Our first order of business was to find a location for the nozzles. On the Edelbrock Victor 5.0 EFI manifold, you can only really install them in the bend on the top of the runners. There is also the plenum plate, but the nozzle is far enough away from the runner that it could jump runners, which sort of defeats the purpose of a direct port setup. Installing them in the bend of the runner isn't a problem, but hood clearance may be. We measured our engine deck-to-hood height and then mocked the nozzle up on the intake and measured that. We're cutting it close, even with a six-inch tall cowl hood, but we've got enough. People with Windsor engines with a taller deck height may have to make further modifications.
Once the location was chosen, Induction Solutions started with the installation. Turnaround time for a manifold like this is generally one to two weeks, depending on how busy it is in the shop. Sure, it is possible for the enthusiast to plumb the system on his or her own, and most of the time this works fine. If you want a professional result that comes with 24/7 tech support, then you're better off having a company like Induction Solutions perform the installation.
In addition to the manifold modifications and plumbing required to do such a job, IS also has a blueprinting procedure for their systems that they have developed over years of experience with nitrous systems. This blueprinting ensures that the system flows what it is expected to, and that it does it with proper distribution. They flow test the systems and map out jetting sizes so that the end user will know exactly what changes will do what, and that everything is repeatable. They also offer tech support, and the staff can be found at most of the major heads-up races rendering fender-side help and advice.
With that said, and the new direct port-injected Victor 5.0 manifold bolted back on the Fox-body Mustang, it was time to go back to the track. The coupe's previous best elapsed time was a 10.12 at 126 mph. Fast for sure, but a little over the edge, as it resulted in a burned piston. That's when our man Vic installed the single E1 nozzle for 150 hp. Distribution problems were relatively solved and the car, with a new piston, throttled to a 10.28 at 130 mph. Our first time out with the fogger, Steve Johnson jetted the direct port for 200 hp. You don't want to go hog wild right out of the gate if you don't have to. The Mustang responded with a quarter-mile time of 10.21 at 132 mph.
After Johnson looked at the plugs, we pulled two jet numbers from the No. 6 cylinder to richen it up. We also pulled 2 degrees of timing to see if the car slowed.
"With the small block Fords, I like to pull timing until the car slows," says Johnson. "If you pull it and it goes the same, then you were probably close to detonation." A better 1.36-second 60-ft time netted a 10.01 at 132 on attempt number two, and after pulling two more degrees of timing (22 total), we ran a 10.13 at 132.58 on pass number 3. A bit of tire shake caused the short time to slow to 1.44 seconds.
We reviewed the plugs again, and even though we had yet to see the speed drop off from the pulled timing, Johnson felt comfortable enough to let us bump the jets two numbers for an additional 50 hp. We also pulled two more degrees of timing and with a 1.42 short time, the coupe charged to a best ever 9.98 at 135.01 mph. We backed up the 9.98 with a 10.01 at 134.89 and a 10.13 at 134.58. The latter was with a wheel-spinning 1.51 short time.
We called it a day, and a successful one at that. What's better than the improved track times is the fact that the motor was in perfectly good shape and ready for more action. If you're looking to step up your nitrous game, the Edelbrock Super Victor Direct Port system will get the job done. We'll be bringing our little black notchback back to the track with more nitrous in an upcoming issue, and we'll also be installing Edelbrock's progressive nitrous controller to keep a handle on it.
The nitrous solenoids and...
The nitrous solenoids and lines are plumbed next.
The ground wires for the solenoids...
The ground wires for the solenoids are run to this terminal, which was drilled and tapped, into the manifold. Both the power and ground wires are routed under the intake for a neat appearance.
Gene Johnson of Induction...
Gene Johnson of Induction Solutions checks the orifice of each jet before installing them into the nozzles. This ensures that there is nothing clogged or stuck in the jet, and that it was manufactured properly. This is part of the nitrous system blueprinting procedure that Induction Solutions follows to ensure that the product is turnkey and trouble-free right out of the box.
Edelbrock'S Director of Motorsports...
Edelbrock'S Director of Motorsports and proprietor of Induction Solutions Steve Johnson (left) and car owner Vic Cox II (right) pulled the spark plugs after every pass to check how each cylinder was burning. Cox also employs a wide-band air/fuel meter in the car to monitor while making each run.
The direct port system virtually...
The direct port system virtually rams the nitrous and fuel into the cylinders. Here you can see how easy it is to tune each cylinder individually.
Black 5.0 notchbacks seem...
Black 5.0 notchbacks seem to be the track car of choice, and our test vehicle falls right in that category. On the single E1 nozzle, the car ran a best quarter-mile time of 10.28 at 130 mph with 150hp jets. With the direct port hosing down each cylinder, the car's quarter-mile time improved to 9.98 at 135 mph.
The finished product is nothing...
The finished product is nothing short of a work of art. The EFI manifold design really dictated the location of the nozzles, so hood clearance should be addressed before any stainless steel is bent.
Edelbrock's E3 nozzle is a...
Edelbrock's E3 nozzle is a straight-shot design that offers better atomization. There's no compromise in making the fuel and nitrous turn 90 degrees, as with many fogger nozzles on the market.
To supply the direct port...
To supply the direct port setup, we opted to use Edelbrock's Bottle Finish Kit. Once we step up the amount of nitrous, we may need to add another bottle.