NOS for FE ?

[Jerry Chabino]

I have a question for you all on installing NOS on my FE. It is a relatively mild 428, hydraulic cam, 10.25:1 compression, 430 hp. Will this motor handle and extra 100 horse ? Is my compression too high ?
Sure need your help on the positives and negatives of this.

Tnx,

JC

[RICK LAKE]

Jerry, who's system are you using?? A motor with premium parts will have no problem. You will need plenty of fuel. Have a pro set up your motor as not to burn holes in the pistons. If you have a leanout you will melt the pistons unless vey are thermo coated and even they will not last long. Jerry is the car for street or racing?? Do some head work and bigger cam. This will make you another 50 to 75 horse. Do you want to keep the car driveable? What gear ratio do you have?? What trans?? You can change one of these and the car will accelerate faster. Where do you want to GO?? Fill in the blanks and we will come up with a plan. Rick Lake

[decooney]

Jerry,

I run a 428 as well, with a 1/2 point more compression using aluminum heads, and a bit bigger cam, and have the extra 100hp you are looking for. You might try working with your heads, intake, cam, porting/port-matching, and carb matching a bit more first before trying NOS. Getting your FE to pump air is the key.

If you must try NOS, you might give Tom Lucas at FE Specialties a call. He builds FEs for all sorts of applications (mild to wild), including race/NHRA. He has a 15:1 FE/427 motor going in one of his two race Mustangs he is working on this year. He'll be able to help you. FE Specialties contact #: 916-339-0427.

One other item to consider is TIRES - when adding more horsepower. You can add 100hp, but will need to make provisions for tires that will actually put it to the ground - especially on twistie roads. My last Unique with a 428 with a bit less horsepower was actually more (manageable) driveable in some ways - off the line, twisty roads, etc. On my current ERA, with more HP, I jumped up to stickier tires - and it can be a bit scary at WOT. To me, anything over a "true" 450hp+ starts to become a handful at times. I'd vote for the HP heads/cam/carb route vs. doing NOS. Good Luck.

[A Snake]

Jerry,

I'm in agreement with Duane, and add this thought. Admittedly it is a lot easier to bolt on a NOS kit than it is to remove tweak and replace an engine, but if you really have 430 hp, that's a lot of ponies in a light car.

Please don't get me wrong here, but with what you have described, I suspect that you might be a bit high on your current hp estimate. Not knowing what cam you have or carb size, it is a little tough, but a self described "mild" tells me your real hp is probably more like 375. Still peppy, but not up to long burn outs.

Get that engine to flow some air with head work, cam and carburetion and you'll likely see 430 to 450 hp and still be able to drive it comfortably on the street.

Speaking from experience with my 427 S/O @ 480+ @6,100rpm through the side pipes (dyno tested) that much hp should scare the heck out of you without NOS, compared to what you have.

A 428 won't rev like a 427, but it will make a ton of torque and torque is what moves the car.

With the oiling of a 428, combined with normal 428 internals, redline should not generally exceed 5,500. You can make a lot of hp @ 5,000rpm with the things suggested and still have an engine that will live. I absolutely gurarantee putting NOS on it will kill it in short order.

Just my humble opinion and 30 years of playing with high hp engines.

Al

[Jeff Frigo]

No problem with NOS at the 100 hp level. The two most important things to watchout for is enough fuel, and not too much timing.

[Ikestaa]

Mr. Chabino,
I can't help but ask...WHY!!

[Jeff Frigo]

Why do you need a Cobra?

[Ikestaa]

Touche

[Jerry Chabino]

Thanks for all the input guys. I really have all the power I can handle in first and second gear. Rear end is a 3:36. The motor is just fine and I'd hate to tear it apart, although I know there is hp to be found I was looking for advice on a quick fix to add a little more Viper eater power . These new (03)Vipers are supposed to be pretty fast. In my encounters with older Vipers I really hold up well until about 90 mph. Haven't lost yet but they really come on strong then. I was looking for just a little more instant hp and not have to live with drivability problems just tooling around. I may be all wet wanting NOS. I would hate to damage this good motor by installing NOS


Jerry

[SCOBRAC]

In a word.. No.

You really should cross bolt the mains to go beyond 450-500 hp.. All 406 / 427 main caps will work.. I would retro the freeze plugs to the threaded type to stiffen the walls too.. Believe it or not you will twist the bottom end given enough nitros.

[decooney]

Hey Jerry,

as for building a Viper eater, its not an easy task when considering the 03' Viper. I have friends with the earlier 94/95 Vipers that are mildly hopped up, and when comparing those year cars to my ERA in the tight twistie mountains, they are fast. My car runs 550hp, and it takes quite a bit to keep near them in the tight twisties. In the 1/4 mile, I know my Cobra will give them a good run every time. We'll be racing at the strip soon at least one or two times to set that record straight...

However, on the 03' Viper, another local guy with a nice ERA Cobra was hooked up a few months back to do a pre-release test drive of the 03 Vipers. He told me they are just incredible, and it really caught his attention this time, unlike the previous Viper. He says they are very very fast, and quite a difference over the previous Viper. Us Cobra guys are really going to have to put on the steroids (getting rid of the nostalgic 15" wheels and equipment & all) now if we are considering trying to keep up with the 03' Vipers. Remember, they have lots of wide meat on the back, and can get traction that we can not sometimes.

Good Luck.

[Back in Black]

Looks like a jellybean..like a euro economy car. The early ones looked "snakeish", but it's all over now. And a fast cobra will still smoke 'em in the quarter mile.

[decooney]

Hey Back in Black,

just wondering, I've not seen too many "street Cobras" in my area running in the 10s lately. Have about in your area? Most of the street Cobras I've seen with big motors, and especially the ones with independent rears, are barely getting into the 11s, if they are lucky. Again, I am referring to street Cobras, not trailer/track cars...cars running pump gas. I agree on the looks though, the new V2 Viper looks like a Honda S2000 on steroids.

I'm not sure about your neck of the woods, but we have 700/800hp older version Vipers running around here; one guy running in the 10s, another with NOS in the 9s. These Viper guys can do some exhaust changes, porting/head work, and easily achieve 750hp out of them - then they add NOS. I bet we'll see some v2 street Vipers soon with 900hp in my area. Ya got a watch out for these Viper rich kids too - more money than sense. Some of them are actually fairly good tuners too...

When you get your car done, come on down my way in Sacto CA. These Viper guys and others periodically show up at various local In/Out Burger joints just sitting back waiting for people to start getting their wallets out - cash money bets going on, and for pink slips, if you are real brave. I'll not be making any 1/4 mile bets with my car against these upcoming street modified V2 Vipers, thats for sure...

[Back in Black]

However, my calculations concerning my incoming car, say sub 10 second 1/4 miles with street tires..I think it would take DOT slicks tho.

I can always add a Top Hat nitrous or something after she is really broken in..the 514 is actually pretty mild, with low compression. An extra 100 hp would clean out most of the "competition"...this would be 700 to 730 HP in a 2900 lb car.
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By the way, I am from the Sacratormento area..I used to work for Intel in Folsom, and SMUD.