Superalty
10-28-2005, 09:08 PM
I am available for questions and will help where I can. If other N20 users want to help please let it be known in this thread. If I have left out useful information please post and add it, especially users with info on kits other than Zex wet. Also post your before N20 and after N20 times.
Many people look for added horsepower in many places. I looked into my options before I chose the nitrous route. To make a long story short I went with the juice for 2 main reasons: Price and ease of installation. This may not be easy if you are not mechanically inclined, but if that is the case neither would a turbo or supercharger. Cost, I was able to get my entire setup for less than $1200. Nitrous is in a liquid state when compressed in your bottle. It is comprised of a 36% oxygen mix. This is what actually burns in your engine. Upon release from the bottle and warming up, nitrous becomes a gas and when compressed the nitrogen splits from the oxygen. You add additional fuel (this is where the power comes from) and bang, the car goes faster. Do not attempt to inhale the nitrous you buy from a fill station, as they add a 1 ppm sulfur dioxide which will irritate the shit out of your lungs. Florida does not have any statutes that prevent you from owning and driving with a nitrous system. If you are under 16 you can not posses nitrous for any reason. FDOT also says that you do not need any exterior placards while traveling with nitrous if it is for personal use. The only statute to discuss nitrous: http://www.flsenate.gov/statutes/index.cfm?mode=View%20Statutes&SubMenu=1&App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=nitrous+oxide&URL=CH0877/Sec111.HTM (http://www.flsenate.gov/statutes/index.cfm?mode=View%20Statutes&SubMenu=1&App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=nitrous+oxide&URL=CH0877/Sec111.HTM).
Nitrous kits: There are lots of nitrous kits on the market. In the end they all have the same main purpose; to get nitrous oxide from the bottle in your trunk to the nozzle in your intake plumbing. Two of the most common kits used are Zex and Nitrous Express (NX). I chose the Zex Wet kit (#82021) because it has the fuel and nitrous solenoids mounted in a box they call the nitrous management unit (NMU). The NMU is also responsible for activating the system. It reads the Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) via a small wire and connector, and when wide open throttle (WOT) is reached, the juice flows. This makes for a clean installation. I picked up my wet kit off EBay for $550 shipped to my door. I have seen them as cheap as $520 shipped recently.
Zex jets are rated to the flywheel. I picked up 34hp an a Zex 55 shot. After much research I found that NX makes the best jets EVAR and are a drop in for the Zex lines. I installed 50 shot jets and picked up 6 additional hp over the Zex jets. Note, I also dropped jet sizes by 5hp. I have dyno graphs to back up this research. Zex jets (55 shot) = 173whp / 208 wtq, NX jets (50 shot) = 179whp / 213 wtq. I have since installed NX 75 shot jets but have yet to return to the dyno. Go and pick up NX jets in .041 (n2o) and .024 (fuel) for 75 shot.
When you go to the dyno make sure you have them do A/F, all nitrous companies kits run around 11-11.5 A/F, you can pick up a few extra ponies by tuning around 12-12.5 A/F and still be fairly safe. This can be done several ways, SAFC or smaller fuel jet are 2 examples.
Accessories: There are just as many options as there are nitrous kits. I will try to summarize most of them here.
Purge Kit: Mounted before the nitrous solenoid and purges air out of the lines. This ensures that liquid nitrous is waiting when you activate the juice.
Bottle Heater: Nitrous flows optimally at 950-1050 psi. On cold days when you open the bottle you may only have 600 psi, the heater will bring up the bottle psi by warming the exterior of the bottle. This is a must for consistent pressure.
Bottle Blanket: Wraps around the top ¾ of the bottle. It is lined with an insulated material that traps the radiating heat from your bottle warmer, acts like an oven and aids the bottle warmer in raising your bottle temps. Also reflects trunk heat on hot days.
Pressure Gauge: Displays the pressure in the nitrous lines. This is how you tell what psi you have. An absolute must in every kit.
