Nitrous Oxide !

[DaveEllen]

Cars booked in @ TDi next wednesday for a NOS kit c/w progressive controller :o

Going for 2 gas bottles (polished) to give me 4 minutes of fun

Also having the front pipes de catted

Should be interesting with the s/c as well so am ordering a neck brace and extra undies

[Chris.S]

Will the engine take it with a supercharger aswell or are you upgrading the pistons an con rods ?

[DaveEllen]

Concensus is being sensible about jet size & using the progressive controller to ensure smooth delivery of the extra ooooooomph should be OK.

I'm onlylooking for about 50bhp more......

[Zee007]

Great stuff Dave - let us know how you get on.....

[TonyGoose]

Concensus is being sensible about jet size & using the progressive controller to ensure smooth delivery of the extra ooooooomph should be OK.

I'm onlylooking for about 50bhp more......

Good luck mate

While you're there, see if my K+N filter has arrived can you :D

[djanderso]

OK, so for the uneducated (like me!) who has only heard of NOS from watching the fast and furious(!) what exactly does it do, and do you need a new bottle after every time it's used? If so, it must be quite an expensive way to improve performance?

[Fidgits]

Have a look through 'need a new mobile' thread... Mat C gave a full explination in there...

[djanderso]

Why does that not surprise me!

[Bazza-old]

or just ask loz :zee:

[Zee007]

Frequently asked questions - (taken from Wizard of NOS website)

Q1) The most common question we are asked is "Will nitrous oxide DESTROY my engine ?"

Al) My short answer is, would I still be in business if I were RESPONSIBLE for DESTROYING ALL or ANY of my customer’s engines ? Obviously NOT, and that is why for over 10 years we have experimented with N20 injection on many types of engines and pushed them further than any customer would want, to ensure that this remains true. The results are that despite being subjected to extended periods of VERY high power increases all but or 2 survived without problems of any kind. My conclusion is that as long as OUR nitrous system is fitted and used correctly, to an engine in good condition without any weaknesses in the original design, then there is no reason to worry about premature engine wear or failure.

Q2) How long does a cylinder of nitrous oxide last ?

A2) Just like your petrol tank it is not long enough between refills, especially when you first fit the kit and play with it as you would a new toy. However once you get past this playful stage you begin to realise what a useful boost nitrous is, and only use it when necessary, then the bottle seems to last forever before needing a fill. It is impossible to put a time to how long a bottle will lasts, as we offer three different sizes of cylinder, the biggest lasting five times as long as the smallest. Besides the size of the nitrous bottle, the size of the nitrous jet (which determines the amount of power increase, and consequently the rate of nitrous usage) can he changed from as little as 5 bhp to as much as 100 bhp, obviously the bigger jet uses more nitrous more rapidly, to be exact 20 times more rapidly. With all this in mind, a big bottle with a small jet will last the longest (approx. 60 mins of continuous use), whilst a small bottle with the biggest jet will last the shortest time (approx. 30 secs of continuous use). To add extra confusion to the calculations, if you fit a POWAMAX DIGITAL progressive nitrous delivery system, you the user can alter the power and consequently the consumption of the nitrous, however the good news is that a POWAMAX DIGITAL makes the nitrous last approx. twice as long as a normal nitrous system. In real life some customers use a bottle a day, some use a bottle a week and some take more than 2 weeks to empty the bottle, it is all down to you, as you control how often you hit the button. It is not like a propane conversion where you use the gas all the time, it is only a BOOSTER to you normal engine power and consequently you can run the car as normal if you don't want to use the gas too quickly, or when the bottle is empty.)

Q3) From where can I buy nitrous oxide refills ?

A3) We or our agents (in some areas) can supply your nitrous oxide needs, but you may want to rent a large refill cylinder from your local branch of LYNDE gas, who can be found by contacting the Head office 0121 500 1000. If you have any problems with LYNDE gas you might try your local branch of Air Products or B.O.C. but don't tell them it is for automotive use, as in some areas they seem to think anyone who is crazy enough to use it on a vehicle is unsafe to sell it to. If you get a supply this way we can supply you a refill pipe/adapter cheaper than anyone else. Your final option is a local tuning shop who may stock gas.

Q4) Is a fitting service available ?

A4) "HIGHPOWER" systems come complete with full fitting instructions and we offer the most comprehensive after sales service, however if you want the very best from your system then it would be wise to have either ourselves or our agents fit and fine tune the system for you, or at least carry out final checks before you use your system. Charges for our fitting service vary for each vehicle, but is usually a minimum of £150, but can run to £300 for the basic kit ONLY which includes DYNO or COMPUTER testing of your vehicle.

Q5) How much does nitrous oxide cost to buy ?

A5) The average cost is in the region of £3.50/lb, but it does depend on your supplier and the quantity you purchase. Buying direct from a manufacturer can reduce the cost to about £2.50/lb. Another point worth keeping in mind whilst considering running costs, is that compared with alterative power (eg. cams etc.), a nitrous vehicle will make considerable petrol savings when running "off gas".

