Well n20 builds cylinder pressure like boost does... but differently right.

so my question is simple. if i run enough boost to squeeze an extra 200 horsepower out of a motor, then i run enough nitrous to squeeze 200 horsepower out of that motor, will the stresses imposed by both be equal?

 

I would think that if your bottom end can handle 200 extra horsepower from a non intercooled roots blower, then it can handle a 200hp dose of nitrous. I think its trickier going backwards, and asking the question if a motor can handle a 200 shot of nitrous, can it handle enough boost to make 200 extra horsepower. stock hyp. piston, stock rod, stock rod bolt, stock crank LT1 car owners run 180 and 200 shots...

 

It all comes down to cylinder pressure. Your engine doesn't know the difference between cylinder pressure caused by nitrous or boost, but those two methods create cylinder pressure differently.

Esentially, belt-driven supercharged boost varies with RPM, keeping low RPM cylinder pressure easily within limits. Nitrous horsepower is constant, regardless of RPM (would add 200hp throughout the RPM range in your case), which would cause extreme cylinder pressures at low RPMs. The key to maximizing the effectiveness of such a powerful shot is to use a progressive nitrous controller. It will allow you to launch on the bottle and then slowly increase the delivery of nitrous untill the desired hp level is reached, all without exceeding cylinder pressure safety limits (that is, if you tune it correctly).

IMO, if your car could handle a 200hp increase from a non-intercooled blower, then it could easily handle a 250hp shot of nitrous, or possibly more (by elimintaing the parasitic loss from the old blower and providing the motor with a colder intake charge via nitrous over a non-intercooled blower).

Just my 0.2
Kyle

 

Good points. The only difference i can think of in the cylinder pressure created by boost and nitrous would be that boost gradually increases cylinder pressure while nitrous essentially shocks the motor with the addition of cylinder pressure.

 

What is the burn rate of N2O compared to O2. My understanding is that N2O is a bit more volatile. It burns faster, which means it expands faster. Does the burn rate of O2 increase when it's under pressure though? Does any of this have a significant impact on the stresses on the internals of the engine?

 

unknown host nailed it on the head, the nitrous makes the extra 200hp instantly, that is a huge shock on the engine, that boost would never create.


adam