{"id":14979,"date":"2021-12-31T02:08:27","date_gmt":"2021-12-31T06:08:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/maxtorqueperformance.com\/staging\/?p=14979"},"modified":"2021-12-31T03:15:28","modified_gmt":"2021-12-31T07:15:28","slug":"why-you-should-run-nitrous-on-a-boosted-engine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maxtorqueperformance.com\/staging\/index.php\/2021\/12\/31\/why-you-should-run-nitrous-on-a-boosted-engine\/","title":{"rendered":"Why You Should Run Nitrous On A Boosted Engine"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Boost-N-Juice<\/h1>\n

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By\u00a0<\/span>BRIAN HAVINS<\/a><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>JANUARY 21, 2021<\/span><\/div>\n<\/header>\n

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For years nitrous, supercharger, and turbo companies have pushed enthusiasts to use one or the other. You were either going to be a fan of boost or nitrous oxide, but not both. They were like oil and water as you would hardly ever find someone using these power adders in conjunction at the track or on the street. Today, it\u2019s not uncommon to find boosted cars with nitrous, as well.\u00a0<\/span>Street Car Takeover<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>and other events even allow for multiple power adders permitting the enthusiast to get the most out of their vehicles. One company that has pushed these boundaries in the last five years is\u00a0<\/span>Nitrous Outlet<\/a>. But, it hasn\u2019t always been that way. We reached out to Dave Vasser, owner of Nitrous Outlet, to see what\u2019s changed and to get the inside scoop on injecting nitrous into a supercharged or turbocharged application.<\/span><\/p>\n

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LSX Mag: Why do you support nitrous and boosted combinations?<\/b><\/p>\n

Dave Vasser:\u00a0<\/span><\/b>I owned a speed shop for many years back in the early 2000s. I wasn\u2019t much of a boosted fan at that time, however, superchargers and turbochargers have come a long way in technology and dependability. Now, performance vehicles are coming from the factory with blowers or turbos on them. There is only one way to top the increased performance and drivability of a boosted street application, and that is adding nitrous. Now you can have the drivability with all-out performance when you\u2019re ready to get after it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

LSX Mag: How do nitrous and boost work in unison?<\/b><\/p>\n

Dave Vasser:<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>The best way to explain the benefits of using nitrous on boosted applications is to address how each power-adder increases the engine\u2019s performance.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Nitrous and boost both provide the ability to increase the air pressure within the combustion chamber. The higher the air pressure, the higher the air molecules are. The higher the air molecules are, the higher the oxygen content is. When the oxygen content is high, more fuel can be burned. This increases combustion and cylinder pressure, enhancing the speed at which the piston is pushed back down into the cylinder. This process creates additional \u201chorsepower.\u201d In simple car guy terms, Oxygen + Fuel + Cylinder Pressure = Horsepower.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Nitrous Outlet Interspooler is an excellent addition to both centrifugal superchargers and turbochargers alike.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Nitrous Oxide is a compressed liquid composed of two parts nitrogen and one part oxygen. Due to high combustion chamber temperatures, as the nitrous enters the combustion chamber, it breaks down, separating the nitrogen and oxygen molecules. As the bond breaks apart, the nitrogen acts as a heat absorbent, and the oxygen increases the ability to burn more fuel.<\/span><\/p>\n

Boost is created from compressed air that is forced into the combustion chamber. The engine can receive more air due to the compressed air than it would pull in naturally, hence the term forced induction. Increasing the combustion chamber\u2019s air pressure increases the oxygen content, which increases the ability to burn more fuel. This enhances the combustion process, which increases the cylinder pressure, returning the piston at a faster rate of speed.<\/span><\/p>\n

LSX Mag: How does nitrous help turbo applications?<\/b><\/p>\n

Dave Vasser:<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>A turbo relies on exhaust gases from the engine to spin the turbine and create boost. The turbo will continue to build pressure as the power plant increases RPM, so the power increase is not instant. Engine and turbo combinations that are not perfectly matched will not be as efficient. Too small of a turbo will spin the turbo faster, creating excess heat, and too large of a turbo will have issues spooling. However, adding nitrous will instantly boost the engine\u2019s cylinder pressure, building RPM immediately while knocking down the cylinder temperatures.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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This particular engine has an Interspooler and a direct port system for the maximum with cylinder to cylinder tuning and plenty of additional horsepower on tap.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

LSX Mag: How does nitrous help supercharge applications?<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dave Vasser:<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>Supercharger applications don\u2019t suffer from delayed boost like turbo applications, however, they do rob some power from the engine due to how they build boost. A roots-style supercharger forces air into the engine through rotors that are driven by the engine\u2019s crankshaft. A centrifugal-style supercharger forces air into the engine through a compressor design, similar to a turbo but the compressor is driven by the engine\u2019s crankshaft. Both styles of superchargers will build boost as the engine gains RPM. Engine and supercharger combinations that are not perfectly matched will not be as efficient. Too small of a supercharger will spin faster, creating excess heat, and too large of a supercharger will have issues building boost. Adding nitrous will create an instant boost by providing instant cylinder pressure, making the engine build RPM instantly while knocking down the cylinder temps.<\/span><\/p>\n

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If you have a roots style supercharger, Nitrous Outlet can customize most brands by adding spray bars that discharge on the inside.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

LSX Mag: Does any style of nitrous system work better than another when it comes to spraying nitrous?<\/b><\/p>\n

Dave Vasser:\u00a0<\/span><\/b>It comes down to how much nitrous is being added. If you\u2019re injecting a lot of nitrous, a direct-port system may be your best option. A direct-port system will inject the nitrous directly into each cylinder, ensuring each cylinder is getting the same amount of nitrous. If you add a small amount of nitrous, there are many options, including a single nozzle in the air tube, an\u00a0<\/span>Interspooler<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>plate system installed in the air tubing, or a throttle body plate on the intake manifold.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The key is to saturate the air intake charge. The further back in the air intake tract, the longer the nitrous has to knock down the air temperatures. The more saturation the nitrous discharge has into the airstream, the better the distribution will be with the ability to knock down air temps. You can move the discharge point further back in the airstream on dry applications that add the nitrous system\u2019s fuel through the injectors. On a wet system, which adds fuel with the nitrous, the discharge needs to be no further than six to eight-inches from the throttle body or intake manifold entrance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

LSX Mag: What should you look for when running nitrous on a boosted application?<\/b><\/p>\n

Dave Vasser:\u00a0<\/span><\/b>As with any performance modification, knowing the limitations of the engine components, fuel system, and ignition system are just as important as having a proper tune-up. It\u2019s also important to keep intake air temps low to help suppress detonation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Nitrous plates mounted behind the throttle body are also a popular option among boosted performance enthusiasts.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

LSX Mag: What does nitrous do for a boosted engine in high altitude or \u201cbad air?\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

Dave Vasser:\u00a0<\/span><\/b>To properly answer this question, you need to understand air density. Air pressure is dependent on air density. The more dense the air, the higher the air pressure will be, meaning more air molecules. The less-dense the air, the lower the air pressure will be, indicating fewer air molecules.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are three main factors that affect air pressure, which will impact an engine\u2019s performance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n