Q6) Is the use of nitrous oxide "road legal" ?

A6) There is no law that prohibits the use of N20 injection on road vehicles. My own cars are used on the road, and the local police are aware of my use of nitrous systems, and they confirm that they know of no law that I could be breaking. However you may need to inform your insurance company, depending on the type and wording of the policy. The same applies to ALL types of tuning, these should also be reported to your insurers.

Q7) How is the power increase determined ?

A7) The power rating is calculated from the flow rate of nitrous oxide liquid through the nitrous jet, and is therefore only theoretical. The actual power increase achieved by a particular engine depends on: i) the richness of the fuel to Nitrous ratio, eg. Too rich, reduces the power output, ii) the engines particular characteristics, so different engines will produce different power increases from a specific amount of nitrous oxide (eg. i), a V6 Ford had 25 bhp injected but measured 70 bhp extra at the crank, (eg. ii), a Shogun V6 had 25 bhp injected, but only measured a 16 bhp increase at the wheels).

Q8) How much power increase cam I achieve ?

A8) HIGHPOWER systems have achieved as much as 500% power increases on some engines, without engine failure. This figure may not be attainable on all engines, but it does give you some idea of the potential of our systems. All “HIGHPOWER" systems are sent out with an initial jetting of 25 BHP in order to reduce gas wastage when carrying out initial testing, and to avoid any engine problems that maybe caused by incorrect installation. Once you have con-firmed that the system is functioning correctly on your vehicle, you can request lager jets (£10/pr I increase) which are available in up to 25 BHP increments, so you can look forward to more & more POWER from HIGHPOWER systems.

Q9) Do I need to fit any improved parts to my engine before I buy a HIGHPOWER nitrous system ?

A9) NO! (not normally), but any parts that would improve a standard engine, will also be of benefit to a nitrous burner. The previous statement holds true only up to a certain power output, with each engine having its own limits on each component. The first parts to show signs of weakness when using nitrous are usually the clutch (on motorcycles which may slip at 25bhp+), then the ignition components (on motorcycles & cars which may not be powerful enough at 25bhp+). If the power is increased above 50 bhp it is possible for a piston failure to occur, but this can be prevented by retarding the timing to allow for the quicker burn rate when using nitrous oxide. If our advice is followed this should never happen if the timing is corrected when nitrous is used. Most standard engine parts will handle more power than the driver, but if you want MAXIMUM POWER then it is best to improve the aforementioned parts first. It is not in our interests to have any engine components fail, so you can rely on HIGHPOWER systems to give you good advise for maximum reliability.

Q1O) Will nitrous work on turbo I supercharged, tuned or 2 stroke engines ?

A10) YES! it will, as nitrous does not know what kind of engine it is entering, and on these types of engines the power output on nitrous almost always exceeds the theoretical power input calculated on the amount of nitrous used.

Q11) Does nitrous work on Diesel I Turbo engines ?

A11) YES! and with much better results for a given power increase than a petrol engine, as a diesel does not have an ignition system like a petrol engine and consequently the power output is not reduced by a poor condition ignition system, also the timing of the ignition sequence is not as crucial on a diesel which not only helps the power output, but also reliability. With a petrol engine detonation can soon become a limiting factor to the power output, but as tar as I can tell this is not the case on a diesel as they actually run on detonation and as a consequence are built stronger which is another reliability bonus. The biggest advantage of a diesel over a petrol engine is the diesels lack of acceleration ability, but with N20 injection this shortcoming is dis­proportionately improved. Cost is another area where a diesel has an advantage over an equivalent petrol engine, as the basic N20 systems for a diesel does not need a filet control system as a petrol engine does, which reduces the cost of a similar diesel system by approx £100. The only limiting factor is how much fuel the engine wastes, and how much extra can be added.

Q12) How do I operate I use a nitrous system ?

A12) Since we tailor make our systems to our customers requirements we can accommodate any arrangement you require, but we suggest that an arming switch (supplied with the system) be mounted within easy reach of the driver I rider, with a throttle operated micro switch (supplied with the system) mounted in such a way that it will only operate at full throttle. With the arming twitch OFF, the micro switch operating at full throttle will not fire off the system, however when the arming twitch is ON, applying full throttle will activate the N20 system, and when the throttle is released it will switch the system OFF. This way you do not need to make any unusual actions to operate the system, and you will find it just like driving a more powerful vehicle or like driving an automatic car with kick down.

[Zee007]

And the History of NOS.....

The use of nitrous oxide (N2O) as a performance enhancement has been traced back to World War II, where it was employed to give Allied aircraft "emergency" boosts in both airspeed and altitude capabilities. However, with the advent of jet propulsion at the end of WWII, the government's interest in piston-powered aircraft waned, and for the most part, nitrous R&D was shelved.

There were sporadic attempts at using nitrous oxide in race cars over the next few decades, but since for the most part it was a clandestine, closely-guarded secret, and not too many people were aware of its existence.

