I've been in the auto mechanic business for over 25 years and I have to say you do a great job explaining the basics. I often send my fellow gear heads to your videos for a refresher. Well done!!!!
So why not just inject oxygen? Is it just the danger of racing with pounds of compressed liquid oxygen in your car? Where does the heat go? The phase change happens and the Nitrous drops to -127F, but it seems to me that would just heat up the manifold if the phase change is happening right under the throttle body. Is ALL of it used in the phase change?
@@tarstarkusz This reply is a full year late but whatevs. Changing state requires energy, and when the nitrous goes from liquid to gas, it takes that energy from its heat. So that drop of a couple hundred degrees was the heat being used as energy to complete the state transfer. Hope that helps :)
Truly appreciate the recognition, I try my best to keep things clear and concise. I agree completely, so many videos I watch just say "and this means the right tire gets more grip" and go no further. Tell me why!! It's frustrating, and I think it's part of the reason my channel has been growing so well. Thanks for watching!
While the explanation is not really wrong there is a far greater effect that contributes to N2O enhancing engine performance. N2O is a monopropellant. This means that it can react and release energy without a fuel. You can make a rocket engine out of N2O that does not use a fuel and it will exhibit a performance level very nearly as high as that of hydrazine- another classical monopropellant used on rockets and spacecraft. When you describe the oxygen atom becoming detached from the two nitrogen atoms this is accompanied by an enormous release of energy. Look up the heat of formation of N2O. During testing we found that this thermal auto decomposition as it is called will happen at far lower temperatures- perhaps starting around 250-300F depending on the substrate material and the flow of N2O across the surface. If you had the right materials you could run the engine without a fuel on just the N2O and it would produce plenty of power. The main problem is that the flame temperature of N2O is extremely high and the reaction products are highly oxidative. If you are not careful the metal parts will be happy to burn in that stream of super-hot oxygen. Trust me we slagged down several stainless steel housings doing testing. This will show up as an extremely high output- for a very few seconds- since burning metals actually put out a lot of energy. They are used as the primary fuel in things like airbag initiators wherein a mixture of zirconium powder and potassium perchlorate burns when heated with a hot wire. When you add any fuel you are reacting that free oxygen you just liberated in a normal combustion reaction and getting even more output. N2O is a material that exists as a saturated liquid at room temperature and something like 750+ psi. When we say saturated it means that at room temperature it will boil just like water does at 212F. At 700 psi the vapor above the liquid is in equilibrium with the liquid itself. You won't hear any bubbles or anything- some of the liquid is indeed changing to vapor but an equivalent amount of vapor is turning back to liquid. This is important to understand when we start taking some out of the tank. You have some choices with how you deliver it- you can bleed the vapor out of the storage vessel or bleed liquid out of the vessel. As you withdraw N2O from the vessel the pressure of the vapor will fall and the remaining liquid will try to boil to maintain equilibrium. The energy for this vaporization will be withdrawn from the liquid itself and that will suppress its temperature and also the saturation pressure. In other words as you consume N2O the pressure and temperature of the vapor and liquid will fall and eventually you will not be delivering the same mass flow as at the outset. Eventually heat from the environment will soak in and bring you back to your original equilibrium but that takes time. So this is why N2O systems are great for surge power- you can get a lot of mass out of a light vessel without any pumps but only for a short period. Eventually you will run out of heat to drive the fluid out. N2O is compatible with most materials and is pretty inert but it should never be forgotten that if you get it hot enough the decomposition will occur and it will run away and explode. Rapid changes in fluid velocity, anything that gets it hot, any conditions that make it form a vapor such as cavitation and then get it heated via compression are all potential ignition sources. People, very smart ones, have gotten themselves killed not respecting this normally tractable material. Be careful.
It's used to make sure the nitrous line is filled with nitrous, and ready to be injected (no bubbles, etc). It simply purges out some nitrous, ensuring the line is full.
+Dark Star Its really not that simple haha. It costs a lot of $$ to get serious gains. Forced induction is cheaper than N/A but can really take a shit on stock blocks
+Dark Star Like Quinton said, if your engine block is rated for 500HP and it's already running at 450 you're gonna cut it close. Add a 200HP NOS boost and you'll blow up your engine. Upgrading horsepower doesn't just mean slapping on Turbos and so on. It means upgrading the Engine block, transmission, and rear differential and so on. Good engine blocks alone can run you $12k so it's not a cheap hobby to have.
+Quinton Hall Provided that the vehicle can handle the additional power, yes, it is that simple. Burn more fuel with the same or greater efficiency in the same duration of time as stock, and you'll get more power. Simple as that.
