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From: blt@cbscc.UUCP (Brian L. Tymchak)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re:Nitrous Oxide???
Message-ID: <4847@cbscc.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 21-Feb-85 12:32:24 EST
Article-I.D.: cbscc.4847
Posted: Thu Feb 21 12:32:24 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 26-Feb-85 04:30:59 EST
References: <32000011@waltz.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories <SCCS>, Columbus
Lines: 38



   Nitrous oxide is not new.  However, it does just seem to 
have hit the street machines rather heavily.  First, this 
is not the same "nitro" that the top fuelers and funny cars
are running.  They're running some mixtures of nitromethanol
and some other rather exotic fuels.
   Second, this stuff doesn't cost $400 a bottle.  If your
neighbor paid that much for it, he should be drummed out of 
hot rodding.  NOS (Nitrous Oxide Systems) sell complete 
plumbing kits for most motors in the $200 - $300 range.  The
nitrous itself can be refilled for probably $50.  This is a
guess since I have yet to experiment with the stuff.
   Third, horsepower increases, while very substantial,
do not approach the 80% mark that your neighbor claimed.  Most
increases fall in the 15% - 40% range.  
   Fourth, it is rather easy to destroy a motor if the user is
careless.  However, there is no magical time limit on usage.
It's intended usage is while under severe acceleration (drag strip).
Nitrous oxide is injected into the runners of the intake manifold
either by electrical switch or by a vacuum activated switch.
This shot of nitrous is very cold, I believe somewhere in the -120F
range.  This cooling condenses the normal fuel charge to a fraction 
of its original volume.  Thus, the combustion chamber can be "packed"
with more fuel vapor than in a normal state.  More fuel burned in the
same amount of time equals more force to push the piston back down the 
cylinder -> -> faster vehicle.  
   For more technical info on nitrous, look at recent issues of the
hot rodding magazines.  Under no circumstances apply nitrous to a
motor that is old and worn or built in some way such that it
can't handle very high rpm.  A shot of the stuff could send connecting
rods and piston rings through the hood.
   BTW, if your neighbor is buying nitrous at $400 a bottle, I have
some ocean front property in the Rockys that he may be interested
in.... cheap.

                                         Brian Tymchak
                                         AT&T NS, Columbus