Nitrous on 4.0

[05SportTrac]

I have a 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac with 15,000 miles on it. I was wondering how much nitrous will it hold without messing up the transmission or motor. Also which rear end comes in the Sport Tracs? I know it has the 3.73 gear but not sure on the rear end. Its a 4x2 if that makes any difference not sure.


Thanks Donald

 

[snocross1985]

Rear axle is a Ford 8.8".

 

[spindlecone]

I have a 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac with 15,000 miles on it. I was wondering how much nitrous will it hold without messing up the transmission or motor. Also which rear end comes in the Sport Tracs? I know it has the 3.73 gear but not sure on the rear end. Its a 4x2 if that makes any difference not sure.


Thanks Donald

Don
Don't go there (nitrous),even with the best of tunes and gas your Hypertec pistons will not take kindley to any detonation issues.
You can pick up 30 RWHP with boltons and a flasher, any more H.P than taht and you may have drivetrain issues

 

[CQ7String]

I had nitrous on my last car (2000 V6 Eclipse). Honestly if you're not a tuner, and you don't have some serious patience, I wouldn't recommend it.

I ran a dry kit, 75/85, two stage shot on stock internals with a window switch. I'm not familiar enough with the Explorer's internals to recommend a shot, but if you're serious enough, "how much nitrous can it hold" isn't detailed enough.

Your budget determines a lot. Generally you can run a bit higher on a wet kit than with a dry, but wet kits are a lot more money. Also know that it's not just a bottle and an activator - you're going to need lines, colder plugs, at the VERY least an Air/Fuel gauge, and more often than not something like the Apexi S-AFC to tune it with.

If you want to just slap in the kit, tap your intake and push the button, it'll work, but not for very long. If you aren't tuning and getting enough gas to your motor, well - lean condition + motor full of nitrous = kaboom.

Good luck.

 

[ffejeroni]

I had Nitrous on my '99 4.0 OHV, it was cool, but I am paying for it now with my 3rd tranny and major engine problems Best advise=no dice!!

 

[BeauJ]

A wet system is more safe, but also more expensive. It mixes with your injectors to make a safe mixture instead of just coming in with air through the intake. A Dry 50-75 shot would be safe IMHO with Iridium plugs, chip, and different plug wires. The only thing bad about the engine is the Hyperuetic pistons: very weak. As long as you aren't using the shot constantly, you should be fine.

 

[05SportTrac]

This isn't my first go around with nitrous. I've had it on my two other vehicles and am pretty much prepared for the instal. I have availability to both a wet and a dry kit, but would like to use the dry for safety reason(fuel solenoids defecctive = nitrous and no extra fuel). I was just wandering how much the tranmission and bottem end can handle. I've already got a set of NGK 6 and a set of NGK 7s for this motor. Both of my other engines also has hypereutectic pistons and did fine(both had well over 130,000 miles on the motor)

 

[Doug904]

This isn't my first go around with nitrous. I've had it on my two other vehicles and am pretty much prepared for the instal. I have availability to both a wet and a dry kit, but would like to use the dry for safety reason(fuel solenoids defecctive = nitrous and no extra fuel). I was just wandering how much the tranmission and bottem end can handle. I've already got a set of NGK 6 and a set of NGK 7s for this motor. Both of my other engines also has hypereutectic pistons and did fine(both had well over 130,000 miles on the motor)

Hey guy,

You can run a dry kit but you'll wanna shoot in it before the MAF and also have it Dyno tuned for it. This way the MAF will account for the additional fuel requirements. Yes, I know it sounds weird but I've done it for over a year with my Whipple truck and do it normally on a 03-04 Cobra's. This is also the way it is done on some LS-1's.

The Sport Trac's have a returnless fuel system that is much different then that of a Mustang as it doesn't increase fuel pressure electronically. Nor is the fuel pressure regulator on the rail, yes it looks like one and would be one if it had a return line but it is nothing more then a pulse dampner. The regulator is in the fuel tank and cannot be modified.

Now for the 4.0 engine itself with a safe tune you're looking at a 50-75hp shot without any engine troubles. As I'm sure you know with your nitrous experience it's all in the a/f ratio and the plugs and it sounds like you're on the right track with the plugs although you have the wrong ones. You need NGK TR7-1's or TR6-1's as the 4.0 SOHC from 01' and up uses a 1/4 inch longer spark plug. Yes, I know the NGK site nor Autozone shows this but remove one and you'll see what I mean.

As for the tranny and rear end, the rear end you'll be fine with. The 8.8 can handle quite a bit. As for the tranny, if it's an auto stick with the 50 shot, if it's a stick you may get away with the 75 for a while but eventually your clutch will start slipping.


I'm over in Alabama just north or Birmingham and I plan on coming to Warner Robbins soon as I do Dyno tuning there on occasions, I also tune in B'ham. Just let me know if I can help.

The biggest part is the tune, who ever you use make sure it's safe and done on a dyno or with a wideband 02.

Thanks, Doug.

 

[spindlecone]

Do what Doug says, been there, done that

 

[05SportTrac]

Hey guy,

You can run a dry kit but you'll wanna shoot in it before the MAF and also have it Dyno tuned for it. This way the MAF will account for the additional fuel requirements. Yes, I know it sounds weird but I've done it for over a year with my Whipple truck and do it normally on a 03-04 Cobra's. This is also the way it is done on some LS-1's.

The Sport Trac's have a returnless fuel system that is much different then that of a Mustang as it doesn't increase fuel pressure electronically. Nor is the fuel pressure regulator on the rail, yes it looks like one and would be one if it had a return line but it is nothing more then a pulse dampner. The regulator is in the fuel tank and cannot be modified.

