Nitrous Question

Hi All,

I'm new to the whole idea of modifying cars, but very curious. I'm driving an Astra (current model, 1.4 16v) and I'm bored with it. It is just out of warranty.

I was thinking of trading it in for an SRi (etc.) when I saw adverts for NO kits costing way, way, way less than the cost of a trade-in.

The engine is 'as-new' and produces around 90 BHP.

Would Nitrous be a worthwhile addition to this type of engine? Or, is the engine too small/low powered to begin with for the NO to really give any useful gains?

Would other modifications like air induction/filters, bigger exhaust systems be needed to take better advantage of nitrous?

At the end of the day, what kind of power and torque gains am I likely to get?

And almost as importantly, how difficult is it to insure a modded car - will a high-street insurer cover you, or do you need a specialist?

Thanks in advance for your expertise, Peter

Reply to
Pete
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You'll gain whatever you put in, if you put in 100bhp you will end up with a

190bhp Nova.

The air filter probably won't make any difference as the extra oxygen comes from the nitrous and not through the air filter. A bigger exhaust will help get rid of the waste gasses but it will depend on how much nitrous you put in if you need a bigger one or not.

Whatever you put in, 25bhp jets will give you 25bhp extra, 300bhp jets will give you 300bhp extra until something breaks.

You'll find it very hard to get an insurance company thet will insure you with nitrous.

Have a look at Burgermans site for more information,

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Reply to
Homer

But a "safe" amount on a stock production engine is typically around a 35 to

40 percent increase. Obviously its better then to start with something thats already fast.

If the same car comes with 1.1, 1.3, 1.6, 2.0 engines its pretty pointless doing the 1.1 because 35 percent extra is still not much.

No. Since theVAST majority of the time you are not using the nitrous, it makes sense to keep the rest quiet, smooth, reliable.

Or until detonation puts a firm lid on it! If its set up rich, and the timing is retarded sufficiently and its set up with a little caution its possible to get HUGE power increases from any engine.

300+ percent is quite possible.

For big power increases it helps to use medium compression ratios around 10 to 1, big exhaust valves and cam, big exhaust system, forged pistons, a STRONG clutch, and a strong transmission...

Head gaskets are seldom a problem unless timing is not retarded enough.

Almost! But its

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Reply to
Burgerman

WRONG. so called "25hp jets" will not give 25hp!!!

Reply to
Mark Craft

You can use it.

Not really.

depends what size jets are used.

NOS can cause a problem on insurance

I would add that unless you are a RWYB fanatic NOS on the street is pretty much a waste of time. Remember each fill costs £40-50 and will last maybe 15 mins, max.

Its not cheap, bad installations and cheap crap gear generally cause destruction of an engine.

If I were you I wouldn't even bother, go get yourself a Astra Gsi turbo if you want more go and want to stick with an astra.. or a similar car if not...

Reply to
Mark Craft

Says who?

Its an average figure. Some engines may make a little more, some a little less. But after LOTS of dyno testing and developing kits (now for Akamoto Nitrous Systems...) I have found that if set up correctly most bikes or cars are pretty close to the calculations.

Eg a 1mm nitrous jet almost always gives withing 10 percent margin 70 extra.

Reply to
Burgerman

Rubbish... On a slow car it might. But on a fast car or bike a couple of seconds use sees you in orbit almost. So it lasts ages.

Rubbish. Set up correctly I have NEVER seen it destroy an engine. Gearboxes, and clutches yes, but not the engine.

You think an Astra turbo has go!!!!!!!!!! Get real...

Reply to
Burgerman

Yeah I think 200BHP (it is 200 innit?) is a hell of a lot of go. No, its not a supercar but thats still alot of BHP for the size of car. Certainly alot faster than a 1.4

Reply to
Andy R

depends on the engine but they are only rough estimates as to the power increase they provide obviously you can't say it's a 25 jet when the next thing you know your engine has been lunched like it was made of chocolate can you :) after all, if you fit it yourself then you only have yourself to blame, but leaving it to the pros means they will set everything up for you properly

Reply to
dojj

Bugger me. What on earth do they put in these things?

Reply to
Doki

I've never seen a nitrous system last longer than 10 mins without refill.

READ IT AGAIN - BAD INSTALLATIONS I said.

Now where did I say I thought a astra turbo was quick ? I didn't - buts its twice the power of his car at the moment...

Reply to
Mark Craft

But you're not using it continuously for 15 minutes, realistically on the road with a fast car you can only use it a few seconds at a time. Even using it for quarter mile sprinting would still give you around 90 runs using nitrous for about 10 seconds each run if a whole tank lasted 15 minutes. Have a look at the people using it at

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, they don't seem to think it's a waste oftime.

Reply to
Homer

BUT .... Everybodys definitiion of quick is different. It generally means "its as fast, or faster than mine"!.....

Oh and I think they are quick (coz I have one and I've not driven anything that feels faster, even a scooby WRX and a civic typeR IMO) . My CBR 600 doesn't feel as fast, although it is much quicker on the dials but it doesn't have that turbo power delivery (ie shitloads of torque at low revs). Wierd but true...??

Reply to
Dave

Approximately, yes they will. Obviously it varies slightly between engines, but they're a pretty good ballpark figure.

Reply to
Nom

Things that save your life.

I dunno about you, but I quite my ABS, Side Impact Protection, Airbags, Seatbelt PreTensioners, etc. etc.

Reply to
Nom

Why a strong clutch?? Surely you're not using the clutch when you're using the nitrous?

Reply to
Organ

??? Of course you are! The more power you make, the greater the load on the clutch. It will slip if inadaquate.

Reply to
Burgerman

learn to drive properly then and you won't need them!!!! :p thing is, they put all this weight on the car, then make the body lighter by way or paper thin panels, and then try to tell us that cars are safer in an impact surely if they made them bigger metal boxes you wouldn't end up with the sort of damage you get in the first place that writes the car off in a 5mph shopping shunt and what happened to "proper" bumpers anyway?

Reply to
dojj

I had an old mark 5 cortina GL years ago (with an overweight essex V6 from a

3 litre capri in it) and it got painted mat black, and had a railway line welded on both ends. Nobody would even park near it...
Reply to
Burgerman

5mph shopping shunt

maybe someone was trying to tell you to get rid of it by welding it to the railway lines :) my cousin welded a 2" box section to the rear of his rover SD1 on the jacking points, then he put the plastic bumper back over the top I seem to recall there were several cars that moved out of the way for him when he parked up :)

Reply to
dojj

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