Just wanted to say thanks for all the straight to the point videos, everyone on youtube should take note that this is how you provide information to the masses. So much of youtube, especially about automotives is filler and nothing to do with anything.
Hey there! I'm a brazilian mechanical engineering student, and if it's not a problem I'd like to ask you something about the Nitrous Oxide. I understand that N²O delivers horsepower to the engine, among other reasons, because it allows more air to make part of the combustion cycle, by doing this, more fuel will be released in order to balance the mixture. I also understand that because of the heat, the nitrous oxide splits in nitrogen and oxygen. Here is the question: The oxygen makes part of the combustion, but what about the nitrogen? I've learned that nitrogen gas is flammable when it reaches hight temperatures (higher than the splitting temperature of the N²O), and it is flammable as well at hight pressure rates. I don't know if inside the combustion chamber, the nitrogen gas becomes flammable or it stills inert. So... Does the nitrogen gas helps the combustion by being a secondery fuel or it only helps by being inert and messing with the combustion chamber space, increasing pressure and providing a powerfull explosion? Thanks!
The nitrogen acts to help slow down the burn rate with the added oxygen. This is why you can’t use straight oxygen injection. You need the buffering of combustion speed to control flame speed.
I have to say, every video I've watched from this channel has explained everything perfectly and never left me on an unexplained cliff hanger. GREAT JOB!
I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet but I think you forgot the third benefit of Nitrous. The increase in cylinder pressure when the Nitrogen atoms and Oxygen atoms are striped from each other. All those extra Nitrogen and Oxygen atoms take up more volume than that the original N2O molecule did. So therefore, cylinder pressure is increased, giving the engine even more of a boost! Kind of like artificially turbo charging your engine without a turbo charger.
Engineering Explained how does one know if the engine is built for the stress? for instance i have a 6.4l hemi in a jeep srt. That would seem like something built for stress. but i have no bonafide knowledge. By the way i really enjoy your videos and have learned a lot from you. do keep up the good work.
That's why I was saying "knowing the limit is not." I can't tell you how well designed that engine is, or how much power it's designed for, or how overbuilt it is. Only the engineers who actually designed/tested it could tell you. But if there's a community of tuners who've built up the engine and had success/failure, you can learn from the forums. Keep an open mind, and make sure things sound logical. Plenty of bad info on forums.
Engineering Explained yep, can't believe everything you read on the internet. If my goal is 400hp, I like to build for at least 600hp, just to be safe.
This is actually really interesting.. and very well explained! So I guess the air temperature sensor wouldn't even be needed anymore, because it goes from just above normal atmospheric temp, to -127 F to 600+ F i guess once it ignites. Thats amazing.
Since I unlocked wet nitrous in NFSU2 I've always wondered just exactly it meant lol I thought dry nitrous was a powder spray and wet nitrous was a liquid XD guess not! Thanks for clarifying this!
I didn't really discuss pros and cons, you're right. Benefits include more power for a cheap price. Of course, if your engine can't handle the additional pressure/stress, you'll need better internals (goes for any modification). The danger with nitrous oxide comes from improper air/fuel ratios, which can damage the engine. If the air/fuel mixtures are kept at ideal levels, there's no reason why it can't be reliable. That said, it's better for short bursts of power, rather than long track days.
Hello. Another great video. I really enjoy watching you. I've got one question. Could you explain once more why the bottom of the nitro's bottle is lower than the top because I didn't get it :P cheers mate
+nendznikpl As the liquid is used up the top of the bottle will fill with vapor. You don't want that in your car, It will actually slow your car. You want the liquid that will always be at the lowest point of the bottle.
+nendznikpl The nitrous is in a liquid state at room temperature, so which has a lower density than a vapor. That means that inside the bottle, it's liquid, not vapor. However, once injected into the system (engine), it is sprayed in. Think of it as a fine mist That mist has a very high surface area (because the particles are so small), so it can more easily change state from "liquid" (mist) to a true vapor (something like a cloud, where you physically can't see each individual particle) and flow through the combustion process. I'm pretty certain that's correct. I took courses on air conditioner maintenance and repair, and it sounds awfully familiar to that.
+asdfgoogle the nitrous in the tank is actually presurized, so at room temperature and presurized, it has a liquid state. what makes it a vapor later is the decompression i believe. Thermodinamics purely, just like air conditioners. that´s why so familiar
+Enzo Mansur google phase diagrams. The states of matter are variable based on Pressure versus temperature. For instance liquid nitrogen is stored at room temperature under high pressure, but when it is released into the substantially lower pressure of the atmosphere we live at the temperature immediately drops, and the substance presents itself in gaseous form. same idea as C02 or keyboard dusters. Really cool stuff.