Blow Down Tube: A tube connected to the burst disk portion of your bottle valve. Tube is vented outside car in case the burst disk ruptures, allowing nitrous gas to escape outside of your vehicle.
Bottle Stands: Holds bottle securely in mounting location. Some stands have built in bottle heaters. Most kits have stands included, most aftermarket stands have some fancy quick disconnect feature.
Purge Kit Lights: These are fairly new in the purge department. They illuminate your purge cloud in a variety of colors.
Split Purge Kit: Allows your purge to exit in different places. I have seen a Cobra that has the purge exit the snake’s mouth in the emblem on both sides.
Window Switch: Only allows the nitrous to flow during preset rpm points, like ON at 3,000 rpm and OFF at 6,400 rpm.
A/F Safety Switch: Will turn off the nitrous system if a dangerous lean or rich condition is observed in your Air/Fuel mix.
TPS Switch: Many users do not like the throttle switch that comes with other nitrous systems, so manufacturers have made a TPS switch that activates the system at WOT.
Remote Bottle Opener: A the flip of a switch a user can open the bottle from the drivers seat. You never have to get out and run to the back to open your tank again.
I believe that covers most of the common add-ons that street users have.
Extras:
MSD Digital 6 Ignition: Allows you to run stock or advanced timing when the bottle is off. Then when you arm the system the Digital 6 will retard your ignition for your corresponding shot. The retard has to be set manually via rotary switches.
Walbro 255 LPH Fuel Pump or equivalent: This fuel pump will allow larger shots to be run safely.
Colder Spark Plugs: To avoid detonation due to hot spots on your spark plugs, run colder plugs.
Good Ignition Wires: Run a good quality ignition wire to ensure all the fire power you need to light the juice reaches the spark plugs.
Upgraded Drive Train Components: You may want a stronger clutch for manuals and upgraded Torque converter and shift kit for autos. Also a lightened flywheel in the manuals will help the revs.
Good Tires: No sense making lots of power if your tires are bad, you will just send them up in smoke. There are too many choices to get involved here.
Better Suspension: Stiffer springs and shocks will keep the weight from shifting on launch and gear change. They should also improve handling.
Basic Bolt-ons: These help you make more power overall. By opening up the intake and exhaust passages the engine breathes better making more power.
Maintenance:
Oil: Always run good oil, nitrous puts added stresses on your engine, don’t become a statistic because you didn’t want to buy good oil.
Cooling System: This must be in tip top shape. Nitrous raises cylinder pressures and thus creates added heat to the engine components. I would recommend a coolant flush and add some Redline Water Wetter to your system. Also because they are so cheap, change your thermostat, cheap insurance.
Trans Fluid: Again, don’t be cheap here. You need the extra cushion of a good fluid for the extra power you make.
Timing: Make sure timing is set properly for the corresponding shot. If it’s over timed you can detonate you engine. This is always a bad thing.
Cylinder Compression: Have a compression test performed to ensure the psi is correct. Do compression checks regularly after you install and use nitrous. This will pre-empt any problems with engine failure due to nitrous use.
Zex states very clearly that any mechanical problem you have now will only be further intensified after the addition and use of the juice. Fix any mechanical problems before nitrous.
There are always associated dangers with modifying your car. Please note that right on the label of any nitrous bottle it says “Non-Flammable”. This means that you will not get any cool TFTF explosions with Vin Diesel yelling “NOS!!!” Also NOS is a brand, not the stuff that makes you go fast, that is called Nitrous Oxide. On the other hand if you leave your bottle heater on and boil you bottle, it is possible for the tank to rupture if your burst disc fails. See the pictures here: http://www.saturnspeed.com/nitrousexplosion.htm (http://www.saturnspeed.com/nitrousexplosion.htm), it was a freak accident but it is also a reality.
If you have little or no experience with nitrous I would suggest ordering and reading Sport Compact Nitrous from Barnes and Noble or Books A Million. This will give you lots of beginner info. Do not be afraid to be a beginner, we all were at one time.
As always I am available for questions via posts or PM’s.
