i have heard so many different things about nitrous im confused... 1) that nitrous is explosive (not true) 2) nitrous will destroy an engine and 3) nitrous will blow up a naturally aspirated engine. what are the truths about nitrous? can anbody clear some of this up for me? thanks.

1) Not True

2) Nitrous CAN destroy an engine if not properly tuned or if some body decides to put a 500hp profogger on a stock 305.

3)NA or forced, it is a per application choice that must be made.

NItrous is an oxidizer and will not explode, but the bottle pressure is at a nominal 900-950 PSI and can reach 1500 in a hot trunk.

Nitrous can destroy a motor in seconds
Nitrous can blow up a motor in seconds

Nitrous adds additional oxygen into the intake stream. Additional fuel must also be added to compensate. If insufficient fuel is added the mixture will lean out and either burn a hole in the piston, knock the ring lands out or simply detonate itself to death. Because a nitrous mixtue burns so much faster and adds so much additional energy when a problem occurs it happens so fast most of the time there is no time for the driver to react.

Common problems with nitrous are insufficient fuel pressure due to a poor fuel delivery system, poor bottle temperature control, running way too much timing, engaging the nitrous at too low of an RPM, running projected tip spark plugs, running too hot of a plug, hitting the rev limitter while on the nitrous.

Common safeguards that I like to install on nitrous systems are window switches, TPS or micro activated WOT switches, low fuel pressure cutoff switches on the nitrous fuel supply system, bottle heaters with pressure gauges, purge systems, regulate the fuel pressure on the nitrous at a minimum 10 PSI and jet accordingly, and either EGT sensors and guages and or O2 sensors to monitor fuel mixture.

If you install and operate the nitrous system correctly with the proper engine components it will be very safe on moderate shots of up to 150 or so. if you start to get into the 200-250 range then I think you really need to consider special steps on piston selection and rings as well as bore clearance and ring gaps. Over 250 you must spec out a nitrous piston and nitrous specific rings in my opinion.

Nitrous its self is not explosive but the tank it's in like anything that is pressurized can explode. The pressure valves in them pretty much prevent this from happening though. If you heat a tank that valve should open and let off pressure.

Like most things like this it can destroy your engine but thats only with improper use. Many guys have run years without any problems. If you have a good system and use it correctly then you would have no problems.

Normally if you run nitrous you will have the engine set up for it. Have a system so that your system doesn't get to lean. Timing and other aspects all take play in this but as it seems clear to me nitrous CAN be run fine of NA engines without problems.

Chris

cool.. thanks guys.

your engine runs on nitrogen, that's why nitrous works so well. Oxygen combines with fuel at a set rate, go back to your highschool chemistry and it will all make sense (btw, no flame intended, I did the same thing). That's why you need to add more fuel when you add N20. THe oxygen breaks away from the nitrogen at a set temperature. This is why you get black smoke when you run rich. THe fuel is simply not being combined with the oxygen and is coming right out the arse of your car. Typically you want to run a bit richer than lambda (14.7:1) on most motors, especially nitrous motors, becuase the extra fuel serves to cool some of the internals.

The gasoline and oxygen form a chemical reaction with heat, are pressurized and combust. THe nitrogen (which, by the way, is 80% of what is in your atmosphere and therefore your combustion chamber) is what is heated and pushes your piston down. PV=NRT... remember?

K

This has been discussed a few dozen times before on this site if you do a search.
Here is a site that will give you info on Nitrous.

http://www.gofastzone.com/modules.p...ategories&cid=3

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Luv the smell of NITRO in the morning.

Some very good information there 1BAD80!! Simple, easy to read, easy to understand, even for an ol' Hillbilly!