How do they test for N.O.S.?

1BADSNK

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Just curious if anyone knows how to check a motor for nitrous usage. What are the easy ways if any and how do the pro's do it? I have heard the dealerships and engine builders can do a swab test and find out if nitrous has gone through the engine or not. Is this true? Is it common practice for the dealerships to do a test on all blown engines brought in for warranty work?
 

KepRght

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So your thinking about using nitrous huh, and wondering if you could get it past the dealership when you blow the motor.

There is no swab test used at dodge dealers unless you murdered someone in the car and they were taking a blood sample. No worries there. The main ways the dealer could tell you were running nos is if you left some tell tail signs. And the tech happens to actually look for it between his coffee brakes. Here is what I would look for on a blown motor claim, where I was suspicious. NOS type buttons in the interior, or holes left from a button removed. Holes on the intake hoses for the nozles. Wires run through the firewall. Mounting brackets or bolt/screw holes for the sylonoids. External fuel pump housing, mounting points, wires, hoses.


But it all depends on how you "blow" the motor. In some cases you could have a fire in the intake which is a big red flag. If you simply blow a piston or break a rod there is no way they could tell.

Remember, NOS is just a convient way to deliver more oxygen to the motor. Pretty hard to detect "extra" oxygen in a forensics test.
 

ViperJoe

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Then there's the guy on CorvetteForum that has his car towed into the dealer for a blown motor with all the NOS stuff still hooked up! duh?
 

CHAD

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They will send the oil out for analysis and can tell if nitrous has been run through the engine.

Chad
 

BigCarrot

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They will send the oil out for analysis and can tell if nitrous has been run through the engine.

Chad

Nah, I think that's a wive's tale. I've heard that they test for the sulphur that's put into automotive grade nitrous. Sulphur is a naturally occurring substance in combustion engines, so I don't think that would be true. The tell tale signs are pretty much what is listed above. I blew one up on nitrous and didn't even try to have it covered because every single piston was dust. All of the ring lands had let go, and it was fairly obvious what had happened. Play at your own risk!
 

WESTCOAST JASON

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An ounce of prevention......


Have a qualified shop setup the NOS or NX system right the first time and don't play with jet settings!

.02
 

Tom Welch

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Correct installation will leave no evidence of nitrous oxide injection. The real issue is the motor "blowing up". If the system is installed correctly and used according to instructions from the manufacturer/tuner/installer, the chance of engine damage is nil.

Tom

P.S. Today at Orlando Speedworld I made my 40th 9 second pass with the Viper(I quit counting 10.00 passes..LOL). Using nitrous injection properly will net wonderfull results with less chance of engine problems or maintenance than any other power adder on the market.
 

Mopar

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A friend of mine sprayed his '01 Cobra and dropped two pistons. Ford set off the oil and he had to take out a loan to pay for the new engine! :eek:

Enter at your own risk!! :D
 

MaxedGTS

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A friend of mine sprayed his '01 Cobra and dropped two pistons. Ford set off the oil and he had to take out a loan to pay for the new engine! :eek:

Enter at your own risk!! :D
:eek: how much for the Cobra motor?
 

SneakyPete

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A friend of mine sprayed his '01 Cobra and dropped two pistons. Ford set off the oil and he had to take out a loan to pay for the new engine! :eek:

Enter at your own risk!! :D

what are the chances they would of caught him, if he would of changed the oil and filter? before he tried a warantee claim.
 

Mopar

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A friend of mine sprayed his '01 Cobra and dropped two pistons. Ford set off the oil and he had to take out a loan to pay for the new engine! :eek:

Enter at your own risk!! :D

what are the chances they would of caught him, if he would of changed the oil and filter? before he tried a warantee claim.

He would have still been caught regaurdless. My friend removed all traces of the N20 prior to warrenty work. As nitrous burns it leaves a resudue on the cylinder walls, heads, etc.

There is no "hiding it" fron tests. It's a gamble you take with a warrenty vechile.
 

Jack B

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The industrial NOS no longer has the embedded sulfur. Nitrogen and oxygen are already part of the the combustion cycle without the addition of the NOS - it is doubtful if they could detect the presence of the NOS.

Running lean and producing splatter could be detected, however, like Tom said, if you run it fat the engine is happy and there will be no signs of the NOS use.
 

joe117

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The sulfur was added so someone couldn't have fun breathing the gas.
Don't they add it anymore?

I don't know for sure about oil testing and residue.
I don't see what residue could be left behind and I don't see how any proof of abuse could be presented from an oil test.

I can see a dealer trying to bluff a young guy who comes in with a blown engine in his new car.

It really sound's like an urban legend.
 
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1BADSNK

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So basically if you have an experienced nitrous tuner like Tom at BTR set up the system and never mess with it after that it should be safe. And if not and the engine does go yank all N.O.S. parts and change the oil/filter.

What if the N.O.S. has a hiccup and blows out the top of the motor. Had a friend in my old Mustang days that had N.O.S. burp and blew his whole upper intake to pieces and through the hood. There would be no hiding that I guess.

Thanks for all the responses.
 

Cudaman

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They usually have tech remove the spark plug and he puts his nose next to that cylinder and if he starts laughing he knows you have been using NOS. :2tu:

Cudaman :usa:
 
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