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Ultimate Nitrous thread

144K views 1K replies 108 participants last post by  cjlovesyourmom 
#1 · (Edited)
I decided to make this thread because lately i have been getting a lot of pm's asking what to buy or if this or that is possible. I would like this thread to be the end all, find most every answer you will ever need here thread. So please help me to make it into that.

I recommend before going any further you read this post: http://www.8thcivic.com/forums/forced-induction-nitrous/61711-nitrous-101-faq.html

Also note i am no where near a nitrous pro, I do not know a lot about nitrous and i only have experience in what i have done to my car (07 si coupe) So if you have any input or you see something incorrect that i have posted please let me know, it will be well received.

Car: 07 CIVIC SI COUPE

What mods do i have?

Engine performance
Injen CAI (with Injen Hydroshield)
Vibrant Streetpower Cat Back Exhaust
Ingalls "Stiffy" engine torque dampener
Civic Si Ingalls "Stiffy" Engine Dampening Power Stick
DC Sports race header
Non Stop Tuning Pulley kit
Hondata Reflash
Civic Si P2R Throttle Body Spacer
CorSport Intake manifold heat gasket
P2R Throttle Body Gaskets (x2)
Fumoto Oil drain valve
Radiator reroute/Piping
(also on order is Injen Short ram for rainy season)



ZEX EFI Wet nitrous system (75 Shot) with:
Wide open throttle switch
Traction Control window switch
Remote bottle opener
Purge kit
One step colder spark plugs
Bottle warmer with on/off thermostat

Exterior
20% Tint
17" szigen 17-c wrapped in falken azenis (cant remember exact specs right now)


Suspension

HFP suspension kit

Interior
CSX center console
TMW short shifter and base bushings
Auger shift boot (alacontra with red stitching)
Skunk2 racing shift knob (special edition)
Compustar alarm with 2 way paging and remote start (yes it can be easily done on our cars without losing a key)
Dashhawk

I am adding this since i have been asked several times, I use the new dominator oil by amsoil. I purchase it by the case, seems to work really well.

What should I buy? And from where?

That answer is arguable, Some people argue one kit is better than the other I chose ZEX. Also your needs may be different and you can do without some things like remote bottle opener etc. it all depends on what your goal is.

Here is a list of the parts i purchased for my install:
Nitrous kit #82021 $589.99
Traction control Window Switch #82085 $198.99
Remote opener #82009 $224.99
Nitrous tuner kit #82001 $333.99
Purge Kit #82010 $119.99
One step colder plugs: The stock number is 2668. Part number is BKR8EIX (These are the ones Mad Monkey recommends)

I purchased them from Speedunlimited.com, I am sure you can find better deals in other places but i was happy with the price.

Do I need a different clutch?
Eventually you probably will, when I was doing my research on this everyone told me to wait until the stock clutch was done and then upgrade so that’s what im doing. Still feels the same, although I have smelled it burning a few times lol

Component Comments/Mounting locations

Purge Kit
With the purge kit you can have it basically purge anywhere, I have mine right below my windshield, pretty plain Jane! One of my buddies has his purge out of his front grill. BE CREATIVE!

Window Switch
I had my window switch (it’s a little box almost the size of a pack of cig’s just a little thinner) place in the CSX console where my switches are located. It is pushed to the back but I still can see the display and change the perimeters for nitrous engagement. Although this is defiantly not necessary and most people mount it in the engine bay I like it where it is because I like to look down and see the little light on ensuring me I am spraying.

This item is a good safety tool as well to make sure your not spraying in the wrong RPM’s ect. It also gives you time to get traction. I have mine set to engage at 5600rpms and shut off at 7300rpms. If you have a reflash it will be different and this is a subject able issue as well, some people say you should have it shut off earlier, some say later.. some say you can have it engage anywhere as long as its after 3500rpms and shutoff before 7600rpms. I do not let it engage in first gear either because of traction/safety issues.

Recommendation: Do your research and come up with an informed decision.

Bottle Warmer (included in the Nitrous tuner kit #82001)
I did not originally order one of these with my kit, I thought hell I live in Guam its always 85+ degrees outside so why would I need a bottle warmer? Stupid me! The answer is simple just because the temp in your trunk is high doesn’t mean its going to be enough to sufficiently heat your bottle, the hotter your bottle the more pressure in the bottle which ensures you spray your full shot instead of not having enough pressure. I have heard several explanations as to what the perfect temp is for your bottle and it seems between 86-92 degrees is the most common I hear. You want your bottle to be AROUND 900-1100psi when spraying. The bottle warmer mentioned about will click on and off.

