Introduction

• Nitrous oxide is an accelerant much like an oxy acetylene torch. When the acetylene gas is turned on and ignited, it burns cool and with excessive smoke. Add oxygen to the acetylene, and all of a sudden, the flame jumps to in excess of 1800 degrees. Nitrous oxide accelerates fuel in much the same manner. It acts somewhat like a supercharger in as much as it allows much more air and fuel to ignite in the cylinders, creating tremendous pressure. Nitrous oxide and fuel are injected into the cylinders in a balanced mixture that keeps the additional heat at an acceptable limit.
  
  

Nitrous Solenoids

• The nitrous solenoids are available in different sizes depending on the amount of nitrous used. The primary purpose of the solenoid is to act as a valve turning on and off both the nitrous and the fuel. There are several ways of actuating the solenoids. Nitrous can only be used when the throttle is wide open. If nitrous is used at anything less than wide-open throttle, severe damage can occur within milliseconds.
  
  

• There are two safe ways to activate the solenoids: put a micro switch at the base of the firewall, under the gas pedal, or put a micro switch on the carburetor where the throttle valve will depress the switch when wide open throttle is obtained. The most popular way for the professional to actuate the solenoid is by installing a switch on the steering wheel or on the gearshift. Gearshift knobs can be purchased with a built-in switch.
  
  

• The solenoids are installed on the intake manifold. The nitrous tank is usually in the trunk with a line running up to the nitrous solenoid, and a separate fuel line from a fuel pressure regulator to the fuel solenoid. There are two methods of injection into the manifold. The first is a plate that goes under the carburetor and has two tubes running through the center of it, with holes for the mixture and a solenoid on either side. The second method is to use individual nozzles for each cylinder. These nozzles have provisions for fuel and nitrous.