Nitrous Oxide!!

dragrace505

Daily Driver
Sep 18, 2013
39
0
0
Hello everyone, I'm new to nitrous oxide and would like to use it this racing season.
When I bought my 1980 Malibu it came setup for using nitrous oxide. What do I need to know to use it correctly?

The setup in the Malibu is a 383 sbc makes 615hp on motor the bottle is in the trunk with a bottle heater around it. I have a separate electric fuel pump (holley blue) just to feed the fuel side of the nitrous oxide system with its own fuel pressure regulator. I have a nitrous oxide pressure gauge and a fuel pressure gauge for the nitrous fuel pump. It's a plate system with a 150 shot I believe. I also have a msd digital 6 plus ignition system with the ignition timing retard. In the car I have a nitrous arming switch and switch for the nitrous fuel pump and two purge buttons; one for engine purge and the other for atmosphere purge. The method that the nitrous system comes on is a micro switch at wide open throttle.

Now that you have an idea of what my setup is like I need to know the fundamentals and the correct way of safely using nitrous with the least possible risk of harming myself, others, and the engine?

1. What should the fuel pressure be at for the nitrous fuel pump?
2. What should the nitrous pressure show on the gauge on the bottle and the gauge under the hood cowl?
3. When do I turn on the bottle heater?
4. What's the best way to purge the nitrous?
5. When purging the nitrous through the engine do I hold the rpm at 3000 and pressure the engine purge button?
6. How much timing do I need to take out via the msd box?
7. Do I need to have the nitrous armed and active during the burnout?
8. Is it going to hurt the motor with the nitrous activated and my foot to the floor when holding the trans brake?
9. When do I turn on the nitrous fuel pump before a run? Will it flood the carburetor out if I turn it on too soon?
10. Where should I store the bottle when its not in the car?
11. Are you allowed to have the bottle in the car when driving on the street or is that illegal?
12. Is there a certain temperature range the bottle should be kept at for the least possible chance of explosion?

These are the questions I have for right now, I'm sure I will think of more later.

Any advice and help would be much appreciated and I thank you for taking the time to read my post.

Thank you
Dragrace505
 

Ed Cannon

Pro Stocker
Jul 17, 2009
1,682
0
0
Johnson City Tn
I will take a stab at some of it, someone correct me if I'm wrong here.
1.I like flowing fuel pressure @ 5.5 psi
2. I like my pressure to be 950 to 1000 psi gauge on the bottle.
3. I turn my heater on and get the pressure up to spec and keep it on while the car is running I have a thermostat on mine that wont let it over heat.
4. Dont know if its the "best" way but i just purge thru a purge solenoid into the air.
5. I have no answer for that one.
6. 2 deg per 50hp N20
7. No
8. I'm going to say probably a bad Idea ?
9. I turn mine on just before I run. I have a separate inside gauge and a pressure safety switch wired into the system.
10. I keep mine in the garage out of direct sunlight.
11. As long as its not open I "think" its ok.
12. Your bottle should have a blow off valve. I keep mine out of sunlight in the garage never had a problem.
These are the things I do. There are guys that have much more experience than me.
 

dragrace505

Daily Driver
Thread starter
Sep 18, 2013
39
0
0
Thank you for answering my questions, I have a better understanding of what to do now.
 

grizwald

Top Fueler
Feb 21, 2008
3,300
0
36
Ontario, Canada
I'm no nitrous expert, but i know i wouldn't be driving around on the streets with a bottle in the car. first, here in Canada, it's illegal (not sure on the law where you're from). that aside, if you got in an accident, and the bottle got hit hard enough....i can't see that ending well.
 

Smokes

Frequent Racer
Dec 30, 2011
356
0
0
S.W. Mo.
For #8 question, I think theres a digital box out there that will not let the nitrous come on untill the trans brake releases, I use to run a window RPM switch in my camaro, you can set the RPMs for when you want the nitrous to turn on & turn off, I set mine for 2800 & 5400, but i ran a WOT switch, It was a stick car & i shifted at 5800

Now you could just run without the brake while on the bottle.
 

harp513

Amateur Racer
Jan 14, 2004
255
0
0
NEWBURGH IN.
#8 for this I installed another relay wired normally closed that opens and turns off the power to the nitrous relay when it receives power from the transbrake.
 

LS6 Tommy

MalibuRacing Junkie
May 15, 2004
15,847
1
38
North Jersey
#11- It's technically illegal to have any pressurized cylinder other than a fire extinguisher mounted in a street vehicle. You're only supposed to transport to get refills/make deliveries, must be secured in an "open" or "well ventilated" area (i.e. outside the vehicle, like in the bed of a truck), must have cylinder transport caps in place (can't be hooked up to the system), you CANNOT enter any tunnel & you must have a daily updated bill of lading/log book that itemizes how much of each material you're carrying and depending on how much you're carrying, you must have hazardous material placards (in this case "Non Flammable Gas" & "Oxidizer")...

Tommy
 

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