Remote bottle opener
I got a remote bottle opener because I wanted to be able to open my bottle at any time and start spraying if the urge hit me (or the guy in the mustang at the red light taunted me). And I love it, I will admit its more difficult to remove your bottle for fill ups but it is well worth it in my personal opinion! You really don’t need this though if you are mounting your bottle on the floorboard behind you, which I don’t recommend.. read on.

Switches
As I said before I decided to go with the CSX console which replaces the console piece that your shifter sticks through and also adds a handy closeable door right in front of your shifter (just like where your cups go) so my switches could be out of view when I wanted them to be. I have my switches mounted so I cannot see them they are in the inner most part of the tray, they are facing the front of the car. I have my Activation switch and above it is my purge button, I usually hit these almost at the exact same time anyway so it was a perfect choice for me. Legendman Mounted his switches differently he purchased a sheet of abs plastic (search ebay for just that.. abs plastic its cheap) and had the switches mounted flush to where you could see them all. If you want them to be visible and flat you will need to do the same thing because there isn’t enough clearance under the console for all the wireing and such so dont even try cutting the console to stick them there without creating a false floor for the switches to sit in.

Installation/Do’s and don’ts

When installing the kit pretty much just follow the instructions included in the kit, if you are doing the install yourself then hopefully this thread helped you a little bit, if your bringing your car to a shop to have it installed make sure they are trustworthy!

It is recommended you go one step colder plugs, I didn’t notice any difference in non spray driving. I will have which plugs are most recommended in the top of this post where it says what I recommend to buy, I am going to create a thread and see what everyone recommends.. I personally called speed unlimited and just said send me your best one step colder plugs, they sent me the Zex plugs.. This doesn’t mean it’s the best but it has worked for me.. I would like to give you the best information available though so stand tight.

Window switch install
After you have your kit installed you will want to install the window switch which it is a fairly simple operation as long as you follow the instructions included in the kit and have the pinout for our car. (06+ si)

Here is the pinout, this will tell you which one to tap into to get your RPM signal as well as your Throttle position.

http://geocities.com/paulo421/fg2ECU.jpg

These are the ones you need out of that diagram..
Connector A
Pin 28 (RPM) Blue wire

Connector C
Pin 20 (Throttle) Red/Black wire

(I found the full pinout and such at this thread, rep the op!
Installing an Apexi AVCR + ECU pinouts)

Do’s and don’ts!

Check your oil before you begin the install, note the oil level.

Check your oil after the install, note the oil level.

Do not tap into the fuel line close to the valve cover! Tap into it where it is thicker below the car.

Do not drill the hole to mount your nozzles with the maf still in the intake (again I have a injen cai) You will want to drill the hole in the metal, not the rubber, as high of a psi as it prays you do not want that thing ripping out when you spray.

Do a general clean install, cables hanging under the car is a bad thing, and don’t tie them onto anything that produces a lot of heat or moves..

Make sure you clean up your install after and tie down any of the SS cables that are just loose, they will eat through your wiring/hoses over time.

Do not repeatedly go full throttle in nutral just to test if its spraying gas.. you will have enough gasoline in your oil to make you want to cry.

I’m sure there is more so if you can think of any let me know.. I just put what my MECHANIC did..lol needless to say its not cheap getting MAF’s and parts to fix mess ups overnighted to Guam…

Testing
After everything is installed and looks good and you have quadruple checked everything and your ready to start spraying (you have already made sure the zex kit is shooting gas) I recommend starting with the smallest spray (25). For me I sprayed a few times and then pulled the plugs and had my new mechanic check them under a microscope for detonation (tiny pits in the plugs). If your plugs are a chocolateish color its not a bad thing, if they are white or dark black..its bad.

Filling your bottle
When I bring my bottle to get filled (it’s freaking 11.00 a lbs here) I put it in the freezer overnight, the next morning I bring it in a ice chest, once I get there they put it into the freezer again. This cools the bottle so more will fit in there, like nearly everything in this world nitrous gets more dense as the temp drops so this will allow them to fill your bottle.

