Nitrous oxide is just plain fun. That kick-in-the-pants feeling when it hits is unmistakable and adds excitement to any ride. Additional horsepower at the push of a button gives you a different feeling of acceleration than any forced-induction or high-power N/A engine. The idea of power-on-demand at an affordable price is appealing to many, and can be a viable option for the street and track.
Since FoMoCo changed the base engine in the V-6 Mustang, it's no longer looked at as the red-headed stepchild of Ford's performance lineup--and those who think it is haven't been behind the wheel of one yet. We've already shown you that with some bolt-ons and a little boost, 400 rwhp isn't hard to achieve.
We were also curious to see how the 3.7L V-6 would respond when injected with some giggle gas. Matt LaRue of Pro Fab Performance (Thonotosassa, Florida) contacted us about a project he was working on that fit the bill perfectly--a '12 Yellow Blaze V-6 with an NOS nitrous kit. Bullfrog Performance Speed Shop in Zephyrhills, Florida, enlisted him to handle installation.
Nitrous Oxide Systems (NOS) sent us one of its Power Fogger EFI Nitrous Oxide Systems for the six-banger. The kit uses a single Fogger nozzle, which combines fuel and nitrous before it's injected into the engine for a power boost of up to 75 horsepower.
The system is TPS activated at full throttle using a window switch that is built into the included controller. This is a safety feature that ensures the system isn't activated at part throttle or outside on the optimal rpm window.
Follow along as we install and dyno test NOS' Power Fogger EFI Nitrous Oxide kit on a '12 V-6 Mustang.
Our V-6 nitrous install is...
Our V-6 nitrous install is based around Nitrous Oxide System's (NOS) Power Fogger EFI Nitrous Oxide kit. The kit is TPS-activated and uses a single nozzle to blend nitrous and fuel before it's injected into the intake stream for a boost of up to 75 horsepower.
1 We also added one of NOS'...
1 We also added one of NOS' purge valves. This will help control bottle pressure and get all the unwanted air out of the lines, ensuring a harder hit at the track.
2 Our test car showed up...
2 Our test car showed up sporting an Airaid cold-air intake and Roush mufflers, with a set of Ford Racing 3.73 gears helping increase acceleration.
3 Matt LaRue, owner of Pro...
3 Matt LaRue, owner of Pro Fab Performance, started the install by removing the stock fuel line. Allow fuel pressure to subside before removing this line, as it holds a massive amount of pressure.
4 After determining where...
4 After determining where the brass T-fitting needs to be, LaRue cuts the line to make room for the fitting.
5 The fuel line is pushed...
5 The fuel line is pushed over the barbed ends of the T-fitting and held in place with hose clamps. The open end of the fitting will supply fuel to the solenoid for the
6 After removing the intake...
6 After removing the intake tube, LaRue drilled a hole for the hardware that will hold the nozzle. Nozzle placement is critical, as fuel puddling can occur from a nozzle in the wrong place. Puddled fuel can result in a nitrous backfire, which can cause serious damage to the intake manifold and engine. Our nozzle placement was chosen because it offered an almost perfectly straight path into the intake manifold.
7a The hole in the intake...
7a The hole in the intake tube is filled with the fitting that will hold the nozzle.
7b This offers a sturdy mounting...
7b This offers a sturdy mounting fixture for the nozzle, one that won't back out.
8 Next, LaRue connected the...
8 Next, LaRue connected the appropriate lines to the nitrous and fuel solenoids. These lines connect the solenoids to the nozzle.
9a With the solenoids connected...
9a With the solenoids connected to the mounting bracket, LaRue drilled a hole in the tab on the driver-side strut tower.
9b This will serve as the...
9b This will serve as the mounting position for the nitrous, fuel, and purge-valve solenoids.
10 The solenoids look right...
10 The solenoids look right at home mounted on the strut tower.
11 LaRue attached the nitrous...
11 LaRue attached the nitrous and fuel lines to the nozzle after adding the jets. The jets meter the amount of nitrous and fuel that are injected. We ran a No. 36 nitrous jet and a No. 24 fuel jet, which adds about 75 hp at the push of a button.
12a Next was the main nitrous...
12a Next was the main nitrous feed line. This length of stainless braided line runs from the bottle to the nitrous solenoid under the hood.
12b LaRue runs the line through...
12b LaRue runs the line through the firewall and along the rocker panel to the trunk, where the bottle will be mounted.
13 With the feed line in...
13 With the feed line in place, LaRue directs his attention to the outlet side of the purge valve. At the push of a button, the purge valve will open, allowing the unwanted air in the nitrous line to escape. This can also help regulate bottle pressure for consistent runs at the dragstrip.
14 The nitrous system is...
14 The nitrous system is activated at WOT by NOS' window switch/nitrous controller. LaRue mounted the controller on the backside of the airbox, where there is plenty of room to make changes and easily see the display.
15 The bottle is mounted...
15 The bottle is mounted in the trunk using the supplied bottle mounts. The angle of the bottle in critical, and the supply tune in the bottle must remain submerged in liquid nitrous for best results.
16a Once strapped to our...
16a Once strapped to our Dynojet chassis dyno, we spun the roller. The car already had a tune from Blow-By Racing for the existing mods. The baseline pull netted us 269 rwhp and 256 lb-ft of torque--impressive for a naturally aspirated V-6! Next we loaded the nitrous tune. With the bottle open and the lines purged, we let the roller spin.
16b The end result was 329 rwhp and 333 lb-ft of torque, for a gain of 60 rwhp and 77 lb-ft of torque, which it carries through most of the graph. After driving the car a bit, we feel it will give most lightly modified V-8s a run for their money. With this kind of power, you can't count out the six-shooters!