Dude, you explained that, perfectly. I began watching this video with limited knowledge as to, how Nitrous works in an engine. Now I feel confident that, I understand and would be able to explain it to someone else. Thank you :)
nice video very informative, but how come when people use nitrous it needs to be warm? like in videos you see them heat up a bottle of nos with a blowtorch
Although I do not argue your definition of boost, the connotation with boost is forced induction meaning turbo/super charge. But yes nos is a boost of energy.
Dinesh Deva also you should listen to 177SCmaro. Pure oxygen...liquid not gas because if weight and size... is not a good thing. Nitrous is not better then oxygen, its safer and usable. O2 would pretty much melt the motor twice as fast the n2o.
+charlesvan13 You're right about the added ingredient. It's called "sulfuric acid". It shouldn't make you sick, but it does suppress the affects to getting high off of auto-used nitrous oxide.
@EngineeringExplained Thanks, I'am a first year apprentice mechanic working for Nissan Australia. Your channel has helped me learn so many things and has given me a much better understanding of cars :)
+LolDarrellLol Yep, as simple as it seems, there's alot behind the scenes, getting as much air and fuel is the key to power, but having the right parts to take the extra stress of more power + the ECU to keep up and program the addition of the extra fuel and air is what makes it really work
There is something called the "fire triangle" if you look it up you will see the 3 requirements for fire, but basically they are fuel, oxygen and heat. To get more horsepower you have to increase these, so yes, you need more oxygen! If you didn't add more oxygen then the extra fuel you add simply wouldn't burn and would leave out the exhaust. The reasons behind this are to do with chemistry though and are a bit harder to explain, you could look up chemical equations for burning fuel as a starting point though if you're interested, hope this helps :)
My guess is that N2O liquefies under pressure, which allows a larger quantity to be carried... (Liquid oxygen seems to require cryogenic temperatures...)
Turbochargers and Superchargers designed for that very purpose. If you're talking about liquid than storing liquid oxygen is very expensive is very very dangerous as well. You need the oxygen in gaseous form for the proper expansion.
Pure oxygen is too unstable and pre ignites.. the oxygen atoms are shielded by nitrogen atoms in nitrous allowing them to enter the combustion chamber with far less risk of pre ignition..
Pure oxygen causes pressure detonation aka "knock" . They tried that in planes back in ww1. Then they realized it was a huge problem, then they switched over to ntitrous oxide to help the planes at higher altitudes before the turbo was invented and used more often
Well, the nitrous cools to -127, but that doesn't mean the entire air/fuel mixture will drop that low, maybe 50-75 degrees cooler. Also, the 600 F would be inside the cylinder, so not measured by an ATS. Glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching!
Crixus S that's the point, the explosion in the cylinder would be huge. I guess in the event of a crash and fire it would be a potential bomb? but still
I really like to watch your videos, I am a car enthusiast and almost all my questions are answered by you. I'm also a Mechanical Eng'g student in our local area.
ive been going through heaps of your videos for the past hour or so. very informative and interesting stuff. i also kinda enjoyed watching you change from shy and withheld to open and welcoming as your videos progressed. great work, keep it up and definitely subscribed.
Your videos are awesome and I appreciate you taking the time to make them. I am a car guy and a gear head. Sure I admit most of my knowledge comes from research online, Forza Motorsport :) and car meets. I have applied your videos to the cars I've had : 98 Celica, 99 BMW 323i , and Ford explorer sport trac. Its awesome to see things and get a better hands on explanation. Thanks man!
i have Nitrous in my Pontiac Grand Prix GTP. and ive put over 25 bottles through my car and with a good safe setup and you know what your doing its a GREAT power adder!
Great video explanation. I would like to add that they do not recommend using Nitrous under 3000 RPM and its good to add an RPM activated switch. Also use 2 step colder spark plugs "non-projected". 3 or 4 step colder plugs if you run high compression or e85 and colder for alcohol. The spark gap should be around .035 or smaller on average depending on setup. You do not want to use incorrect plugs as it may cause engine damage. Grey or brown plugs after a hard pull on fresh plugs is normal and also check for a heat line that forms on the grounding electrode. Too lean and the line will show towards the tip of the plug and too rich will show a heat mark on the grounding electrode towards the threads. You want that heat mark to show right in the bend of the ground electrode plug. I went through 4 sets of plugs just to tune Nitrous in just 5 hours. using new plugs every hard run to inspect the proper firing and temp range. if your plug blackens then too much fuel is dumped at certain RPM/Engine load and should be tuned more.. A white tip indicates not enough fuel is being delivered (fuel injector/pump issue possibly if stock running stock plugs). Hopefully I explained that well. Im more of the hands on troubleshooting guy than the one to explain it. I just fix it. lol :P
This was great & informative. I have a 2011 mustang & it's nice to see from your description than the engine was made with nitrous in mind. I stretched for that one.