Finally, in the 1970s, nitrous "came out of the closet". It was the hot topic of conversation. Especially since a number of entrepreneurs brought systems to market that were highly erratic, at best. It was at this point in time when a couple of successful automotive technicians and racers, Mike Thermos and Dale Vaznaian, saw there was a potential for nitrous -done right.

In 1978 Mike and Dale formed Nitrous Oxide Systems, Inc., and the rest is history. They didn't invent nitrous oxide -they simply perfected its use and elevated it to a position of prominence in the automotive performance community.

The company's early years were largely spent demonstrating that nitrous oxide was an efficient, safe and reliable form of performance enhancement. NOS has always been known for thoroughly engineering each application (unlike our competition), using only the best quality materials, and producing kits that were easy to install and built for long service. And with enthusiast publications like Hot Rod, Car Craft and Popular Hot Rodding, among many, informing their readerships with in-depth tech features on NOS systems for various applications, the word began to spread.

Perhaps the greatest boost to the popularity of nitrous oxide was the advent of drag racing's Pro Mod class. Early pioneers like Charles Carpenter, Bill Kuhlmann and Robby Vandergriff captured the imagination of race fans with their impressive performances with stock-bodied cars. And NOS was there for every performance milestone -the first 200 mph run by a "doorslammer," the first 6-second run, etc. In fact, every single key performance milestone with nitrous has been set by racers using NOS systems.

Today, with over twenty years experience building nitrous systems for racing and street applications, NOS remains THE dominant force in the industry. A great deal of the company's success can be attributed to its ongoing pursuit of perfection and extensive R&D efforts. Another key factor is the relationships that NOS has forged with leading racers and professional engine builders. Their input has served to keep the company on the leading edge of technology.

In 2002 NOS introduced the NOSzle systems for EFI cars. This design has revolutionized the nitrous industry.

As we enter the next millennium, NOS also defines a lifestyle... a lifestyle characterized by the movie, "The Fast and the Furious." This movie was a blockbuster hit during the summer of 2001, and established NOS as a household name.

NOS stands ready to serve its customers with the industry's most complete selection of nitrous oxide systems and a technical support team that's often rated as the best in the business. NOS is commited to building upon it's success by remaining the absolute leader in nitrous technology, period.

[djanderso]

B) Sounds cool - thanks for the info!

[DaveEllen]

Great stuff Dave - let us know how you get on.....

Will do Zee.

Should be a laugh (no pun intended)

No body styling mods or stickers ......... Q car ! :winky:

[Maz]

Would like to see what your insurer going to say about NoS..hehe

[TRD328]

Would like to see what your insurer going to say about NoS..hehe

if ur car is an auto take care.

[DaveEllen]

Would like to see what your insurer going to say about NoS..hehe

I'm with the Lexus gold people so dont envisage any problems......any its only money

Car is manual ........... hopefully clutch will be up to it

[dark_is200]

Would like to see what your insurer going to say about NoS..hehe

I'm with the Lexus gold people so dont envisage any problems......any its only money

Car is manual ........... hopefully clutch will be up to it

no chance, my clutch lasted about 6 months

[DaveEllen]

looks like an excuse for a lightened flywheel when its being done then !!!!!!!

[Loz]

mine is auto and has no probs. don't let the nos run between changes though. lift foot 1 cm and don't reapply till gear is in, if at all. best resuts are form flooring it up hill at a ton and then htting the arming switch. it just picks up its skirt and heads for the hill leaving all in its wake.

or from lights just to get that holeshot into the first bend. then don't use again till third gear... it aint a slow car without the gass remember...

Loz

Ps. thought about the lightened flywheel but was cautious about the drop in torque... let me know how you get on, yeah?

pps. Stealth is the key. my GS has only the tte sports grill to suggest anything untoward... (if you are close enough to read my front number plate I will not be using nos antime soon!)

[DaveEllen]

I aim on only using it @ motorway speeds or on dual carriageways in 4/5/6 gear..................

Same as you Loz wuth the styling only the bigger exhaust & lower ride height give the game away when its parked up.........supercharger whine gives a clue when you are in town

[Loz]

if ur car is an auto take care.

What is the problem with autos then?

[wildrnes]

if ur car is an auto take care.

What is the problem with autos then?

his auto box got its tit caught in the mangle a bit ago

it went clunk :mat:

[Loz]

been there with my old and semi faithful T5. one day she just locked. never to turn agan. well not till she had undergone a rebuild with new internals...

B u gger!

:zee:

[tdiplc]

Thought about the lightened flywheel but was cautious about the drop in torque... let me know how you get on, yeah?

There is no drop in torque from changing the flywheel.

There is no change at all in power or torque, just an improvement in engine response which translates to faster acceleration.

Anyone using nitrous with an auto transmission should be using a larger or additional cooler, as the higher oil temperature will reduce the life of the clutch bands by a considerable amount.

[SteveAudioX]

How much will this kit cost?

Fitted price ?

Just the Kit ?