Nitrous 101
Nitrous is one of the most common power adders. It's just as safe as a turbo or supercharger. Just as a Turbo set up needs supporting mods so does Nitrous. When installing a nitrous kit it is important that you have everything you need to get the most "bang for your buck". When you buy a typical kit for your car you get "everything" you need to spray....but unfortunately you don't. Most common problems on a sprayed vehicle is leaning out or over timing. Their are a few very simple solutions for each of those that will save your vehicle and keep it running strong.
To start, their are multiple different types of nitrous setups such as a fogger; foggers are kits that use a nozzle that sprays into your intake kit before your throttle body. Plate kits are also commonly used, these are plates that sit between your throttle body and your intake manifold and spray in. I cannot mention the first two with out mentioning a direct port nitrous system. A direct port kit is a nitrous system that has a separate nozzle for each cylinder. This allows best distribution in each cylinder. In addition to those, dual stage (two different sized shots) are another common way to gain power. Dual stages are setup up to run a smaller shot in lower gears and a larger shot up in the higher range. Thus allowing you a boost in power through all gears. By keeping the shot small in lower gears allows you to maintain traction yet still get the added power, and as you get to higher gears the second stage engages and gives you a bigger power boost.
First, if you are running a dry shot (no fuel), it is recommended that you upgrade your injectors and have a tune for extra fuel. If you plan on running a wet shot (both fuel and n2o) it is recommended you upgrade your fuel pump in order not to generate a lean condition. It is also highly recommended that you run a FPSS (Fuel Pressure Safety Switch). This is a switch that you put in-line of your ground wire. It works like this; you set it a specific fuel pressure, and if it drops below that it will break the ground and turn off the nitrous, saving you from a lean condition.
Another common downer to running nitrous is that you have to remove timing when you spray. Alot of people think that mean your car will not be at it's full potential when on motor. Not true, using an ignition timing retard will allow you to cut timing while on spray and allow your car to run at it's full potential on motor. A rule of thumb to use it to cut a degree of timing for ever 50 shot, but depending on your setup and tune, that is not always necessary. Running a colder plug is also very important. What ever plug your are running now, once on nitrous you should use a step colder plug, which is similar to when you run boost. Now mind you with all those precautions it's not guaranteed that your motor will not lean out or detonate, but it is something that can save you from potential problems.
Nitrous activation is next, once your kit is installed and your ready to go, but what activates it? Some of you are interested in momentary buttons(like in Fast and the Furious), but the most successful/common way to do it, or should I say the most popular ways to do it are as follows. WOT (wide open throttle) switches and TPS switches are the most efficient form of activation, as soon as your at full throttle that engages your spray. Along with that a window switch is as a good idea, this keeps the nitrous from coming on too early (you shouldn't spray below 3000rpm) and from staying on too long, it also prevents nitrous back fires if you miss a gear or hit the rev limiter.
Now that your activation is ready, bottle pressure is another significant factor, ideal bottle pressure is between 750psi-1100psi. If you pressure is to low, you will not get good enough flow out of the bottle. If too high, too much nitrous can be a problem as well. Thats why 90% of nitrous users monitor their bottle pressure and use a bottle heater or bottle blanket to keep their bottle at an ideal pressure and temperature.
A common question when using nitrous is how much can I spray. Nitrous is very similar to boost in many ways. It shares the same problems as long as the same rules. You don't push alot of boost through a stock motor, just like you don't spray alot of nitrous through a stock motor. You use what will work for your setup. Their is no such thing as a safe shot. It what will work for your setup. Depending on your compression and tune rules what size shot to run. Your not going to run a 100+ shot on a stock motor, it's not recommended. Just remember nitrous is an effective power adder and when used right and safely can be the ultimate source of power for your vehicle....
To start, their are multiple different types of nitrous setups such as a fogger; foggers are kits that use a nozzle that sprays into your intake kit before your throttle body. Plate kits are also commonly used, these are plates that sit between your throttle body and your intake manifold and spray in. I cannot mention the first two with out mentioning a direct port nitrous system. A direct port kit is a nitrous system that has a separate nozzle for each cylinder. This allows best distribution in each cylinder. In addition to those, dual stage (two different sized shots) are another common way to gain power. Dual stages are setup up to run a smaller shot in lower gears and a larger shot up in the higher range. Thus allowing you a boost in power through all gears. By keeping the shot small in lower gears allows you to maintain traction yet still get the added power, and as you get to higher gears the second stage engages and gives you a bigger power boost.
First, if you are running a dry shot (no fuel), it is recommended that you upgrade your injectors and have a tune for extra fuel. If you plan on running a wet shot (both fuel and n2o) it is recommended you upgrade your fuel pump in order not to generate a lean condition. It is also highly recommended that you run a FPSS (Fuel Pressure Safety Switch). This is a switch that you put in-line of your ground wire. It works like this; you set it a specific fuel pressure, and if it drops below that it will break the ground and turn off the nitrous, saving you from a lean condition.
Another common downer to running nitrous is that you have to remove timing when you spray. Alot of people think that mean your car will not be at it's full potential when on motor. Not true, using an ignition timing retard will allow you to cut timing while on spray and allow your car to run at it's full potential on motor. A rule of thumb to use it to cut a degree of timing for ever 50 shot, but depending on your setup and tune, that is not always necessary. Running a colder plug is also very important. What ever plug your are running now, once on nitrous you should use a step colder plug, which is similar to when you run boost. Now mind you with all those precautions it's not guaranteed that your motor will not lean out or detonate, but it is something that can save you from potential problems.
Nitrous activation is next, once your kit is installed and your ready to go, but what activates it? Some of you are interested in momentary buttons(like in Fast and the Furious), but the most successful/common way to do it, or should I say the most popular ways to do it are as follows. WOT (wide open throttle) switches and TPS switches are the most efficient form of activation, as soon as your at full throttle that engages your spray. Along with that a window switch is as a good idea, this keeps the nitrous from coming on too early (you shouldn't spray below 3000rpm) and from staying on too long, it also prevents nitrous back fires if you miss a gear or hit the rev limiter.
Now that your activation is ready, bottle pressure is another significant factor, ideal bottle pressure is between 750psi-1100psi. If you pressure is to low, you will not get good enough flow out of the bottle. If too high, too much nitrous can be a problem as well. Thats why 90% of nitrous users monitor their bottle pressure and use a bottle heater or bottle blanket to keep their bottle at an ideal pressure and temperature.
A common question when using nitrous is how much can I spray. Nitrous is very similar to boost in many ways. It shares the same problems as long as the same rules. You don't push alot of boost through a stock motor, just like you don't spray alot of nitrous through a stock motor. You use what will work for your setup. Their is no such thing as a safe shot. It what will work for your setup. Depending on your compression and tune rules what size shot to run. Your not going to run a 100+ shot on a stock motor, it's not recommended. Just remember nitrous is an effective power adder and when used right and safely can be the ultimate source of power for your vehicle....
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Originally Posted by Topdog781 
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