here is some good info...to help you decide.
What is nitrous and how does it work?
In its most basic form nitrous is just an oxygen molecule combined with two nitrous molecules. It has no color or smell and will not harm the atmosphere in any way. Nitrous is stored under very high pressure in a liquid form in a tank much like a SCUBA tank. When nitrous is introduced to the normal air and pressure that we breathe it turns into a gas.Contrary to popular belief nitrous by itself will not make any power for an engine. All the nitrous does is give the engine more oxygen to burn fuel with. When the nitrous hits the engine the additional oxygen helps to burn the fuel at a much faster rate, which in turn provides more power to drive a piston down faster in the piston chamber and thus creates more power. The key to the whole equation is fuel and how much power can be harnessed by the consumption of fuel. If this combination is not correct then it will lead to an uncontrolled bust of energy otherwise known as detonation inside the engine. When this happens one can expect to experience burnt pistons, blown rings, and thrown rods. Yes, not good at all!! This is where the problem lies with the bad reputation that nitrous has in the performance community.Now let me make this point very clear. It is not nitrous that destroys engines but the lack of fuel (running lean) and the components of the engine itself that determine when damage will occur.
Types of nitrous injection
• DRY
By far the easiest to understand and use of all four types is the dry injection system. Probably when you think of a street-car running nitrous you are thinking of this form of injection. Companies such as Zex and NOS have made dry systems extremely popular recently. Usually these systems are activated at wide-open throttle (WOT) and are almost as easy to use as just flooring the accelerator. A dry manifold injection system works by simply spraying only nitrous into the intake manifold. At this point, the cars fuel injectors must supply enough fuel to burn the additional oxygen.Now, with fuel being the key to nitrous injection, we can see the biggest disadvantage to having a dry system. Because the cars fuel injectors are supplying the additional fuel the amount of power you can gain from a dry system is going to be limited. As a general rule of thumb you can only get a maximum of a 75 hp shot out of a dry system. Another common problem with dry kits is that they suffer from distribution problems, meaning that there is always the possibility that the cylinders will get an uneven amount of nitrous sprayed into them. This uneven distribution can cause the injection to be less potent. However, dry kits have some good advantages as well. Dry kits are very easy to install and use so that means they are perfect for the nitrous beginner. Also if you opt for a Zex kit you get the benefit of a “computer controlled safety module.” Just be careful and do not let the “safety features” lure you into thinking that you are 100% safe from mishaps.
• WET
In the wet system both fuel and nitrous are mixed together before they are injected. The most common wet system that you will encounter is the “single fogger” set-up but there are also plate kits, direct port injections, and multi-stage injections as well. There are several manufactures of wet nitrous systems, but the main ones are NOS and Nitrous Express. In a typical wet set-up both fuel and nitrous are delivered and separated from each other by solenoids. Once the system is activated both the fuel and nitrous are pumped into jets/nozzles that will mix the fuel and nitrous together before allowing it to flow into the engine. These systems can be either set-up to inject at WOT or at the push of a button that the driver controls.Now although wet nitrous injection does have some special problems (especially the single fogger), it is the best way to experience true nitrous power. Because the mixing of fuel and nitrous is done by the solenoids and jets, you get a more accurate shot and you do not have the limitations on a “safe” shot size like you have in a dry system. Wet systems will allow you to use any size shot of nitrous that you want, just be sure you have taken the necessary precautions with your engine. Another advantage of wet kits over dry is the multiple application methods of which we will discuss a little later. Some of the disadvantages that you can expect to see with wet kits are increased install time and costs, extra engine build up and support modifications cost, and more monitoring and maintenance of your engine.The best thing about the wet systems in my opinion is the ability to lay down some serious power for the good old drag strip! Two of the most common ways to do this is with either a NOS Plate Kit or Direct Port systems.
Dry vs. Wet. Which is better?This question always comes up with every nitrous discussion. The bottom line is what is your ultimate goal? If you are just looking for a small performance increase, working with a small budget, or new to nitrous then the dry system is the best way to go. On the other hand, if you are looking for big nitrous power, building a drag car, or you feel comfortable with nitrous injection and have the money to spend to get the proper support modifications then a wet system is probably for you. If you have any doubts about nitrous at all then the best policy is to wait and decide if it is really what you want to do. If you are unsure about your decision then research some more or ride in a nitrous powered car until you feel sure about your decision. Better safe than sorry if you ask me!
that is some really great info!
