Cordell's Nitrous Experience (tech advice)

[Cordell]

Disclaimer: Clutter will be trimmed to a minimum to keep this easier to read.

 

So since I'm getting out of the nitrous game, I thought I'd share what I've learned and what I did over the last 5 years with various doses of the giggle juice from a technical aspect.

 

Obviously you have to have a nitrous kit, some way of maintaining bottle pressure, a few safety devices, and proper tuning. What I really want to go into detail is tuning and this starts with a proper installation of a nitrous system. A system that will evenly distribute the nitrous through your engine at the horsepower you want to run, and enough fuel to keep up. Having enough is pretty easy, the right sized pump, and injectors if running a dry set-up. Bigger kits may want to run something like a standalone or auxilary pump but for most people that is not neccessary, and if you needed it you wouldn't need to read this post. A proper distributing system is a very important and often overlooked aspect of nitrous, especially with larger doses. A basic nozzle system is only good for smaller shots and varies based on intake manifold design and placement. There are lots of nitrous plates on the market and this is my personal favorite because they can atomize better and are typically designed for the manifold you are running. Direct port is a more advaced way to go and typically overkill for most of us, running enough nitrous to warrant a direct port is for the advanced or professional nitrous guru, requring expert tuning to make it work properly.

 

Once you have picked out a good system for your goals, and have a sufecient fuel supply its time to think about spark plugs. Now this has been debated all over the internet, projected vs. non-projected tip plugs. A projected tip, like an NGK TR-6, has a ground strap that extends down away from the plug before making its 90 degree bend to extend under the electrode. A non-projected tip plug basically comes straight over from the base of the plug. Here's why that matters, in a nitrous fed engine heat and pressure is greatly increased. With the non-projected plug the chance for burning the ground strap off is greatly reduced simply because there is less ground strap there to overheat. Then based on what heat range you need to start with based on horsepower goals you should have your plugs picked out.

 

Now comes the make it or break it time, you need to have good gas, a full bottle, fresh plugs (and extras), and everything in proper working order without the nitrous turned on. Its now time to make all the educated guesses and make a pull to see where things are at. Its my opinion that a wideband is almost required because it can monitor what going on all the time you're using nitrous not just during initial tuning. Immediatly after the nitrous shuts off you should kill the engine and pull plugs, yes every plug, it's time to see where the timing is and look at the porcelin to see the condition of all the cylinders. (will post more on this later) Make your adjustments and repeat. A safe tune will typically leave some power on the table but for a street application this is the best way to do it. The more margin for error you leave yourself the better off you are, higher octane, running a little rich, colder plugs, additional timing pulled out, all make things safer and maintaining the balance of safety and power is something anyone wanting to run nitrous needs to learn, and why I strongly recommend to anyone wanting to run nitrous learn about it and do most of it yourself so you can stay on top of it. Its only carelessness and lack of attention that will get you into trouble.

 

more to come, I have to get back to work....

Edited April 27, 2012 by Cordell

[Patterson]

It varies from application to application, but having the ability to Data Log during pulls would be very helpful. Especially when you are talking EFI, with the ability to tune out counts of knock, and particular cells that look to be running overly lean consistently during pulls.

 

Can you list off some the must have items for a kit and suggested things for us Nitrous noobs?

 

IMO for the "kit" out of the box is never enough. A few items I would pick up along with it would be:

 

Purge kit

Bottle Heater

As many jets as you can carry (Just getting started stick to what comes with the kit though)

Remote opener

Bottle Blanket

I would step up to Billet Bottle brackets. The stamped stockers are the suck.

Spare Spark Plugs in varying Heat ranges

magnifying glass to read the plugs

Datalogging Software (if applicable)

A fuel system to handle it all.

 

 

I bolded the "Must Haves".

Edited April 27, 2012 by Cordell
clutter

[Cordell]

If you want to talk about specific must haves,

 

a bottle heater, its absolutly neccesary to help maintain bottle pressure

 

a pressure gauge, you have to know what the bottle pressure is at because it has a great effect on tune-up

 

a fuel system to support everything for obvious reasons

 

a purge isn't absolutly neccesary, but its hard to work with out it

 

an extra set of plugs, especially when tuning

 

as for various heat ranges, and multiple jets this depends a lot on what you're tuning.

