So the term "typo" wouldn't be allowed then? Because I missed a couple of words? My meaning was true but you are being nitpicky. It doesn't matter who started the thread. It matters the PURPOSE of the thread. Drop these shenannigans and get on with HELPFUL nitrous info or..
START...ANOTHER..THREAD! Sheezus!


BillBeau... I never said 4 bangers were high horse makers. But an engine doesn't need astronomical numbers to make decent 1/4 times when coupled with a 2500 lbs car. I never tried saying the imports made 50000000 horses. Just defending why we mod and the fact that we CAN produce some decent numbers. True, if I wanted 500-600 horse I would have bought a SB 350, Hemi, or big block. But I don't. I want MPG's and "decent" power for my application. I don't want to shred my 20's everytime I touch the throttle. I just want to be able to get out of my own way! So if nitrous can do that, or a turbo/super charger application, then so be it. I'll still average over 30mpg's on the highway!

 

Im down for that. Im not dissin on on ya. I just cant see spending the money for small hp increases. Like hp/$$.

I realize most folks here arnt from California. Here in California there making it harder and harder to do motor mods. You cant modify anything between the maf and cats. The only mods allowed between there has to have a CARB cert (California Air Resource Board). Most companies do not want to pay for that cert as its upwards of 40K. With the way smog laws are now we have to get a check every two years. Headers, down pipes, after market cats wont pass visual. They may blow clean but wont pass a visual. Certain cams show up on the Dyno test.

Its so crazy here that you have to have a CARB certified gas cap on your car if you want to replace the stock for a locking one.

Now this is not to say you cant find a smog tech that for a price wont do a visual or do a sneaky dyno test. My 98 was camed and had a speed density tune cost me 300.00 to smog it every other year.

The other thing is. Cops are being trained to do spot visual smog checks here. You better have a CARB cert on that intake or header! If you dont your getting impounded. If you pull your cats its a 1500.00 fine per cat that is missing.

Now when you buy a new car you dont have to smog it for the first five years. So you can play then but after that it gets to be a real pain to mod the motor on a car that is 1976 or older. Hell even with a cold air intake alot of smog techs wont touch your car even though that will pass a visual.

I can see where more states will be adopting smog testing with the way the Govt. is going.

For me its just not worth the time changing back to stock every time I have to smog. The extra money I have to spend to get a smog not to mention the amount of money you spend these days for the small hp gain your gona get.

If im gona mod a car its gona be pre 75 and a small block. There are a million parts and there cheap.

The big plus for me is a car that is 1975 or older is smog exempt!

 

I agree, can we please return to the topic of this thread........

NITROS BABY!!!!

 

Cali sounds like a crappy place to live for making faster cars

 

I hear ya on that! My 95 Prelude had a CARB certified header from DC Sports/Airmass which I think is a derivative of Edelbrock or somplace like that. I never knew about the smog crap till then and since I live in AZ I don't have to deal with the more complex stuff that CA does... for now at least!

This is why I reccomend nitrous as a decent power adding alternative and best bang for the buck if you're just messing around. It can be removed easily enough to pass visual smog and doesn't require heavy modification to run decently on a day to day basis.

I feel bad for the CA people with the much more strict laws but I'm sure AZ will follow right in CA's footsteps as usual. Everything done on my HHR is reversable for my 5 year smog test. The catless down pipe is easily interchanged with the stock one I still have sitting at home. Thats the only thing I really have to worry about! (thank god) As minor as the power increases may be my 2.2 5spd HHR will keep up with my friend's Cobalt SS/NA with the 2.4 and quite a few mods. And I know for a fact I have outrun a couple of 2.4 auto equipped HHRs! THAT was a thrill for me!

I personally would cover everything else before I ever ran nitrous (turbo, SC, NA apps) because I want everyday power without flipping a switch. But thats me. I have experience installing nitrous on the ECOtec motor with a friend from a local cobalt board and he's keeping with the supercharged cars. Not a lot of people expect much from a blue/green 4 door Saturn Ion Sleeper as can be and runs low 14s with a decent driver! Fun stuff!

 

There is also problems with using nitrous or I should say having it installed in your car here in Ca.

If your driving around and that bottle is open watch out. Dont get pulled over. If a cop finds that bottle open it constitutes racing and you get a nice fat ticket if not impounded for racing. If the bottle is closed its no big deal. Nothing they can do as it is legal to have nitrous just illegal to use it on the street.

So to get around having to get out of your car people install the auto bottle opener.

Its a b!tch tryin to fool someone into a race when you have to get out and turn the bottle on.

My 98 Z28 I had the bottle mounted behind the pass seat. Easy enough to reach.

My 70 Camaro I had twin 15lb tanks mounted where the pass seat would have been.

 

Argh, How do you do it? Running 14's No Dis for running 14's in a Saturn but man I was board running 11's in my Z28 so I built my 70 so I could run high 8's. Man I think I would fall to sleep now that im used to low 9's and high 8's

Actually that 14 second Saturn will beat allot of the Cobras around here.

Just i9nstall a water cooled intercooler for that turbo. Just add ice to the water reservoir to really get some cold air to that motor and see what happens. You can raise the boost a little with the colder air.

Now ya can mess with the Camaros.

 

Agreed. Back to the topic, I'll stop being so argumentative. No worries. I'm cool with it now. Sorry.

 

The Saturn is only running a 65 shot. No turbo's yet. I'm trying to get my HHR turbo'd soon but will try nitrous if that doesn't pan out.

In our little motor category the 14's are decent and quick enough to shut down that little Ricer talking crap. Hell, even my piddly little 16.9 runs are enough to shut them down. The guys at the strip are impressed that while beating the ricers, v6 'stangs and older f-bodies with the economy 305's.. I'm doing it while sitting on my 20's. When I run at the track I change nothing. I'd rather know what I run on a day-to-day basis than what I run stripped out with lightweight wheels that I'll never drive on.

These ECOtec 2.2's tend to pop at around 250 lb ft/tq when the stock rods give out. Its all their rated for. However the 2.4's seem to be rated closer to the LSJ ratings of around 300 before they give.

So as far as nitrous goes. Without having to do anything but add the bottle and setup, its best not to go above a 65 shot. But still use a stage or 2 colder plugs. Stay safe!

 

That's a smart idea, IMO. Unless it's a strictly track-only vehicle, why would you need to know what it doesn't run in real life situations?