Drag strip etc
I drag my car every Friday (weather permitting) and one of the things you need to be cognizant about if you plan to race your car at the drag strip is the NHRA rules/track rules. Before I was allowed to run my car I had to get two tech inspections, one where they check to make sure my seats are mounted properly and things aren’t just hanging, and the next where they checked to make sure my nitrous install was safe. There is a decent amount of rules concerning nitrous usage in the rulebook, make sure you research them before your install so you don’t have to do like I did and redo a few things. (rules are diff for where you mount the bottle, blow down tube placement etc) either way if there is a kinked hose or anything don’t try to spray.

At my track you must wear a helmet and a fire jacket. (why the rest of your body doesn’t matter I don’t know its beyond me) but a good place to start before your install would be to call your local track and ask them their requirements to do nitrous passes, each track varies slightly.

How I use my nitrous
Like I said I have used my nitrous on the street and on the track, its 11.00 a pound here so I am usually pretty cheap with it on the street! Before I go to the track I check everything possible, tires, belt, coolant, oil. On my way to the track I meet up with about 4-5 others that drive SI’s and I usually purge there so im not showing off that im running nitrous at the track (I do this parked because of my window switch..) When I get to the track I do the paperwork and line up to race, while im in the line before I stage I check the gauge to make sure im at a decent pressure (bottle must be open) . Right before I stage flip the activation switch.. I stage and race..easy eh? You will want to keep your bottle closed as much of the time as possible because if there is any tiny leaks you are slowly (probably to slow to matter) losing pressure and nitrous.. I do not constantly purge because it’s a waste and im not into showing off, I have the fastest si on island and knowing that is enough for me.

Remember this thread is a living document meaning I will be updating/adding to it constantly so check back, I will be getting pictures soon as well.

Just like I said before I am no where near a nitrous pro, I am just doing a write up on the questions I had and the questions I have been asked since my install. I ran into serious issues with my install because neither me or my mechanic was educated enough and it cost me serious money (over 1500.00 for complete install/fix’s) so I am more or less letting you know my lessons learned. I suggest to you that you read articles and post like this and make your own informed decision, weight out things like needs, budget, practicality and go from there. A lot of the information is not as straight cut as it should be, there is a lot of argument about what is best and I am just providing you with what worked best for me so don’t use this as the nitrous install bible.

Warranty info
Alot of people have pmed me asking me if i get turned down for warranty work the short answer is no, next week they are fixing the strut mount bushing ( i think thats what its called) and the third gear fix (replace all the third gear guts). Im not saying you wont get turned down but i have been lucky, usually when i bring my car in it draws all the techs out. With that being said... A guy i know here just hydrolocked his SI, he took it to the dealership for warranty and they denied him because he had a CAI. Which i can understand, if i blow my engine due to nitrous im sure they wont warranty it furthermore im sure if they wanted to be dicks they could deny my 3rd gear claim because i have nitrous on my car.

Also have to thank everyone for helping me in my search :for info, especially legendman he got the brunt of my dumb questions, most of which occurred when I called him at like 3am lol. He also was privy to hear my ranting and swearing when I had to order parts to fix things my mechanic f’ed up. Thanks Nathan!

Question and Answer Read before asking!

I do not neccissarily support these answer, I have not gone through and validated them all, if there is no name next to the answer then it was my answer otherwise the person that answered it is listed beside the answer.

Question: nice write up. ive been told by numerous amount of people that spraying is really bad for the motor. true or false? one part of me says spray and the other say dont spray. but what im thinking is, spraying can be just as dangerous as turbo no? i personally see nitrous as a cheaper way of having a similar power gains of a turbo kit. so how is everything going for you so far? - se7engen_ride

Answer: Spraying can be bad for your motor if you do not take all of the safety precautions and go the cheap way out (no window switch etc) If you are within your bounds you should be fine.. with that being said as far as taking life away from your engine overall i cannot say. My mechanic related it to me like a person smoking a cig, it may not cause any health issues now but when your 80 you might die instead of living to 83. I love my setup and i am very happy i went with it, i wouldn't do it any other way.
I suggest you take a look at Nitrous 101/FAQ It list most of the facts/fallacies associated with nitrous. If you have anymore questions let me know.

Question: the tuner kit comes with a purge kit do you still need to buy a seperate one??? - blacksi2007
Answer: No. Check out the other purge kits available though, some are alot fancier etc.

