If you’re an ATV or UTV enthusiast looking to unleash the full potential of your off-road vehicle, the use of Nitrous Oxide (NOS) could be a game-changer. NOS, also known as “laughing gas,” has gained popularity as a performance-enhancing substance that can provide a significant power boost to your ATV or UTV.
Whether your goal is to achieve greater acceleration, improve top speed, or enhance overall performance capabilities, understanding how and why to incorporate NOS into your off-road vehicle is crucial for unlocking its full potential while maintaining the integrity and reliability of your ATV or UTV.
However, it’s important to approach the use of NOS with caution and responsibility to ensure both optimal performance and safety. In this article, we’ll explore the reasons why you might consider using NOS in your ATV or UTV, as well as the essential methods and precautions necessary for its safe and effective implementation. So you want to keep reading to learn more!
How does nitrous oxide work and why should I consider using it?
Let me explain what nitrous oxide is and how it works so you can understand why it can be an exceptional tool for your ATV or UTV. Nitrous oxide, also known as NOS, is a gas composed of nitrogen and oxygen. When heated and compressed, nitrous oxide undergoes a breakdown into its two components—nitrogen and oxygen. This breakdown occurs during the compression stroke when the engine fires.
By introducing nitrous oxide into your engine, you increase the oxygen content in the cylinder. This, in turn, allows your engine to burn more fuel at a faster rate, resulting in a significant power increase. It’s important to note that there are limits to how much nitrous oxide an engine can handle. However, for now, keep in mind that this is how nitrous oxide provides you with additional horsepower for your ATV or UTV.
Is Nitrous Safe For The Engine?
Yes, nitrous oxide (NOS) can be safe for your engine if you use it correctly. It’s important to address the misconception that NOS is inherently harmful. The truth is that people often damage their engines by improperly using nitrous oxide, which gives them a bad reputation. One of the common mistakes is constantly pushing for more and more horsepower without considering the engine’s limits.
Interestingly, there are scenarios where using nitrous oxide can be safer on a stock engine compared to a modified one. Let me explain why this is the case for you. As we discussed earlier, nitrous oxide introduces more oxygen into the engine and allows for increased fuel combustion. Consequently, this raises the pressure in your cylinders. Now, if you’ve already modified your machine with a high-compression piston and then added the additional compression from nitrous, it becomes a recipe for disaster.
Although using nitrous oxide constantly over time can lead to increased wear and tear on your engine, using it responsibly and in moderation will have a minimal impact on engine strain. By being cautious and mindful of your engine’s limits, you can enjoy the benefits of nitrous oxide without compromising the durability and reliability of your ATV or UTV engine.
Why Use Nitrous In An ATV Or UTV?
You may have already guessed the biggest reason for using nitrous in the first place, to go faster! You press a little button and feel the engine kick into overdrive, giving you a boost of speed, not to mention it’s super fun.
Nitrous is best used on a straight away in the higher gears of the machine. That is not the only time it’s useful, but if you’re just starting out with NOS I’d recommend you stick to that rule of thumb. It’s not going to help you all that much going at slower speeds or going through mud or rough terrain.
Remember, it won’t give you more noticeable pulling power for hauling trailers or things around. It burns more fuel and gives you a boost of speed. A lot of people use nitrous in drag races. These races are all in a straight line, from point A to point B as fast as you can. You will notice a faster acceleration as well.
Types Of Nitrous Systems
A couple of things to consider here, there are two types of nitrous systems and four types of delivery methods. We’ll talk about which is best for what type of engine. The two types of nitrous systems are wet and dry.
The four delivery methods are single nozzle, direct port, plate, and bar. A single nozzle system is probably what you are going to be using for an ATV or UTV so let’s stick with that for this explanation.
Dry
Dry systems usually use the single nozzle delivery method and are not good for engines with a carburetor. The manifold stays dry in this system because the extra fuel is provided by the fuel injectors, which is where it gets its name from.
Wet
If you have a fuel-injected engine or direct-injected engine I advise you to use the dry method. This is because the intake system is designed for air only, not for nitrous air mix. It may still work and people do still do it. But a carburetor system more evenly distributes air and fuel into the chambers, so you mostly see a wet system on a carburetor.
Which Nitrous Kit Should I Get For My ATV Or UTV?
This depends a lot on what you plan on using the nitrous for. If you’re going to be racing and don’t mind the added wear and tear on the machine, I would say go for a nice 10lb bottle setup.
For example, check out this Nitrous Express Proton Plus Nitrous System on Amazon to give you an idea of what you’re looking for. This is a full kit with everything you need to get nitrous on your machine. It has great ratings and is made of quality well-built parts.
It includes the stainless braided nozzle lines, extra long braided stainless feed line, stainless fuel line, master arming switch, and the nozzle adapter all in one kit.
This next example is somewhere in the middle. It’s a kit you can use here and there to give you an extra boost, but also holds 10oz so you don’t have to be changing nitrous containers out all the time. The NOS Sneaky Pete Nitrous Kit is very popular for small engines like ATVs and UTVs but people have even put these on go carts to gain an extra boost of speed.
The sneaky Pete uses a 9-volt battery for power and is a portable system. Meaning it’s really easy to install and uninstall. This setup is for use on carburetor engines only though. If you have a fuel-injected engine, don’t buy this, you will have to return it.
This next example is great for two-stroke engines. This is the cheapest of the examples so far, but it still gets good ratings and comes with complete instructions for doing the installation. The Small Engine NOS NO2 Nitrous Oxide Kit on Amazon is popular for off-road machines as well as motorcycles.
The cost per performance upgrade is the big selling point for this option. This setup is about a quarter the price of some of the big-name nitrous brands.
The installation is pretty simple and straightforward forward too. Here is a picture showing it attached to the handlebars, this is the button you will press to send nitrous to the engine.
This system was designed to give you an extra 20 percent horsepower with the throttle wide open. No wiring is needed with this system and the manufacturer boasts the installation will only take a few minutes with basic hand tools.
How should I approach using nitrous oxide in my ATV or UTV?
It is essential to educate yourself about nitrous oxide systems, consult with experts, and carefully follow the manufacturer’s instructions. You can start with lower nitrous oxide levels and gradually increase as you become more familiar with its effects. Regular maintenance and monitoring of your engine’s parameters are crucial to ensure optimal performance and safety.
Can I install a nitrous oxide system myself, or should I seek professional help?
Installing a nitrous oxide system can be complex. In my recommendation, you should seek professional assistance, especially if you are not experienced with such installations. Professionals can ensure proper installation, integration, and safety measures are in place to avoid any potential issues.
Sum It Up
To finish up here I wanted to make sure you understand that nitrous can be a fun and easy way to get more speed from your engine, but it can cause wear and tear or damage your engine if you use it wrong.
Don’t be on the bottle all day long. That just means don’t be constantly sending nitrous to your engine the whole time you’re riding. Don’t spray an excessive amount of nitrous into the engine. Don’t keep using nitrous if you’re maxing out the engine already.
If you use nitrous responsibly, it can be a fun way to blow past your friends leaving them in the dust wondering what just happened. To see some of the riding gear I’ve tried and tested for you, visit the Recommended Section of this site.
Thanks so much for reading to the end!