NOS and the Elise/Exige

[RatVega]

Hi there... I'm fairly new here and I don't have a "new" Lotus (I still have the one I bought in '67, it's going into major re-fitting) but I have some time on nitrous and thought I'd offer a few observations. Disclaimer: I've never done nitrous on a small engine, or one with ECM. My first installation was in a Chevy Vega panel wagon with 427 tunnel ram motor. I piled on an NOS Pro Fogger (8 port, approx. 375-400 hp) and found out 950+ hp was a bit more than the suspension was capable of handling. It was, however, impressive to watch...

There are some things that are true about nitrous no matter what:

1. It's about torque, not HP... you want to be considering how much torque your vehicle can withstand. If you don't, the N2O will do the research for you by breaking all the weak links in ascending order. If you're lucky, it'll just fog the tires (hopefully at a good time) or maybe break a gear. Believe this: it will find your weakest parts.

2. Basically, you can't throttle it. It is off or on, Period. This can have consequences in a car like a Lotus where straight ahead fast isn't always the plan. You CAN moderate the impact of the N2O coming on through careful design/installation, but not coming off. This could mean losing significant torque to the rear suspension abruptly at whatever point you back off.

3. A single N2O stream is only effective for a relatively narrow RPM band. Since it flows at constant rate (remember, it can't be throttled) it is introduced at, say, 4,000 rpm at a volume you and the engine feel is prudent (yes, the engine will have a say here... read #1 above) and the charge will decrease proportionally as the rpm rises. at twice the engine speed the N2O contribution from the constant flow will be half. If you need "extended torque" you can add additional stages to feed the upper rpm ranges and maintain the torque level. This can get complex...

4. Nitrous' advantage/disadvantage centers around the same thing: it is a boost, not a power plant. Think of it like a JATO (Jet Assisted Take Off) bottle on a plane: it allows the user to seriously increase take-off power but neither the airframe or the fuel supply are designed for long-term use. In that vein, it IS appropriate for straightaway passing of larger, more powerful track cars... just get off the gas before the next turn!

5. Nitrous without a comprehensive safety system is tantamount to Russian roulette with a .45 automatic. My systems always had a separate fuel supply with a low pressure shut-off, RPM activated trigger enable circuit, and a starting purge system.

6. Nitrous is a lot like beverage alcohol. It will allow you to get supremely stupid without discussing the consequences beforehand. If you marginalize it or get your ego tied up in it (as in heck, I only had two beers...) it will likely kill parts and maybe you. If you treat it with respect and use it sensibly, you can probably do so for a long time.

There are a lot of myths about nitrous, just as there are myths about other things that most people don't understand. Fear, ignorance, and a desire to sound authoritative is a dangerous combination; do your own research.

[Dylan]

Every time I see this thread, I think New Old Stock. ack!

[alglez]

Im thinking of installing nitrous in my car as well. we have the same mods so hp will be similar.

[FistHammer]

Wow RatVega, thanks for the useful stuff! Yea I am no nitrous buff But, I am going for it.

I don't really plan to use it on the track much, unless there is a need, still need my track wings before all that.

I basically just wanted it for those rare times you need that 4 banger to at least be a v6, in the 70-120 mph range...

I have more to think through as I progressively up the boost.I do have safety in mind. In fact I do have a fuel pressure safety switch however I was thinking not to use it. Sure fuel pressure Loss is a good safety but what it all boils down to is you want to avoid a lean condition from what I have read. that is the key to success.

So I found a new safety switch I can set a lean and rich number and bam, shuts me down if out of my comfort zone. Now I know for sure the air/fuel is good and not eating my motor.

Also I like the rpm deal, I will begin to investigate that, if you know a good place to start let me know. I think for now I am gonna order my air/fuel deal hook it up and give it a go. I think I still will be safe only using 30 hp to not blow it up, should be just enough to get that tickle back in my stomach i got with the SC.

I have been trying to figure out a way to set a gear limiter to. I know I have seen these gear number digital screens, trying to find a way to determine gear position besides a hard switch in the dang shifter console!

[msweetnam]

Originally Posted by tommyc

Less percentage of O2 per fixed volume of "air" at high altitude. Fi does not distinguish on composition. In ither words the volume of air is less dense.