Question: What was your best time at the track with out radial tires, on 75 shot? I have the zex kit on my si now. Also how did u engage it when you started off? -henika_42

Answer A: I usually wont say, some of you have seen me run the car :) this way when i misshift i just tell people i wasnt spraying lol
Answer B: my Nitrous si :) I/H/E tbs spacer and a 50 shot, running mickey t dot drag radials 13.19 i went on this pass fastest ive gone was 13.17 @ 104mph no reflash http://guelphracing.com/GR9/GR/shows...lueCivicSI.wmv -Matauz

Question:So you didn't do any ignition retarding with the 75 shot? I have the NX EFI stage 1 waiting to get it installed. I didn't want to run 75 without a piggyback. Will I be all right without tune? I have the other accessories NX offered as well; warmer, rpm window switch, purge valve, all that jazz. I didn't see any mention of ignition retarding but I think I would be comfortable if I heard you say it. -AgentGordon27
Answer A: As i have said in my guide i did nothing as far as tuning goes :)

Answer B: Majority of the people here are running a 75 shot with no tune or ignition retard. No one's even put up dyno results of using a ignition retard or anything of the sort. You'll be ok. Just get the safety precautions and don't be lazy and you'll be good. - Mad Monkey

Answer C: ^ from what i have read.. and i've read a lot.. no.. well.. yes.. but the computer handles it just fine as long as your using premium.... i think the stock computer can 30*+/- on timing. i haven't hooked up my zex kit yet.. i'm hooking up a interior fuel pressure guage on the pillar so i'll be able to tell you what the drop in fuel pressure is on a 55/75 shot is here shortly.. if i don't see anymore then a 5psi drop at 75.. 100+ is coming.. muhahahaha - Cjames980

Question: what exactly is the nitrous tuner kit? -realxai
Answer: It bundles all the extras you will need together, go to the zex website and check it out it gives a breakdown

Question: Hey guys so I finally installed my defouler on header ik24 plugs, and hooked up my digital nitrous gauge which is only reading 280psi :-( guess it's time to fill my bottle up ?I have a question for whoever runs a zex remote bottle heater I turn mine on but it seems to me it doesn't stay on all the time it turns on and off constantly when you guys turn yours on does it get hot quickly and stay hot untill switched off ? -07_FG_4Dr_S.i.

Answer: 280 psi? Yeah it's time for a fill-up lol. As for the heater, the heater has a thermostat... either pressure or bottle temperature. If you have a bottle temperature thermostat, if you place it in the wrong place it'll hot too fast and will tell your heater to turn off when you're bottle really isn't hot yet. A good general placement is under the strap of the heater near the top of the bottle. - Mad Monkey

Question:bump for nitrous :) and for matauz and mad monkey!!! My set up wouldnt be so damn perfect without you guys !! Do I need a af ratio gauge ? I have a fuel psi gauge and a n2o digital gauge in cabin, can't I tell if I'm runing lean if my fuel psi drops? But anyways should I get a new o2 sensor with gauge or msd dashawk? -07_FG_4Dr_S.i.

Answer:its all up to you, ill personally be running the dash hawk, some have found it more accurate as it updates much faster that and aftermarket wideband gauge. I like it cause it doesnt look like a gauge at first, not to mention it can datalog and read many other parameters of your car. -imAuthenticFTW

Question:
have one question I`m intrested in upping my jets to 100shot , are there requirements for a 100shot can i install a 255 walbro pump and is it ok with 93 pump gas or do i need octane booster bottles or run race gas ? anddddddd last but not least dont i need to adj cam timing to be able to do this or il be ok with the timing ? what do you guys think i know monkey man over here has expierence so let me know my nitrous guru lol -07_FG_4Dr_S.i.

Answer: You'd want to use 2 step colder plugs with 100 shot. You'd also want to get a fuel pump and a fuel pressure safety switch if you don't have one. Two things I was ignorant of and cost me a motor. You don't need higher octane. It wouldn't hurt using it but you don't need it. I run 91 since that's the highest at 90% of the pumps around here and I do fine with 75 shot. CHECK your plugs after you spray with a 10X magnifying glass. Do you know how to check spark plugs? I have a really good informational article showing what to inspect specifically for nitrous. But it's good information to know overall as it can tell whether or not you're running too rich or lean, pre-igniting/detonating and if you're heat range is adequate or not. As for timing, I'd personally want to bump it down a bit but since we can't right now I'm staying at 75. There's a few people here that are running 100 shot. As for their status of reliability, I don't know. But can tell you that 75 shot with a 1 step colder plug works fine for me. But like I said, a really big "sensor" is your spark plug reading. It can tell you alot when you know what you're looking for. - Mad Monkey

If you have any questions feel free to PM me.
 
