Engine Tuners for quiet some time have turned to Nitrous to give them the edge over their competition. Nitrous has been called the poor man's turbo because it does force more air into the combustion chamber just like Turbo-Charging and Supercharging.

Nitrous Oxide ( N2O ) was first used as an engine power producer by the German Luftwaffe Air Force before World War II. And later the American Air Corps used Nitrous for helping out the internal combustion engines in fighter planes in benefiting high altitude engine power.

   "Nitrous Oxide". is a compound made up of 2 molecules of Nitrogen and 1 molecule of Oxygen.
Its boiling point is 88 degrees Celsius, which is 191 F.

Nitrous Oxide is the only compound that is truly a gas and not a vapor. It is what is known as an oxidizer. In its bottled form it is a liquid, but when released into the atmosphere it boils and becomes a gas.
Nitrous Oxide is also an anesthetic used in the Dentists office. Nitrous Oxide was first introduced to the public back in 1777. It was commonly known as "laughing gas." Used in traveling side shows it found its way into the dentist office because of its analgesic benefits. And even today not-so-bright individuals get quick highs from breathing the gas. However, the aftermarket automobile nitrous supply is laced with sulfur to hinder the stoners from getting their high. It will make you laugh, but it will also make you sick.

   Nitrous when introduced into the combustion chamber of an engine breaks apart its bond with nitrogen and releases the oxygen molecule. This added oxygen produces a stronger combustion stroke which in turn produces more power.A side benefit is the nitrogen produces a cooling effect in the Combustion chamber.There are 2 different ways to introduce the Nitrous into the engine.
There is a wet system and a dry system.

   First, we will look at the dry system.The dry system inserts the nitrous into the air intake before the throttle body. This system has been the choice for most tuners because it is far safer than the wet system. And the amount introduced is more conservative than the wet system. Also,it is easier to tune the engine to account for the additional Oxygen. Nitrous is atomized into the air stream and then sucked into the engine. Usually Tuners can choose between 3 different settings of Nitrous, 45 h.p. - 55h.p. - 75h.p.

  Next, is the wet system. This system inserts the nitrous into the runners of the intake manifold along side the fuel injectors. This method is the choice for the heavily modified crowd at the track. You can introduce larger amounts of nitrous, in fact, this is the only way to introduce such large volumes of the gas in the engine.

You probably have seen or heard the phrase " 50 shot " or " 100 shot " this refers to the jetting of the Nitrous nozzle. Tuners can change the jetting to introduce what amount in horse power introduced into the engine.
   Most if not all Nitrous system rely on bottle pressure to push the nitrous through the lines and into the engine. Bottle pressure is very important. The ambient outside temperature does effect the bottle temperature so,one must regulate the pressure ithrough use of a bottle warmer. A bottle warmer keeps the bottle at the correct temp and pressure. Also, there are purge lines that purge stale Nitrous in the lines just before the insertion point. This is what you sometimes see just before a launch at the drag race, a small plume of gas blowing out of tube usually just in front of the cars windshield.

  When adding more oxygen into the engine through the use of Nitrous tuners need to add a corresponding amount of additional fuel. This Tuning of the air-fuel ratio will ward off a lean mixture condition which can bring on the dreaded "Detonation". Detonation refers to combustion before the piston has reached " Top Dead Center ". The piston is on its upward stroke when the fuel mixture explodes without the help from the spark plugs. Numerous factors can lead to Detonation. An overheating of the cylinder walls, or too much pressure at the wrong time are just a few factors which can lead to untimed combustion.

   If you are on a budget but feel the need for more speed Nitrous might be the answer. The average price for Systems are in the $500 range, but you can go for a more advanced system that monitors the air fuel ratio and feeds the additional fuel into the engine. And also Tuners can program different modes of insertion such as, throttle position , a certain rev band , or pulse timing. Nitrous can produce that extra power that small displacement engines need to get the jump on their competition. However, Tuners need to have the proper fuel curve tuned for theses conditions. Nitrous is the best " Low Buck " upgrade , but it can be dangerous. Not just for the car but for Tuners also. Following all the precautions will guarantee satisfaction when Nitrous gives you that instant Horse Power.