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View Full Version : Your Takes: The Good, Bad and Ugly: Is NOz Laffing Gas?:



Trailer Park Casanova
09-30-2006, 11:53 PM
In all types of your applications, what is your take on NOz, and your experiences?
Is it the laughing gas that grenades your motors so then everyone starts laughing at you because ya should'da know better?

YeLLowBoaT
10-01-2006, 12:02 AM
I think T-56 sig line explains every thing...
Nitrous is like a hot chick w/ a STD. You'd hit it but you are afraid of the consequences.

SmokinLowriderSS
10-01-2006, 06:17 AM
I've run hundreds of pounds of it thru Lowrider's bone stock, low-perf build (cast pistons & crank, weak factory knurled 3/8" rod bolts) 454, never had a problem, 26 years, and was with a very plain, old-school no-safeties system. Gonna up it when the budget lets me, but also going to do it right.
What blows the motors up (or more accurately melts the pistons) is leanout detonation. If you are on the gas, and lose fuel flow to either the nitrous or regular fuel system, you will go lean, in an instant get VERY high combustion temperatures and detonation, and melt parts. If no such leanout occurs, and the motor parts are sufficiently strong to take the stresses, the engine will survive just fine. Cast pistons are not reccomended to take anything over 150HP boost (6 pounds per minuite) For that and up, go forged.
Filters on all 3 systems, (2 fuel, 1 nitrous) changed regularly. If a fuel jet clogs, you go lean. If a nitrous solenoid sticks open, you go lean, but on a throttle down, it'll likely stall before damage. Minimum 5PSI fuel pressure maintained at full flow usage, both systems flowing.
Fuel pressure switch to cut the N2O out if fuel pressure falls due to a clog of flow loss issue.

LakeTrash
10-01-2006, 06:49 AM
I am with SmokinLowriderSS. I have used it for years in everything from my 454 powered 69 Suburban to just about every outboard motor I have owned.
I have blown up a lot of stuff but have never had a NOS caused mishap. Just stay within reasonable limits on the amount of power you add and keep up with all the maintenance mentioned above and you will get many a grin.
LT

RitcheyRch
10-01-2006, 08:05 AM
Also, need to know that if the car gets squirley you need to let off the nitrous before you let off the gas. If you let off the gas first you will fill the cylinders with nitrous and thats not good.

SmokinLowriderSS
10-01-2006, 09:31 AM
Also, need to know that if the car gets squirley you need to let off the nitrous before you let off the gas. If you let off the gas first you will fill the cylinders with nitrous and thats not good.
A nitrous system has 2 main switches (not counting any safeties), an arming switch and a WOT trigger switch. ANY release of the throttle should release the WOT switch, to automatically kill the solenoids. If not, adjust it properly. No need to manually disarm the system at throttle release, it's automatic.

Flyinbowtie
10-01-2006, 09:46 AM
I ran lots of it in the rail back in the 90's. My experience with it leads me to share the views expressed here. For a number of reasons, i.e. launch traction, etc., I did not install a microswitch at the carb. Letting go of the button shut the system down.
I second the notion of training yourself to shut off the squeeze before lifting off the throttle if your system is as I described. Not doing so in the sandrail while runnning 70-75 MPH up the face of Sand Mountain was like throwing out an anchor, the car would violently try to swap ends, and the paddles would start to make weird noises. Kinda scary.
Maintaing the system, staying inside the parameters of nitrous and fuel mixture to control combustion chamber temps and EGT's is the key to performance and longevity.