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#5 ·
Very good First post with all the info, lets keep this thread going for us Nitrous goers and new nitrous junkies :)
 
#16 ·
Newb.. looking at the normal running of the k20z3 the computer can adjust it's timing to 30*atdc all the way to 50*btdc using 93pump gas.. the stock fuel system 'with a nos kit' can handle a 28f jet easy @ 11:1 ratio... but it really starts to stumble at 32f... so in my opinion.. if your going to run anything higer then a 28f, change fuel pump to at least a 255lph spec.. other then that.. timing.. detonation.. haven't seen any problems w/o the hondata reflash.. i'll be getting that done shortly.. I also have my controller to turn the fuel sel on .2 sec before the nitrous sel comes on, so i don't get that breif moment of running lean.. that scared the bonkers out of me when i seen that the first time :p so i'll let you know how things are differen't with the reflash.. i don't think it'll be a problem since they don't change ignition timing. . How's it going everyone
 
#18 ·
old photo mate.. i'll get some new ones here shortly.. i was testing to see what the fuel system could handle on it's own with out having to add a fuel sel.. it's about 35hp then it starts to ween into the high 13's on the afr.. not bad.. but considering normal w.o.t. it reads 12.6.. yeah.. i wasn't staying that route :p
 
#21 ·
good to see some research :p Right now wet system is perfect for our cars. By the time you buy injectors and risk it to see if the computer will run ok doesnt seem worth it
 
#23 ·
i think it's a 115 shot.. i see a little knock at the vtec crossover point.. but i'm hoping the reflash will take care of that with the lower engagement point.. but with stock internals.. 125.. all i'm going to push till it gets out of warrenty or i get another daily driver.. probably the v6 camaro when the go on sale.. or the Kia Koup if they make the dang thing.
 
#26 ·
Seems like a 100. A 75 shot is a 41n and 125 is 51 or 53n. Got any dyno sheets? If anything, the reflash would help. It does alter the air/fuel tables a bit because of the lowered vtec engagement point and the raised redline to 8600. They also didn't alter the timing tables so what you're getting now is what you'd get with the reflash along with the changed vtec engagement points. I have a Walbro 255 and RDX injectors in my car which are 440. Running a 75 shot 41/24. According to my plugs, my motor seems to love it =). But I too need the reflash, when I punch it nitrous or not nitrous before 6k, my motor chokes. You can just feel it =/. I'm just hoping and waiting...
 
#24 ·
And for everyone.. if you want to data log yourself here is what you'll need...
1. a laptop.. yeah, go figure
2. Go to Ebay and type in ELM327 on the search field.. you can buy which ever one as long as it is at least a version 1.2b
3. go to i think Palmerperformance.com, and download the trial version of PCMSCAN.. not a bad program.. and if you look there are plenty of others out there.. but i like this one..

And there ya go.. easy self real time datalogging on your pc. The program is like 70 and you can find the elm327 scanner for about 20 bucks.. then you can tune your system yourself and save a bunch load of money
 
#25 ·
I just bought a new Acer small laptop 9" screen, this will be perfect :O I was just about to ask you what program you are using
 
#28 ·
i don't have that problem mad of choking. maybe it cause i'm still usuing stock injs... that's probably why i use the higher fuel jet.. i'm proabably going to tune it to around 11.5:1 here shortly and see what the plugs look like. Dyno.. just what the laptop says.. don't know how accurate that is.. it says 290@wheels and 233wtq.. but i'll see in a few weeks. n/a was dyno at 209 whp and 144wtq.. and a lovely 5.6sec 0-60 at the drag strip.. 13.8@101.. so we'll see what happens next time i go.. like you.. hopein for mid-low 12's
 
#30 ·
mid to low 12's? Im not sure about low 12's but 12.6-12.9 I can see happening if your car truley makes 290 at the wheels at 233 torque on a dyno and you have the right set of drag radials or real slicks
 
#32 ·
sorry man lol... its better to aim low and over shoot then to aim high and don't make it? :thumb:
 
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