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Actually, as the poster wrote it compresses to a fixed pressure. 8lbs of air is 8lbs of air at any altitude and he oxygen/nitrogen mix will be the same too. it will need to gulp more volume to get that pressure but that should do anything than introduce a bit more lag in the spin up.

[alglez]

Did you get to play with the nos yet? I have a nos kit that I'm about to install. It will be a 35 shots wet. Since we have pretty much the same set up any tips on how to use it.

[malakaone]

I know the Celica guys run up to 50 to 75 shots commonly. There are some manufacturers out there that have kits specific to the Celicas (the purple bottles). Good luck keep us posted.

[FistHammer]

Crap, I gotta get back to this. To be honest after reading about all the things u can do with radiums aem engine managment deal I was like dang.

You can activate through em and even change tune when it's on

You can get digital wot, no switch by petal needed . Also set rpm range, list goes on n on


Still gonna run a 30 shot as is, but the em kit is designed to run nitrous so ill be getting that before I move up.

Also, need to run nitrous directly to ea ch piston instead of shark nozzle. Ps don't put shark nozzle where it is I my pic, needs to go up a pipe lol'

I will make it a point to get this stuff installed now!!!!

[FistHammer]

OK this stuff is here, found a place to get bottle filled, gonna try and get this O2 sensor bung installed.

Still not sure where would be the best place.. Any ideas?

[frostycomer]

Im selling my Perrin Performance PWI-2 Water Meth Injection system out of my Elise. Its on Ebay.

Cost me $475 + will sell for $250. I only ran it ofr 2 weeks.

[boardertj]

bump any updates?

[FistHammer]

Going to buy welder this week, pipe is off, took the header off too, gonna cut that stupid unused emissions bs off it too.




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[Pooter]

Please post a very detailed install write-up. I have a nitrous kit off of a friends car just laying around collection dust. I want to know what bits and pieces to install it. Even if I rarely use it, I still think it'd look cool/funny in the trunk of my Elise.

[malakaone]

Originally Posted by Pooter

Please post a very detailed install write-up. I have a nitrous kit off of a friends car just laying around collection dust. I want to know what bits and pieces to install it. Even if I rarely use it, I still think it'd look cool/funny in the trunk of my Elise.

You should do this for sure and make it functional so I can get a ride.

[Pooter]

Originally Posted by malakaone

You should do this for sure and make it functional so I can get a ride.

If I can get the bits and pieces together I will. I'm still waiting for my ECU to come back from VisionFunction... so I gotta get that back in the car before I do anything else.

[FistHammer]

I'm getting a welder tomorrow n gunna try to weld this bung friggin hole.

First time welding... This should be good'

Put it all together then go test trigger kit on lc9 then call if duty all night


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[holmz]

Originally Posted by FistHammer

I'm getting a welder tomorrow n gunna try to weld this bung friggin hole.

First time welding... This should be good'

Put it all together then go test trigger kit on lc9 then call if duty all night

Why not get someone who knows what they are doing?

[FistHammer]

I did it!

Cause man I wanted to learn how! My step dad been meaning to teach me, just wanted my own welder



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[IamBatman]

I had nitrous on my old mustang... It was fun for a while but got old. It would not be usable for the kind of driving I do for fun: twisty mountain roads. If you live in a state with mostly straight roads It's alright for a lotus but for me it would be dead weight in the car. A supercharger allows you to accelerate smoothly out of turns, nitrous you have to wait for a straight stretch of road.

[FistHammer]

Originally Posted by IamBatman

If you live in a state with mostly straight roads It's alright

A supercharger allows you to accelerate smoothly out of turns, nitrous you have to wait for a straight stretch of road.

Okie cool Ill have both!

Basically been real busy, and it is now cold in PA. I just got back from a trip to cali and had to get started again.

I had to learn how to weld before i could just start welding up my exhaust.

Anyhow I can do a basic weld now and added the bunghole. Also I replaced the 2 welded on nuts that attach the cat pipe to the manifold, mine had a stripped one from removing it somehow.

Also I got rid of that stupid emission pipe coming off the side of the manifold.

Lastly I wrapped the entire exhaust in heat wrap.

Came out okie. Right now I am waiting for the wrap to dry.


Then within the next day or so I need to decide if I am going to use the sensor I bought to manage the nos or just get that radium EMS and go from there. Either way the bunghole was needed and I am getting close to no2.