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Nitrous Oxide Systems

 
Basic Theory
The Nitrous Oxide System
System Limits
Recommended Nitrous Applications
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Basic Theory

Nitrous oxide injection aka. "Juice" is the quickest and most cost effective way to boost HP and torque. The principals behind Nitrous Oxide Systems is really quite simple.  Since air is approximately 24% oxygen, only 24% of the air your engine takes is used by your engine in the combustion stroke. N2O is 36% oxygen by weight, and when it is stored in a liquid stated in your bottle it is more dense than the surrounding air. It acts like a three stage power producing process. 

  1. Nitrous oxide is more dense than air, and as you know the more dense a gas is the higher the concentration in a given volume
  2. Nitrous oxide also contains a higher percentage of oxygen, and because N20 is more dense that means that an engine will be able to utilizes approximately 50% of its intake stroke opposed to only 24%. That is because your engine can only burn as much fuel as the amount of oxygen will allow.
  3. As the nitrous flashes into gas in the intake track and cylinders it cools down dramatically.  The intake charge will normally be chilled by at least 65 to 75 degrees, and as a general rule of thumb you can gain 1 hp for every 25 degrees cooled.  So, you can gain up to 3 hp on just the cooling effect alone!

Now, some of you might be saying to yourself nitrous is a nonflammable compound. Under normal conditions, you would be right to say that. However, once heated past 570 degrees, a temperature easily attained in the cylinders of your car, the nitrous begins to decompose into free oxygen and nitrogen. The free oxygen lends itself to the combustion process requiring more fuel and creating a more powerful explosion. The nitrogen also fulfills a useful job and acts as a buffer to control the rate of combustion. 

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The Nitrous Oxide System

A proper nitrous system consists of a high pressure bottle usually of 10 lbs. or greater, high pressure braided steel nitrous lines, high pressure solenoid valves to control the flow of fuel and nitrous, and injection nozzles with adjustable, changeable orifice sizes or jets. Which brings me to my next point. 

There are basically two kinds of nitrous systems, "wet" and "dry." The big difference between the two is the manner in which the additional fuel is added to your engine. 

The "Wet" System


nozzle


Plate

A "wet" system injects additional fuel externally. As you might recall the Eclipse  in The Fast And The Furious had a "stand alone fuel management system." That is what is meant by externally added fuel. A wet system injects both nitrous and fuel into the intake thru a plate between the throttle body and the intake manifold or via nozzle[s] before the throttle body. This allows the nitrous fuel mixture to be distributed evenly throughout the cylinders.

Although, because of fuel's corrosive properties the seals around the nitrous solenoid will deteriorate due to exposure, and will have to be replaced from time to time. I recommend the NX solenoid, because they generally last longer than the NOS solenoid.

The "Dry" System

A "dry" system on the other hand, simply increases the amount of fuel injected by the stock fuel pump. This is achieved by simply increasing the in-line fuel pressure. 

The only draw backs to this type of system is the limits of your stock injectors which can handle only so much pressure. Also, because fuel and nitrous aren't mixed like in a "wet" system, the nitrous/fuel mixture will not be constant in each cylinder which may cause certain cylinders to run slightly lean. 

A "dry" system is not without advantages. The biggest advantage is that it does not require any plumbing for additional fuel delivery. Generally, I suggest "dry" systems for beginners, and mild street setups.

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System Limits

A system with 400 hp is close to the practical limits of a Acura/Honda engine. That is for highly tuned engines! For normal mild street setups on a stock engine you really should not "juice" more than 50% of your stock engine's hp or a 75 shot, whichever comes firs.

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All the information provided I know to be true. If you can find any errors or you would like to add a tuning tip please email me at  

 
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