Now for the 4.0 engine itself with a safe tune you're looking at a 50-75hp shot without any engine troubles. As I'm sure you know with your nitrous experience it's all in the a/f ratio and the plugs and it sounds like you're on the right track with the plugs although you have the wrong ones. You need NGK TR7-1's or TR6-1's as the 4.0 SOHC from 01' and up uses a 1/4 inch longer spark plug. Yes, I know the NGK site nor Autozone shows this but remove one and you'll see what I mean.

As for the tranny and rear end, the rear end you'll be fine with. The 8.8 can handle quite a bit. As for the tranny, if it's an auto stick with the 50 shot, if it's a stick you may get away with the 75 for a while but eventually your clutch will start slipping.


I'm over in Alabama just north or Birmingham and I plan on coming to Warner Robbins soon as I do Dyno tuning there on occasions, I also tune in B'ham. Just let me know if I can help.

The biggest part is the tune, who ever you use make sure it's safe and done on a dyno or with a wideband 02.

Thanks, Doug.

So, even though it has a returnless fuel system a dry kit could still be used correct?

 

[rocket 5979]

A wet system is more safe, but also more expensive. It mixes with your injectors to make a safe mixture instead of just coming in with air through the intake. A Dry 50-75 shot would be safe IMHO with Iridium plugs, chip, and different plug wires. The only thing bad about the engine is the Hyperuetic pistons: very weak. As long as you aren't using the shot constantly, you should be fine.

Ditto.....and also....One heat range colder plugs...




Doug - Spraying pre-MAF, though quite popular, is still a somewhat ghetto way to account for the shot of nitrous coming into the intake. Best way to do it is just get a flipchip and custom tune for it. Do that along with a bottle heater to keep the temp/pressure consistant and things will be great. Spraying too close pre-MAF can possibly damage the element in there, that is why I dont reccomend this.

 

[Doug904]

Ditto.....and also....One heat range colder plugs...




Doug - Spraying pre-MAF, though quite popular, is still a somewhat ghetto way to account for the shot of nitrous coming into the intake. Best way to do it is just get a flipchip and custom tune for it. Do that along with a bottle heater to keep the temp/pressure consistant and things will be great. Spraying too close pre-MAF can possibly damage the element in there, that is why I dont reccomend this.

Yes, You are right with this but it is far from Ghetto. I'm not saying go out and plumb it up and spray the day away but have it tuned for this. This is actually one of the best ways to monitor the new airmass that is going into the engine. What does nitrous do? Condenses air by cooling it off right? Well this air then flows through the MAF and then it can measure it and tell the PCM the correct load and other values to account for with it.

Make sure you have a 6-8 inch section before the MAF that you locate the nozzle in. Also spraying Nitrous won't damage the MAF, if you spray it directly on the MAF elements then you could possibly cause a freezing condition but it is only a gas. You would still have to position the nozzle very close to the MAF elements and spray it for a long time to do this. Mine actually sprays downward on top of the panel type airfilter and then mixes with the air going into the MAF.

The MAIN thing to remember here is your are going to NEED a dynotune to ensure you are doing this safely. Ghetto is just going out and hooking it up and wishing for the best.

Later Doug.

 

[spindlecone]

Don
JMO but your trac engine is not meant nor built to take a NOS hit of say 75.
The tuners will tell you all day it can be done (no problem)
You and others that have posted on this thread may have alot of experiance with NOS, but you have an 05 with 21K miles of warranty left.
I ran a 50 shot in my 03 for awhile (wet) loads of fun but expensive running homemade 95 octane and going thru .4 lbs of NOS every 10 seconds, a ten lb bottle gets pricy to fill every few days.
But just do it. let us know how it works out, have fun

 

[05SportTrac]

Doug, can you pm some prices for a dynotune?

 

[rocket 5979]

Yes, You are right with this but it is far from Ghetto. I'm not saying go out and plumb it up and spray the day away but have it tuned for this. This is actually one of the best ways to monitor the new airmass that is going into the engine. What does nitrous do? Condenses air by cooling it off right? Well this air then flows through the MAF and then it can measure it and tell the PCM the correct load and other values to account for with it.

Make sure you have a 6-8 inch section before the MAF that you locate the nozzle in. Also spraying Nitrous won't damage the MAF, if you spray it directly on the MAF elements then you could possibly cause a freezing condition but it is only a gas. You would still have to position the nozzle very close to the MAF elements and spray it for a long time to do this. Mine actually sprays downward on top of the panel type airfilter and then mixes with the air going into the MAF.

The MAIN thing to remember here is your are going to NEED a dynotune to ensure you are doing this safely. Ghetto is just going out and hooking it up and wishing for the best.

Later Doug.

Sorry Doug maybe I came off a little smart-assish in my reply. Ghetto may have been too harsh of a word but I think that in the way it is mainly used that it is a band-aid mod in most versions. Allot of people tend to think that spraying pre-MAF will allow a person the luxury of not having to tune, read dynotune, things. Spraying pre-MAF may be ok if you know what your doing and have set these things up before. Allot of people including even some nitrous installers and "mechanics" do not. If I were to use nitrous pre-MAF I would go with a blow through MAF and place it closer to the TB (but not too close) than I would normally do in a regular N/A setup so as to allow the nitro to atomize into the intake stream and evaporate into gaseous form as much as possible. I have seen people go with a drawthrough MAS setup and punch and thread a hole into the end of the filter cap and spray from there almost directly onto the MAF element. These werent just Honda ricers either. I seen allot of the 03 Cobra crowd doing this to my dismay. EEK! I dont mean to scare anyone off of nitrous. I actually love it and thus am a big supporter of it if used correctly. Spraying pre or post MAF is a personal preference based on further mods, including if you will be supercharging later on and if so what type. I would have to say the bigest mandatory thing would be DYNO-TUNE w/ wideband!!! Do not run a shot on the street without it.