I just wanna say thank you for all these videos you are making man. I'm only 13 years old but hope to be one of those huge tuners/mechanics that pump out like 800+hp cars and your videos just make me understand all these engine components which is really helpful. So thanks for all these awesome videos!
Too lean would cause overheat, yes. The jets (nozzles) control flow rate, yes. As for your final questions, depending on how much extra power you put in, you'll need to upgrade internal components.
Getting a wet system should take care of the afr, however it's probably best to get a tune regardless. A dry system definitely requires tuning the afr. Probably beneficial to tune timing for both scenarios.
At lower temperatures, air is more dense, hence it has more oxygen by volume - that's the idea of creating more power with the same volume of air. It assumes the percentage of oxygen in air is constant, but there's more when air is more dense.
The 2011 engine is honestly quite a device. To anyone in the used car market thinking of buying a Mustang, put that into your consideration. Not impressed with any of the engines prior to 2011.
Purge kits were designed to relive the pressure in the bottle to get it back to optimal operating pressure, as well as to purge any air from the lines. Plus it looks cool! :)
O2 cannot combust without a fuel, it's not a flammable gas but it is required for combustion to occur. If more oxygen is present, nearly anything around it can suddenly act as fuel.
Because nitrogen boils at -127 F. In the tank, it is compressed, keeping it a liquid. When it is exposed to the outside air, it instantly boils, dropping its temperature to -127 F. Changes in state means a big energy difference. Don't know if you've ever played paintball, you'll experience the same thing. As you shoot the paintball gun, it gets cold near the top of the CO2 tank; this is the liquid CO2 changing state and losing energy.
Because Nitrogen supresses the likely hood of the air fuel mixture to pre-detonate or knock. Having pure oxygen would likely cause the mixture to knock before the spark fired.
I've checked out the site a bit, kits seem to range from about $500-$1000. I suppose how long it lasts depends on your internals and how well you maintain a proper air/fuel ratio.
Haven't heard of this model, no. But I am aware of the days during the 70s/80s when the big American companies thought it was a decent idea to swap fuel delivery systems on gas engines to diesels without much work on the internals, resulting in terrible diesel engines. Probably played a big role in why so many Americans just avoid diesels. They're much more efficient engines.
Whatever the weakest components are (pistons, rods, crank, etc.). I know that's a blanket statement but it varies from engine to engine. Some manufacturers use high factors of safety for their components than others - and typically they'll cost more. Just depends on how good your internals are. I'd recommend reading up on forums of what other people have had success with with your engine.
I love this video.👍🏾👍🏾 I was just wondering how nitrous works cause people always see it in the movies but don’t know how it works, thank you for the explanation
Sure, that's what the activation button's for. You can have it set to open at WOT (when activated), or some have a switch to push to activate. Either way, you could activate at WOT for the same effect.
If what you are referring to is the purging of nitrous before a run, it serves two purposes. First it primes the system by clearing the lines of atmosphere so that you don't have a lag when you engage the nitrous, the lines are full of the good stuff. Second, some people do this to bring the bottle pressure down to what the tuner wants it to be. They do this for consistency as the nitrous isn't regulated so a huge pressure difference can cause engine tuning issues.
Yes, it can be activated by a button/switch. Probably doesn't have to be at WOT in this case, but why would you not be at WOT and use nitrous? Purging is done to remove any gas from the line, so that right up until the injection point the line is filled with liquid.
Awesome video man! Very informative! I'm also watching this because I use nitrous in Need for Speed, and I really want to know how it works in real life.
Well, I suppose in the F&F movies, when they press it, they're already at WOT, so it could actually be accurate. If it's already at WOT, all it would need is for the on switch to be flicked to activate it.
Nitrous comes out of the nozzle at approximately -127deg F(as mentioned in the above video) when running for a short period of time you can use the nitrous to chill the air charge. Nitrous and Water/Methanol systems are a very popular combo on turbo drag cars
I would contact NX to find fittings, they have universal kits. And it's hard to know how much you can safely run, but they may be able to provide insight there as well.
Not if they're built for it. But if you're planning on spraying a 4 cyl with an additional 200 hp with stock components, yes it probably won't last too long.
Well I just check many many sources, and try to pick out what information seems logical. If it's been repeated enough, and seems logical, it has a decent chance of being accurate. Though my videos aren't without errors, of course.
I have that on the to do list. That said, the to do list is quite long. I'm hoping to eventually have a "quick lessons" playlist which has topics like this, which take relatively shorter amounts of time to explain.
