Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Duratec Performance nitrous oxide, gentlemen?

let me begin by saying that i have NO experience whatsoever in the world of n2o. that being said, i have a few questions that, with all of your infinite automotive knowledges combined, may hopefully be answered.

-where can i obtain a simple kit?
-how much is too much? damage issues?
-install locations? easy do-it-yourself'er?
-anything else? tips? anything?!
-why have only a few done this?

i am very interested in doing this to my car, but i cannot do it with my current resources. please offer your inputs. thank you!

I have the mustang 5.0 dry NOS kit in my car, you should be able to pick it up on ebay. Generally the highest you should go as far as horsepower is 50% of your stock engines capability, which if you have an SVT is about 100hp. You won't have any engine problems as long as everything is installed correctly and you follow the rules of when to shoot it. You can do it yourself as long as you are comfortable with electrical work and taking off the upper intake manifold (don't be too hard on the bolts when you put them back on, trust me they WILL snap off). Before you attempt this though, you need ot check and see if you have a return style fuel system. If you have a return-LESS style, you won't be able to use a nitrous system. email me at pwoodwar@gmu.edu if you have any more questions.

CORRECTION: If you have a returnless style system, you won't be able to run a Dry System, but can tap into the fuel rail's schrader valve for a Wet System. I helped install a wet system made by Nitrous Express on a friends Cougar about 3 weeks ago.

If I had the money, I would go with a Direct Port System (wet system tapped directly for each port) complimented by a progressive controller.

The direct port system will ensure exact metering of nitrous/gas into each cylinder, whereas a wet system is just like a dry system that injects prior to the TB. Only bad thing about the dry system is that the cylinders nearest the TB get more nitrous than those farthest away from the TB. This can lead to a problem of running slightly rich in those cylinders ... rich you say? Yes, rich ... the extra fuel is being added, but the nitrous is not making it to the cylinder as planned. Not a bad thing, but definitely not running at peak potential.

Same holds true for the wet system except that proper mixing is occuring, just not as much is reaching the cylinders farthest from the TB.

However, the down side to a direct port system is that each intake runner must be tapped into, thus making the upper intake unusable without the nitrous system. However, you can always plug the tapped holes and still use the upper, but it won't look pretty. Also, the minimum that a direct port system can run into each cyliner is a 20 shot ... that equates to a 120 shot system. This is where the progressive controller comes into play. having 120hp at the flip of a switch will no doubt kill your tranny ... it could even bend a rod.

The progressive controller is there to progressively bring the sytem up to full power. So, when the nitrous is activated and WOT is achived, instead of 100% of the nitrous/gas coming online, only 50-60% is introduced, then the rest shortly later. This will reduce stress on the entire car by slowly bringing on the power. Down side to the system is the cost ... the progressive controller can some times cost as much as the nitrous system it is controlling. Also, a direct port system of this magnatude will also be dependent on the amount of fuel that can reach the fuel rail ... might need an aftermarket fuel pump to get the required amount of fuel.

For those running manual trannies, a simple way of keeping traction is having the NOS fire when the secondaries open. This can be a farily simple setup with just an extra relay.

Trevor, thanks for the correction, i learn a new thing every day...

Chris: The wet system that I helped install had a micro-switch actuator that completed the circuit to supply power to the solenoids. This actuator had to be depressed to complete the circuit and we simply mounted on the throttle bracket and when the throttle body's foot hit the acutator, it completed the circuit. We had to hook up an AutoTap to make sure we placed the actuator properly so that it was depressed only at 85+% throttle angle, or WOT. Since you don't want to actuate at anything less than WOT, I wouldn't recommend actuating at secondary cut-in because the secondaries can be opened above 3,500 RPMs without the car being at WOT. WOT is importatant because you need full fuel flow to compensate for the nitrous. Example: I wire the thing to trigger off the opening of the secondaries and I easy into 1st gear, say at 50% throttle. Regardless of throttle angle, at around 3,500 RPMs, the secondaries will open and I will have 100% nitrous with only about 50-65% fuel ... I will run lean and detonate and possibly fry a piston or valve or both. However, I think that you are talking about wiring a second microswitch "inline" with the first. This way, the throttle angle of 85+% is sensed first, completing the first circuit and then passes the power to the second circuit where it waits to be completed by the secondaries opening up. Once the secondaries open and the circuit is completed, power is now provided to the nitrous and fuel solenoids. Is this correct? If so, it may be overkill because if you have the first microswitch set to open at WOT, then chances are that your secondaries are already open. There are circumstances where this will not be true, but for the most part, at WOT, the secondaries will be open. Please correct me if I am wrong.

hey i got a 98 SE 4cyl, can it safely run 50hp or 65? and what kind of fuel system does it have? how do i tell? can i just get a 5.0 Kit off ebay and use it? help me out!

In late 1999 model year vehicles, produced after April of 1999, FORD switched to a returnless fuel system. The only way of knowing for sure is to look at your fuel system under the hood. If there is one and only one fuel line leading to your fuel rail, you have a returnless system. If you have two fuel lines leading to the fuel rail, you have a return type fuel system. The return type also has the Fuel Pressure Regulator directly under the TB, where as the FPR in a returnless system is reported to be in the fuel tank.

If you have a return type fuel system, there is no better kit than the ZEX kit. It is adjustable from 55-65-75hp and is all full proof. Only thing that the kit doesn't have is a RPM cutoff switch that will kill the power if a certain RPM is reached. Otherwise, it is completely up to the operator NOT to run the nitrous up to the rev limiter. You stop paying attention, and BOOM! limiter hits and the car runs lean for just the slightest amount of time and you will fry something for sure.

Just from my experience, if you are asking this many question, you shouldn't have nitrous on your car. Read everything you can about the subject and don't install a system until you understand all the consiquences of doing so.

Hey Trevor! Take a breather man. Geez nice info.

I am not really interested in putting n20 in my car right now but I would love to read up on it and figure more stuff out. If anybody could give me like web pages or books that provide lots of info and how to's (preferable internet sites)
thanks ahead of time
chris----skatrcj@aol.com