitrous is much more dense than air at room temperature, so pound for pound, nitrous contains much more oxygen.
The stoich ratio for air/fuel is 14.7:1. This is, however, NOT the stoich ratio for a nitrous powered motor. In order to completely burn the air/fuel/nitrous mixture, the ratio should be somewhere around 8.5:1.
We've talked about alot about nitrous, so let's talk about it's "Better Half", or fuel. In order to keep a safe nitrous burn going, fuel must also be injected with the nitrous. Because Nitrous already has oxygen in it's chemical composition, fuel must be injected independently to keep you from running lean (too much oxygen) and potentially harming your engine.
Now on to the actual kits. There are MANY companies that manufacture nitrous kits. Some of the most popular are NOS, Nitrous Express, Nitrous Works, Zex, and TNT.
The kits are all fairly similiar, but there are a few exceptions. The NX (Nitrous Express) solenoids are the biggest, and therefore, can be the safest. The NOS solenoids are small, but you can upgrade them for larger units. The Zex kit is a dry kit (No fuel added) so the amount of nitrous that can be added is kept at a minimum.
Zex likes to advertise that there 'Purple Box' keeps everything under control, but I've read a few stories of where the box failed, the motor went lean, and proceeded to either blow up totally, or burn a hole through the piston. If it were my car, Zex would be my last choice.
There are two setups you can order from almost any company. The first is a 'wet' kit and the second is a 'dry' kit. A wet kit has both fuel and nitrous solenoids, so it injects both fuel and nitrous. This is the safest way to run nitrous. The second way to inject nitrous is through a 'dry' kit. This kit doesn't inject any fuel, so you must keep an eye on your air/fuel ratio, and keep your nitrous on a low shot.
One of the biggest questions about nitrous is, 'How much can I run, and still be safe?' Well, the answer is quite simple.
First, you'll need a new clutch, FAST. Nitrous will kill the stock one in a hurry. Second, you'll need some new spark plugs. NGK V-Power's are my personal recommendation. I've heard nothing but great things about them. Depending on the size shot you want to run, a blockguard, spark plugs wires, or a fuel pump might be required. Anything over a 100 shot should be accompanied by these three accessories. The money you spend on these will be well worth the 'insurance' they can can provide.
If your running an aftermarket ECU that tends to lean the motor out, you'll definately want to get a fuel pressure regulator to keep your air/fuel ratio in the safe zone.
Other than that, you should be set.
If you've got any more questions, feel free to post them and I'll do my best to answer them.
If I've messed up anywhere (I'm sure I have) feel free to correct me.
Enjoy.