 

There are many other nitrous accessories, stuff stuff that is safety required like a blow down (would have to have in an f-body), but you wouldn't need just to have the system work properly. On a stick shift car a window switch is an extremely good idea, and not a bad idea on an automatic car, but the risk of over-rev isn't as bad. Of course a progressive is a nice thing to have, and becomes more and more usefull the more nitous you use. Most of the other stuff isn't neccesary or is used when you are trying to do something specific.

[Cordell]

Progressive isn't a must. I would recommend for a street car.

Speedtech (when they were still around) would recommend tol their customers that they not to run a progressive system. If your motor is built for nitrous, just give it all the fun juice at once(unless of course you have multiple stages but still dont use a progressor)

 

For heating bottles, if you have the option I would use a water bath.

http://www.poormanmotorsports.com/product/Junebug-Nitrous-Systems-Dual-Nitrous-Bottle-Bath-Heaters/Default.aspx?gfid=p757-o2382

 

Let's not try to tell people how to run their car, there are options on many aspects, and how it will work best for someone has too many variables.

 

Water bath, and NANO set-ups are cool, but usually budget preventative. Lets just say that bottle pressure is very important and having control of it is a very big part of a nitrous set-up.

 

I ran without a progressive for a while and I always battled wheel spin, some people do fine if their cars are set-up to take the hit, so there is no set time to say its needed. In order for someone to safely inject nitrous safely a progressive is not needed, but I would run one and I'd also run a safety solenoid if I did.

[Cordell]

Also on a older car you need a good ignition system.

A good point, similar to a boosted car that can have spark blow out, good spark energy is required, this is also why running tight spark plug gaps is required too.

so... if you do run the direct port is the car no longer street legal? or can you still turn it off?

 

The law is written that it must not be functional, so disconnecting or turning off the bottle and you'll be fine. Basically it is illegal to spray a car on the street.

 

I do not want to get into a legal arguement so those type questions will be deleted. I know for a fact that the system cannot be active, however specific legal issues should be directed toward your lawyer or researched on your own so as not to place any blame towards those on CR when you get caught.

[Mattsv8]

Progressive timers require a extra nos noid fuel noid and they pulse the first noid open and shut. This kills them very quickly.

Nos cheater noids suck upgrade to a big shot

I left on 225 off the brake big tire and it helped a lot having the instant tq.

If u want top end u need 2 kits prety much

Nitrous works best at low rpm because the gobs of tq

And it falls off power very quickly

It costs more in the long run than a supercharger or turbo system

550 big shot plate single kit 4150

1 bottle at 225 is 3 passes tops 10ln bottle

To be consistant u need bottle heater

And jets to change the tune for weather

A simple plate kit can cost as much as 3000 a yr if u spray a normal amount including the kit

It does make tq and hp very easily most simple bolt on outside a air filter

In 4 yrs of spraying I never hurt a single part or plug

If you want to know more get the nitrous book from jegs and read it cover to cover

If u want 1000hp with spray build a motor that can easily hold 1200.

I personally like spray but I won't ever prefer it over a supercharger or turbo combo again

Nothing like never needing a full bottle to play!

[TheMustangStampede]

Sounds, like fun..

 

I recently decided that I was going to get some giggle gas.

I ordered a wet nozzle kit. I plan on running a 100 shot that's it.

It comes with various jets and is ran by the TPS. I have also ordered the traction control window switch, I can select which gear and what RPM rnage it will engage and turn off, I also have purge kit. I ordered 2 blow downs and 2 psi gauges. I only have one bottle for now, but will be adding the second very soon that way I don't have to fill them up all the time. I also plan on getting bottle blankets and a bottle warmer. Thanks for providing this information. I already know that the tune is going to be on the safe side and used at the track. I will simply turn the system off and revert back to a different tune when driving or heading to or from track