Nitrous on a 3.8

**Spikito** · 11-20-2008, 12:42 PM

So ive been chatting with some buddies of mine, they thought it would be kind of cool to do. nothing crazy, 50-75 shot. What all would be involved. if i want to do it, i want to do it right, i was planning on using a WOT and an RPM window switch.

i was told zex has a system than runs everything from its computer, changes timing, increases fuel pressure, etc. but i dont know anything about nitrous, anybody have tips or ideas?

**SteelmanLS1** · 11-20-2008, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by Spikito

So ive been chatting with some buddies of mine, they thought it would be kind of cool to do. nothing crazy, 50-75 shot. What all would be involved. if i want to do it, i want to do it right, i was planning on using a WOT and an RPM window switch.

i was told zex has a system than runs everything from its computer, changes timing, increases fuel pressure, etc. but i dont know anything about nitrous, anybody have tips or ideas?

Shouldn't be a problem.. 50shot anyways. Do it safe though.

**JwMonE99** · 11-20-2008, 07:02 PM

Yea im a Zex fan too.
They come pretty safe (other kits too) and like said about 50 should be good, maybe even a 75.

**N20LT4** · 11-20-2008, 10:12 PM

Remember a 3.8 is not gonna take as much nitrous safely. 50-75 like these guys said is safe territory. Make sure you motor is in sound condition and get the must-have's like timing control and window switch.

**NavdeepWS6** · 11-20-2008, 10:30 PM

make sure you dont redline or miss shift cause i think that means boom so if you want to be safe change the redline to something youll never go to or when its hits redline it cuts off spark not fuel imo

**richard head** · 11-20-2008, 11:54 PM

Meh, I sprayed a 100 shot on my v6. Lil fucker ran a 13.8 on an N/A tune with LOW bottle pressure. Make sure you pull your MAF screen though, that thing will get sucked in if you spray a dry shot on it. And I'd just hook it up to a pushbutton, in my application it gave no problems at all even once at idle when I hit the wrong button trying to purge. 3.8 is a good, bulletproof motor. Check out fullthrottlev6.com.

**JwMonE99** · 11-21-2008, 07:57 AM

Originally Posted by N20LT4

Remember a 3.8 is not gonna take as much nitrous safely. 50-75 like these guys said is safe territory. Make sure you motor is in sound condition and get the must-have's like timing control and window switch.

Yea there are a lot of kits that come with some of the safety features.

**Midnight02** · 11-21-2008, 08:00 AM

While there are many folks that have had success with a "push button" system, I can promise you that a couple simple safety features are well worth the extra expense.

As for what's safe....I'd stick to a 50 - 75 rwhp shot. Make sure your tune is properly adjusted before you spray. Again, that's another thing that isn't 100% required in some people's minds, however those people are typically the same ones providing us with the latest nitrous horror stories! HAHA!

**richard head** · 11-21-2008, 09:51 AM

Look, the 3.8 can handle about 125 to the wheels in stock form without blowing. 50-75 won't be enough bang for ya after awhile so I want you to know that you can bump it up to 100 pretty safe. Be good idea to get a n2o tune at that point but I don't know why these guys are so much more afraid of a 3.8 with nitrous than an ls1.

**N20LT4** · 11-21-2008, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by richard head

Look, the 3.8 can handle about 125 to the wheels in stock form without blowing. 50-75 won't be enough bang for ya after awhile so I want you to know that you can bump it up to 100 pretty safe. Be good idea to get a n2o tune at that point but I don't know why these guys are so much more afraid of a 3.8 with nitrous than an ls1.

Let me ask you this Mr. Head, do you run nitrous? Or better yet, have you ever ran a nitrous 3.8 setup? Just wondering where you get all of your expertise from.

**Spikito** · 11-21-2008, 09:35 PM

I dunno, ive just been told that the 3.8 is cast ironand lower compression, the ls1 is aluminum and high compression, so it handles nitrous better without the need for tuning and bolt ons.

how much money are we talking about for a tune?

**TARZAN** · 11-22-2008, 08:19 AM

It'll take a 75, we've hit a 3.4 with a 75 and they suck lol.

-Will

**JwMonE99** · 11-23-2008, 07:57 AM

3.8>3.4 by far.

**Spikito** · 11-23-2008, 05:57 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ZEX-C...Q5fAccessories

this is the system i had in mind.

**richard head** · 11-23-2008, 07:25 PM

Originally Posted by N20LT4

Let me ask you this Mr. Head, do you run nitrous? Or better yet, have you ever ran a nitrous 3.8 setup? Just wondering where you get all of your expertise from.

Yep, ran a 3.8 dry setup that I actually tuned for. Talked to 5+ people who were running 125 and one guy running 300. Tons of people, like me, start off around 50 and work our way up. I had just made it to about 125 with the tune safely when I had my wreck (bitch t-boned me) and the best 1/4 time I was able to run in the time I was messing with it was a 13.8 @ 99 on a 65 shot. When I have the money for a TB plate I'll set up a wet kit on my trans am.

**Spikito** · 11-23-2008, 09:40 PM

so i think i know the difference between wet and dry, but i want to be sure, can someone explain it. ive always thought dry was like a fogger system on your intake, and wet was mixed directly in at the fuel rails.

**richard head** · 11-23-2008, 10:18 PM

Close, but no cigar. Dry depends on the use of a MAF sensor and the fuel system to compensate for the increased need for fuel. Wet kits use a fuel solenoid which hooks onto the fuel rail and adds fuel to compensate for the nitrous so that the computer doesn't have to. Personally, for my LS1, I'm going to buy a plate that mounts with nozzles built in for a wet shot that mounts behind the TB and lets the fuel/n2o mix in that way.

**TARZAN** · 11-23-2008, 10:22 PM

Now granted my 3.8 is in a Grand National...its a stock short block with probably 150,000miles on it lol. It has held 26 lbs. of boost and an 80 shot. So I'd guess yours would hold at least a 75

-Will

**TARZAN** · 11-23-2008, 10:26 PM

The above statement is on the right track....

With a dry kit the nitrous kit sprays nitrous only, and the fuel is added via the injectors. This can be done by spraying through the MAF, spraying over the IAT (in some older applications), hooking a line up directly to the fuel pressure regulator (common in fox bodies), or having the vehicle tuned for the setup (more and more single digti LSx guys are going to this).

In a wet kit the nozzle/plate/spray bar....whatever apparatus you choose to spray nitrous, also adds fuel.

In an application like this, I'd advise a wet kit. It is easy, safe, and effective...and you remove the possibility of a faulty MAF sensor or small injectors limiting the fuel you add, because you add the fuel you want directly through the nozzle.

-Will

**Midnight02** · 11-24-2008, 08:03 AM

I guess we all have our own definition of safety. Given that the OP said he wasn't out to try anything crazy, a 50-75 rwhp shot probably makes the most sense (especially if it's a daily driver). If it's a play toy and you don't have to rely on the car to get you to school or work, etc....throw a 100 shot at it and see what she can do.

We all know that it would take more -- you could probably get away with 100 - 125 on a 3.8 for a while, however that time frame is shorter than the amount of time you could get away with a 50 - 75 rwhp shot. The same could be said for a 250 rwhp shot -- you might be able to get away with it, but the unknown is "how long".

To the OP, whether you go with a 50, 75, 100, 150, 350 rwhp shot, understand that as the shot size increases, so do the inherent risks of N2O. As you continue to climb in shot size, your tune and safety features will become considerably more valuable components of your setup.