Nitrous oxide experimentation is a sort of rite of passage when concerning the high-performance greenhorn. End results may vary, but they almost always end up one of two ways, both of which can be viewed as encouraging given the proper perspective. There's no disputing that nitrous oxide makes slow cars quick. However, it can also afford those looking to understand the inner workings of the internal combustion short-block the advanced opportunity by means of a retrofitted peephole courtesy of lean air/fuel mixtures and excessive cylinder pressures. Call it a win-win.
Last month we saw what happens when nitrous oxide and turbos pair up, but nitrous oxide as a stand-alone method of forced induction is arguably more popular albeit just as volatile. Entry-level enthusiasts are often attracted to this gaseous combination because of its reasonably modest entry cost and simple installation process. Unfortunately, somewhere along the line, nitrous oxide and engines with connecting rods poking out the backside have become synonymous with one another. Things don't have to be this way though, cylinder pressure is cylinder pressure, whether you're talking about turbochargers, superchargers or nitrous oxide; it's all about setup and proper tuning.
Venovus Engineering is attempting to simplify the nitrous oxide process and make it safer and more reliable. There are a few shortcomings when it comes to the conventional nitrous oxide system. Throttle activation brackets are often make shift, can bend or move, and can sometimes make delivery less than reliable. Nitrous and fuel relays as well as activation switches can also complicate the installation process and add to the number of potential problems, oftentimes user-created, but problems are problems. Ever seen the after effects of an engine cranked over with a nitrous system that's been left activated? It isn't heartwarming, to say the least. Venovus' approach to nitrous simplification and safety is two-pronged and consists of their NCM-2 Nitrous Control Module and VRM-1 Nitrous Solenoid Driver.
The most important feature of the NCM-2 dash-mounted nitrous controller is its throttle position sensing capabilities. This eliminates the need for any custom-rigged bracketry or microswitches since the NCM-2 can read any vehicle's throttle position - so long as it uses a conventional 0-5V TPS sensor that increases voltage output proportional to throttle angle. Installation time is reduced since sending a TPS reading to the NCM-2 involves nothing more than splicing into the engine's TPS output signal wire. No custom-rigged brackets at the throttle body or microswitch mounting under the gas pedal here. The NCM-2 also taps into most any nitrous oxide system's nitrous, fuel and purge relays, further simplifying the installation process and eliminating any guesswork. To make things even easier, the accompanying VRM-1 eliminates any previously used relays altogether and houses everything inside its own self-contained box. Running a few wires is all that's needed to get up and running, quick.