My Altima ran 16.2 before the 55 shot and 14.8 after. I have the 75 shot jets installed now but have yet to return to the track.
Many people look for added horsepower in many places. I looked into my options before I chose the nitrous route. To make a long story short I went with the juice for 2 main reasons: Price and ease of installation. This may not be easy if you are not mechanically inclined, but if that is the case neither would a turbo or supercharger. Cost, I was able to get my entire setup for less than $1200. Nitrous is in a liquid state when compressed in your bottle. It is comprised of a 36% oxygen mix. This is what actually burns in your engine. Upon release from the bottle and warming up, nitrous becomes a gas and when compressed the nitrogen splits from the oxygen. You add additional fuel (this is where the power comes from) and bang, the car goes faster. Do not attempt to inhale the nitrous you buy from a fill station, as they add a 1 ppm sulfur dioxide which will irritate the shit out of your lungs. Florida does not have any statutes that prevent you from owning and driving with a nitrous system. If you are under 16 you can not posses nitrous for any reason. FDOT also says that you do not need any exterior placards while traveling with nitrous if it is for personal use. The only statute to discuss nitrous: http://www.flsenate.gov/statutes/index.cfm?mode=View%20Statutes&SubMenu=1&App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=nitrous+oxide&URL=CH0877/Sec111.HTM (http://www.flsenate.gov/statutes/index.cfm?mode=View%20Statutes&SubMenu=1&App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=nitrous+oxide&URL=CH0877/Sec111.HTM).
Nitrous kits: There are lots of nitrous kits on the market. In the end they all have the same main purpose; to get nitrous oxide from the bottle in your trunk to the nozzle in your intake plumbing. Two of the most common kits used are Zex and Nitrous Express (NX). I chose the Zex Wet kit (#82021) because it has the fuel and nitrous solenoids mounted in a box they call the nitrous management unit (NMU). The NMU is also responsible for activating the system. It reads the Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) via a small wire and connector, and when wide open throttle (WOT) is reached, the juice flows. This makes for a clean installation. I picked up my wet kit off EBay for $550 shipped to my door. I have seen them as cheap as $520 shipped recently.
Zex jets are rated to the flywheel. I picked up 34hp an a Zex 55 shot. After much research I found that NX makes the best jets EVAR and are a drop in for the Zex lines. I installed 50 shot jets and picked up 6 additional hp over the Zex jets. Note, I also dropped jet sizes by 5hp. I have dyno graphs to back up this research. Zex jets (55 shot) = 173whp / 208 wtq, NX jets (50 shot) = 179whp / 213 wtq. I have since installed NX 75 shot jets but have yet to return to the dyno. Go and pick up NX jets in .041 (n2o) and .024 (fuel) for 75 shot.
When you go to the dyno make sure you have them do A/F, all nitrous companies kits run around 11-11.5 A/F, you can pick up a few extra ponies by tuning around 12-12.5 A/F and still be fairly safe. This can be done several ways, SAFC or smaller fuel jet are 2 examples.
Accessories: There are just as many options as there are nitrous kits. I will try to summarize most of them here.
Purge Kit: Mounted before the nitrous solenoid and purges air out of the lines. This ensures that liquid nitrous is waiting when you activate the juice.
Bottle Heater: Nitrous flows optimally at 950-1050 psi. On cold days when you open the bottle you may only have 600 psi, the heater will bring up the bottle psi by warming the exterior of the bottle. This is a must for consistent pressure.
Bottle Blanket: Wraps around the top ¾ of the bottle. It is lined with an insulated material that traps the radiating heat from your bottle warmer, acts like an oven and aids the bottle warmer in raising your bottle temps. Also reflects trunk heat on hot days.
Pressure Gauge: Displays the pressure in the nitrous lines. This is how you tell what psi you have. An absolute must in every kit.
Blow Down Tube: A tube connected to the burst disk portion of your bottle valve. Tube is vented outside car in case the burst disk ruptures, allowing nitrous gas to escape outside of your vehicle.
