[PonyOnTheBeach]

How much time would I get out of a 10lbs bottle on a 100hp shot, like 30 seconds? 45 seconds? 1 minute? I'm planning on keeping my car for quite a while and trying to compare the price of nitrous over a couple of years to a supercharger or turbocharger. Also on a side note, would 4.10 gears give me enough acceleration in 5th gear to spray nitrous?

 

[jlee910]

I believe it's generally in the ballpark of 1/4 mile per pound, but I'm not sure. You're also not going to want to run it for prolonged periods of time as pressure can fluctuate and heat in the engine can get a little crazy. If you're looking for cheap strip fun, I say go for it. If you're just wanting to try to replace a supercharger, you'll never get that.

I personally wouldn't go steeper than 3.55s for many reasons:
1) Fastest 0-60 and 1/4 of all gears for mildly modded 4.6 3v
2) Reliability. You want to keep it. Staying at high RPMs all of the time isn't very good on the car long term.
3) Fuel economy. If you drop 10% mpg, that's setting you that much further back from FI
4) Traction. Good luck keeping any street tires planted with 4.10s, FI or not.
5) Shifting. Even with 3.31s, I've walked off and left multiple 4.10 cars simply because of how much time they loose shifting.

If you're looking for cheap power, throw on a nonintercooled Paxton 1200. $4000 for everything, whereas, you're looking at having over a grand in a wet nitrous system after figuring in bottle openers, bleed downs, and heaters (not to mention around $50 a pop to fill the bottle), a grand in a gear install, fuel economy loss with gears,.... You're over halfway there to gain next to nothing.

I'd only advise nitrous if you're stripping it. A 100 shot will run with a supercharged 4.6 all day long in the 1/4, but never on the street. Gears, no more than 3.55 for street or strip. Either way, I'd save for FI.

 

[PonyOnTheBeach]

Ok thanks for all of the insight. I'll definitely go with fi.

 

[4535 Bullitt]

4.10?

I have the 3.73 gearing stock in my bullitt. It is a little steep. I would honestly would stick with the 3.55. The 3.73 are a tad aggressive, but if you want something that will throw you back in your seat and kill your tires go with 3.73s. To give you an idea at over 60 mph I am somewhere around 2k rpm. Anything over 70 mph my fuel economy goes down, but at 55-60mph I can still easily maintain 25mpg.

 

[John336]

I personally wouldn't go steeper than 3.55s for many reasons:
1) Fastest 0-60 and 1/4 of all gears for mildly modded 4.6 3v
Gears, no more than 3.55 for street or strip. Either way, I'd save for FI.

Have to respectfully disagree with this. Check out the 4.6 motor only (Mildly modded IMO) timeslip chart and notice how few run a 3.55 and how many run a 4.10. Also notice there's not one 3.55 in the top 35 and only one 3.31.

Steeper gears are not for everyone. But if you race then you cannot debate their effectiveness.

WWW.S197FORUM.COM

 

[jlee910]

Have to respectfully disagree with this. Check out the 4.6 motor only (Mildly modded IMO) timeslip chart and notice how few run a 3.55 and how many run a 4.10. Also notice there's not one 3.55 in the top 35 and only one 3.31.

Steeper gears are not for everyone. But if you race then you cannot debate their effectiveness.

WWW.S197FORUM.COM

Steeper gears are faster with an automatic but not a manual due to shifting. Nearly all cars that drag on the regular have automatic transmissions. With a manual, 3.55 is fastest because you have to hit 4th before the traps with anything steeper. With an automatic, that problem isn't in place. I remember when the Track Pack Mustangs with the 3.73s came out and people were upset because the stock GT had a faster 0-60 simply because it hit 60 in second where the 3.73s required a shift to third.

Definitely agree that they're not for everyone and can find their place on the strip, but as a daily driver, I wouldn't recommend them for a multitude of reasons (after having ran gears in the past), especially if he has a manual.

 

[John336]

Steeper gears are faster with an automatic but not a manual due to shifting. Nearly all cars that drag on the regular have automatic transmissions. With a manual, 3.55 is fastest because you have to hit 4th before the traps with anything steeper. With an automatic, that problem isn't in place. I remember when the Track Pack Mustangs with the 3.73s came out and people were upset because the stock GT had a faster 0-60 simply because it hit 60 in second where the 3.73s required a shift to third.

Definitely agree that they're not for everyone and can find their place on the strip, but as a daily driver, I wouldn't recommend them for a multitude of reasons (after having ran gears in the past), especially if he has a manual.

Two-thirds on that 4.6 list are manual. I hear ya on the autos and 5.0's. I'm glad you found the gear that you like. I just wouldn't make a statement like "1) Fastest 0-60 and 1/4 of all gears for mildly modded 4.6 3v" when it isn't true.

 

[jlee910]

Two-thirds on that 4.6 list are manual. I hear ya on the autos and 5.0's. I'm glad you found the gear that you like. I just wouldn't make a statement like "1) Fastest 0-60 and 1/4 of all gears for mildly modded 4.6 3v" when it isn't true.

Right. Gears are definitely a personal preference. Some love it, some don't. I just know how I've compared at the strip with other ratios, but I guess that could primarily be driver error and seen others do. If Brent with Brenspeed ran 4.30s in his S197, I'm sure there are plenty that can make it run. I just know how most drivers perform with steep gears. It may plant them, but immediately, they've gotta shift. I'd like 3.55s, but after having ran 4.10s on my drag truck and driving my friends 2004 GT with 4.10s, I could careless to again.

OP, whatever you choose, I personally feel like your money would be most satisfactory if you applied it straight to a supercharger unless you're totally dedicating it to the strip. In that case, nitrous and gears wouldn't be bad choices at all.

 

[pikapp]

If you install a Window Switch, if you haven't already, you can set it up to kick in under WOT only. Keep thinking mine was set at around 3200-3500 rpm. Once you turn it on, you're ready, but don't go WOT from a dead stop with it on, can be a bit...harmful. I think the most I got out of a bottle was maybe a weeks worth, unless I was in it a lot, which I was, then at best 2 days worth.

 

[10grabber horse]

I have 3.73 gears stock & love them could not imagine running anything else with manual .

 

[Sharad]

Over a couple years, a supercharger makes more sense. But this kit is nice:

Nitrous Express 2005-2010 Ford Mustang 3V 4.6 Plate System Kit 50-150 HP 20947-10 - UPR Products