Freak
10-01-2006, 10:37 AM
I've run hundreds of pounds of it thru Lowrider's bone stock, low-perf build (cast pistons & crank, weak factory knurled 3/8" rod bolts) 454, never had a problem, 26 years, and was with a very plain, old-school no-safeties system. Gonna up it when the budget lets me, but also going to do it right.
What blows the motors up (or more accurately melts the pistons) is leanout detonation. If you are on the gas, and lose fuel flow to either the nitrous or regular fuel system, you will go lean, in an instant get VERY high combustion temperatures and detonation, and melt parts. If no such leanout occurs, and the motor parts are sufficiently strong to take the stresses, the engine will survive just fine. Cast pistons are not reccomended to take anything over 150HP boost (6 pounds per minuite) For that and up, go forged.
Filters on all 3 systems, (2 fuel, 1 nitrous) changed regularly. If a fuel jet clogs, you go lean. If a nitrous solenoid sticks open, you go lean, but on a throttle down, it'll likely stall before damage. Minimum 5PSI fuel pressure maintained at full flow usage, both systems flowing.
Fuel pressure switch to cut the N2O out if fuel pressure falls due to a clog of flow loss issue.
Noth'in left to say. SS is on the money. I never had a problem. Now my friend who put a 250hp plate system on some cast pistons - Had some problems real quick - he went up the street screaming and came back down smoking and clanking. LOL....I told him so...

SmokinLowriderSS
10-01-2006, 11:09 AM
I ran lots of it in the rail back in the 90's. My experience with it leads me to share the views expressed here. For a number of reasons, i.e. launch traction, etc., I did not install a microswitch at the carb. Letting go of the button shut the system down.
I second the notion of training yourself to shut off the squeeze before lifting off the throttle if your system is as I described. Not doing so in the sandrail while runnning 70-75 MPH up the face of Sand Mountain was like throwing out an anchor, the car would violently try to swap ends, and the paddles would start to make weird noises. Kinda scary.
Maintaing the system, staying inside the parameters of nitrous and fuel mixture to control combustion chamber temps and EGT's is the key to performance and longevity.
I had never considered a setup like that, but nothing wrong with it. My setup did not use a MO (momentary on) switch as an arming switch but as the throttle WOT switch.
For certain aplications, that setup would be preferable like the one you describe, more precisely controllable. Yes, with that setup, you DO need to make sure you DO release the trigger on it when getting off the throttle.

RitcheyRch
10-01-2006, 11:29 AM
I know some people try to take the cheap way out and not run the WOT switch.
A nitrous system has 2 main switches (not counting any safeties), an arming switch and a WOT trigger switch. ANY release of the throttle should release the WOT switch, to automatically kill the solenoids. If not, adjust it properly. No need to manually disarm the system at throttle release, it's automatic.

SmokinLowriderSS
10-01-2006, 11:32 AM
A have heard that the under-carb plate systems seem to "hit" the engine harder than the direct port injected setups do. Don't know if it is true, but I do think the plates are usually helpful as a spacer plate (if a spacer plate is of use in a particular setup), especially atop a dual-plane manifold to help the higher-RPM breathing a little bit.

Cs19
10-01-2006, 12:28 PM
A WOT switch is not mandatory but its a good idea for some people.
Nitrous oxide is insane stuff, Ive ran 2 different direct port foggers on 2 different motors and absolutly love it. Havent hurt anything so far but its irrelevant if your going to race with the squeeze, your gonna hurt some stuff sooner or later.

SmokinLowriderSS
10-01-2006, 02:48 PM
Just for giggles, Nitrous as an engine booster was discovered by the millitary back prior to WW II when trying to augment piston engine performance at high altitude. Both the German Luftwaffe and the Brittish RAF made limited use of it in very specialized needs.
Oxygen was the first trials, but was found to be too hot. The Nitrogen component of N2O was found to be much easier to deal with, seemed to be actually helpful at "cooling" the reaction some for controll campared to pure Oxygen. Also the liquid storage capability made usable quantities much easier to carry onboard.

Flyinbowtie
10-01-2006, 03:33 PM
I had a 150 shot on a NOS Cheater plate system. It did hit hard, hard enough that we couldn't load the water brake on the dyno quick enough to measure it effectively until redline was reached.
Primary toggle switch turned on the NO2 dedicated fuel pump, and supplied 12v to a pressure switch in the fuel line. When that pressure switch saw 7 PSI, it would pass the 12v on to the supply side of the momentary button on the shifter handle, which, when pushed, opened the solenoids. If I didn't have 7 PSI, no 12v to open the solenoids.
This was my way of trying to avoid a fuel starvation melt down, and to hold off on the squeeze until 2nd gear. Pushed before that, and it was a bit unsteerable. Always get out of the squeeze before getting out of the throttle was a lesson I learned early..