Bottleless Nitrous Kit Systems Explained - No Bulky Tanks Needed

Nitrous Kit Basics

Nitrous oxide injection systems, commonly known as nitrous kits, are popular modifications for automotive enthusiasts seeking more power from their engines. Nitrous kits work by introducing additional oxygen into the engine's combustion chambers, allowing more fuel to be burned and boosting horsepower significantly.

Standard nitrous kits utilize a bottle or tank to store compressed nitrous oxide gas, which is then injected into the engine. However, some choose to run their nitrous systems without a bottle. The most common bottleless setup uses a direct port water/methanol injection system to produce nitrous oxide right in the intake manifold.

How Nitrous Kits Create Power

Nitrous oxide molecules contain extra oxygen that is released during combustion, allowing the engine to burn more fuel efficiently. This provides a burst of power, sometimes over 100 HP, by permitting higher combustion pressures inside the engine.

The additional oxygen and fuel that nitrous provides essentially creates temporary forced induction. Just like with turbochargers or superchargers, the engine can produce more power when there is more air and fuel available in each cylinder.

Reasons to Run Without a Bottle

Dedicated nitrous bottles add weight and take up cargo space in vehicles. They also require periodically refilling the nitrous tank when emptied. For these reasons, some nitrous users prefer the convenience of bottleless nitrous kits.

Bottleless nitrous setups generate nitrous on-demand using methanol or water injection systems, eliminating the need for constantly refilling bulky nitrous bottles. This allows packaging the entire nitrous system, including the nitrous supply, all under the hood.

How Bottleless Nitrous Systems Work

The key components of a bottleless nitrous system are an electronically controlled methanol/water injection pump and a nitrous solenoid. Sensors monitor engine load and automatically trigger precise injection events when nitrous is called for.

Water/Methanol Injection

A water/methanol fluid tank mounts in the engine bay and connects to an injection pump. Under acceleration, this pump sprays a fine mist of the water/methanol mixture into the engine's incoming air stream.

As the mist vaporizes, it absorbs a tremendous amount of heat. This intercooling effect cools and densifies the air, allowing more oxygen to enter the cylinders. The water and methanol also convert partially into hydrogen and oxygen gases upon vaporizing.

Nitrous Solenoid

Mounting a nitrous solenoid near the intake system allows precise control over the nitrous flow. When the water/methanol injection occurs, the nitrous solenoid briefly opens in sync. This allows the sudden release of nitrous oxide gas from the solenoid to mix with the cooling water/methanol mist.

The combined effect produces an intake charge packed densely with oxygen molecules, ready to burn extra fuel for that surge of nitrous power.

Fuel Enrichment

To balance the extra oxygen from the nitrous injection, the engine's ECU or an external controller provides additional fuel. Sometimes an extra fuel solenoid and nozzle mounted in the intake provides the extra fuel. Upgraded high-flow fuel injectors combined with re-mapping the ECU offers the best control.

The engine's air/fuel ratio is closely monitored by a wideband oxygen sensor. This tuning feedback ensures the optimal 12.5:1 or richer air/fuel mixture required when on nitrous. Leaner mixtures risk catastrophic engine damage.

Advantages Over Nitrous Bottles

Going bottleless with your nitrous kit keeps weight low and frees up interior space normally taken up by bulky nitrous cylinders. It also comes with a few other advantages:

Consistent Nitrous Supply

Bottle pressure varies during a pass as nitrous is used up, affecting power delivery. In contrast, electronically controlled bottleless systems inject a constant supply of nitrous for more predictable power outputs.

No Bottlenecking

High horsepower engines can sometimes overwhelm the flow capacity of a nitrous bottle's output. Bottleless systems generate nitrous separately, eliminating the chance of the nitrous supply bottlenecking power output.

Ease of Use

No need to refill messy nitrous bottles that empty quickly thanks to their compact size. The water/methanol tank can be topped off easily and lasts far longer between refills.

Lower Operating Costs

Purchasing autorefills or refilling nitrous tanks grows costly over time. Water and methanol are inexpensive, cutting operational costs substantially.

Conclusion

Running nitrous without bottles takes some extra engineering, but provides exciting benefits. Carefully designed bottleless nitrous kits allow packing extra power and convenience into street machines and race vehicles without sacrificing interior space.

Modern electronic wizardry makes on-demand nitrous injection easier than ever. And the lower costs and weight savings appeal to automotive enthusiasts focused on performance, not just appearances.

FAQs

How much power can I expect from a bottleless nitrous kit?

You can expect power gains of 75-150 HP, similar to traditional nitrous kits. The maximum boost depends on the nitrous system design and capability of your engine and fuel system to supply extra fuel.

What maintenance is required for bottleless nitrous kits?

The water/methanol tank will need topped off occasionally when low. It's a good idea to periodically check lines for leaks and filters for debris. An annual rebuild of the nitrous solenoid helps keep the system operating reliably.

Can I adjust the nitrous output for different power levels?

Yes, with electronic nitrous controllers you can dial in varying levels of nitrous output. This allows tuning the system for optimum performance.

Will bottleless nitrous work on diesel trucks?

Diesel engines can be difficult to run nitrous on since they rely solely on intake air density for combustion instead of a throttle plate. However, some companies offer nitrous kits purpose-built for specific diesel vehicles.