Nitrous (was: Schrick manifold gains?)

[posaune <llopez05@snet.net>]

Billy T. wrote:

> Bolt up a 100 shot of NOS on a bone stock VR6, for 500 bucks, and it
> will
> run circles around a car with 3000 dollars worth of bolt ons...

Until the bottle is empty...   :P

I'm interested in this discussion mainly because I'm bored, but I always
wonder why people who don't drag race use nitrous.  My problem with it,
besides the above -- having to get refills, having to spend more money
every time you hit it -- is that it includes all of the driveability
problems of a turbo while being temporary (I could, in theory, drive all
the way from CT to CA on the floor with a supercharger and nothing will
change -- the Nitrous will eventually go away).

Problems with a turbo include lag, and instant power when on boost.
This is why a [high pressure] turbo is rather hard to drive well in the
twisties.  A low pressure turbo I guess would be better, a supercharger
better still, and cams and a manifold the best for that kind of driving
(which is what *I* do for fun).  Sometimes absolute power won't get you
there the fastest.

But that enpty bottle thing is what gets me the most -- I just always
think of nitrous as temporary power.  I do too much long distance
travelling for that.  All of the other parts are there forever (or until
you take them off) -- no question as to whether you are going to get
your power or not (except in the case of catastrouphic failure--which is
possible with nitrous too).

This matters with cost too.  How much does a bottle run?  If I plan to
keep my car for a long, long time (which I do), and I drive it -uhhh-
spritely most of the time (which I do), that cost is going to add up
considerably.

Then there is the weight of the bottle...
and the fact that it takes up precious trunk or interior space...

Hey, if you like it, cool, but it just seems to me to be a band aid fix
or a drag racing tool.  Let me know why its not!  I don't claim to know
all that much about it.

And your car is still faster than mine...

...until the bottle is empty



-erik
'97 Jetta GLX "lurking on this list since the beginning of time, but
rarely talking" edition
'83 Rabbit GTI "somebody give me a sledge for the lower rear strut bolt,
damnit" edition