Nitrous Kit

A Nitrous Kit is a system that injects nitrous oxide gas into a car's engine to create a temporary but dramatic increase in horsepower and acceleration.

Think of nitrous oxide as a power booster for engines. When you press the activation button (often called "hitting the bottle"), liquid nitrous oxide shoots into the engine where it breaks down and releases extra oxygen. This extra oxygen allows the engine to burn more fuel, creating a bigger explosion in each cylinder and producing significantly more power.

The nitrous kit includes several key components: a pressurized tank (called a bottle) that holds liquid nitrous oxide, tubes to carry the nitrous to the engine, electronic valves that control the flow, and nozzles that spray the nitrous into the engine's intake system.

There are two main types of nitrous systems. A "wet" system injects both nitrous oxide and extra fuel together, while a "dry" system only injects nitrous and relies on the car's existing fuel system to provide the additional fuel needed for the bigger combustion.

Nitrous kits are extremely popular in drag racing because they provide instant power when you need it most. Unlike turbochargers or superchargers that run constantly, nitrous gives you bursts of power on demand. A typical system might add 50 to 200 extra horsepower for 10-15 seconds at a time.

However, using nitrous puts extra stress on engine parts, so the engine must be strong enough to handle the increased power. The nitrous supply is also limited - once the bottle is empty, you need to refill it. Additionally, nitrous systems may not be legal for street use in some areas, making them primarily a track-only modification.

The cooling effect of nitrous expansion also helps increase power by making the air entering the engine denser, allowing even more fuel to be burned efficiently.