Bottle Stands: Holds bottle securely in mounting location. Some stands have built in bottle heaters. Most kits have stands included, most aftermarket stands have some fancy quick disconnect feature.
Purge Kit Lights: These are fairly new in the purge department. They illuminate your purge cloud in a variety of colors.
Split Purge Kit: Allows your purge to exit in different places. I have seen a Cobra that has the purge exit the snake’s mouth in the emblem on both sides.
Window Switch: Only allows the nitrous to flow during preset rpm points, like ON at 3,000 rpm and OFF at 6,400 rpm.
A/F Safety Switch: Will turn off the nitrous system if a dangerous lean or rich condition is observed in your Air/Fuel mix.
TPS Switch: Many users do not like the throttle switch that comes with other nitrous systems, so manufacturers have made a TPS switch that activates the system at WOT.
Remote Bottle Opener: A the flip of a switch a user can open the bottle from the drivers seat. You never have to get out and run to the back to open your tank again.
I believe that covers most of the common add-ons that street users have.
Extras:
MSD Digital 6 Ignition: Allows you to run stock or advanced timing when the bottle is off. Then when you arm the system the Digital 6 will retard your ignition for your corresponding shot. The retard has to be set manually via rotary switches.
Walbro 255 LPH Fuel Pump or equivalent: This fuel pump will allow larger shots to be run safely.
Colder Spark Plugs: To avoid detonation due to hot spots on your spark plugs, run colder plugs.
Good Ignition Wires: Run a good quality ignition wire to ensure all the fire power you need to light the juice reaches the spark plugs.
Upgraded Drive Train Components: You may want a stronger clutch for manuals and upgraded Torque converter and shift kit for autos. Also a lightened flywheel in the manuals will help the revs.
Good Tires: No sense making lots of power if your tires are bad, you will just send them up in smoke. There are too many choices to get involved here.
Better Suspension: Stiffer springs and shocks will keep the weight from shifting on launch and gear change. They should also improve handling.
Basic Bolt-ons: These help you make more power overall. By opening up the intake and exhaust passages the engine breathes better making more power.
Maintenance:
Oil: Always run good oil, nitrous puts added stresses on your engine, don’t become a statistic because you didn’t want to buy good oil.
Cooling System: This must be in tip top shape. Nitrous raises cylinder pressures and thus creates added heat to the engine components. I would recommend a coolant flush and add some Redline Water Wetter to your system. Also because they are so cheap, change your thermostat, cheap insurance.
Trans Fluid: Again, don’t be cheap here. You need the extra cushion of a good fluid for the extra power you make.
Timing: Make sure timing is set properly for the corresponding shot. If it’s over timed you can detonate you engine. This is always a bad thing.
Cylinder Compression: Have a compression test performed to ensure the psi is correct. Do compression checks regularly after you install and use nitrous. This will pre-empt any problems with engine failure due to nitrous use.
Zex states very clearly that any mechanical problem you have now will only be further intensified after the addition and use of the juice. Fix any mechanical problems before nitrous.
There are always associated dangers with modifying your car. Please note that right on the label of any nitrous bottle it says “Non-Flammable”. This means that you will not get any cool TFTF explosions with Vin Diesel yelling “NOS!!!” Also NOS is a brand, not the stuff that makes you go fast, that is called Nitrous Oxide. On the other hand if you leave your bottle heater on and boil you bottle, it is possible for the tank to rupture if your burst disc fails. See the pictures here: http://www.saturnspeed.com/nitrousexplosion.htm (http://www.saturnspeed.com/nitrousexplosion.htm), it was a freak accident but it is also a reality.
If you have little or no experience with nitrous I would suggest ordering and reading Sport Compact Nitrous from Barnes and Noble or Books A Million. This will give you lots of beginner info. Do not be afraid to be a beginner, we all were at one time.
As always I am available for questions via posts or PM’s.
My Altima ran 16.2 before the 55 shot and 14.8 after. I have the 75 shot jets installed now but have yet to return to the track.