Safe Horsepower

[Matthew Goeke]

So ive been looking into getting a nitrous kit for my regal, and before you say i should focus on getting the car on the road, dont worry about that right now, so i was wondering if there was anyone on here that would know much much a bone stock 305 could take. NOS would be the cheapest way to get horsepower for me and the total would be around 1400$ obviously this would take place over a long time but im trying to see the possibilities for this car just to be like a street toy. on the list i have a new holley 4barrel carb, the NOS kit, and an MSD retard kit.

 

[bob64]

Are your plans to use it as a shot or off the throttle ? Well you'll want a wet kit an max you can really run without using race fuel is 150 HP, an yes people do run them without race fuel but the systems are based on a 350 SB an over 150 HP running on race fuel( high octane). Most kits come with different jet kits. Get a kit that jet size starts with a 50 HP jet to start with, because you have a 305 you'll get 45 HP roughly, if you ran a 400 SB you'd get 55 HP, of course l'm just guess the HP #.
Basically you'll be safe with a 75 HP jet using it as a hole shot. After giving it a shot check your plugs for color. To run it off your throttle you'll need an engine built for nitrous, so that puts you out ! 50 HP to 150 HP wet kit is what your looking for.
I had 2-250 wet kits on my Camaro but was to hard on the Car. Had a 125 kit on my Oldsmobile that ran off the throttle but blew out front windshield from flex, both cars run BB.
Now they just sit on shelf in the shop.
You don't have to run a electronic retarder on your engine as you don't have high compression.

 

[online170]

Probably the most thorough answer you'll get. LOL

 

[bob64]

Well that video was interesting, but doesn't really give you a confirmed limit of how much nitrous a basic 305 would handle time after time.
sh*t l was cringing on there second run.
I think if they had of pulled the plugs out between runs it would have given a better answer, after the 150 shot it could have a had white plugs, burn electrode, specks of aluminum or any signs of the start of failure.

 

[L67ss]

$1400 would go a long way towards a 350 making 150 HP more than your current 305......on pump gas.....without the need for bottle fills ......or extra wiring fuel mods etc. After seeing what happens to 305s after being rodded without spray I'd never spray one. I'd be iffy about boosting one too

 

[online170]

Gotta read between the lines.
With a used engine, its hard to say what it will handle. Even with a new one, theres just too many variables. So SAFE is the key word here.

A generally accepted range is 150-shot is considered doable on just about any engine. Mixture is key! Any kind of lean out and you will burn it up. Even if the engine survived a 250 shot in that video, it hammers the bearings too much and probably wont be very reliable over time. But a 150 shot is mild enough that you could just keep spraying it and most likely be OK for a long time to come.

If you think of a gen1 305/350 with about 300hp, you can beat on it all day long and it will last for years with plenty of abuse. Above about 400hp you need to inspect it regularly to make sure everything is in order. So if 300hp is very safe based on other engines, then a 150-shot on top of a 140hp 305 is about right.

 

[bob64]

I do agree with your theory Online170, an that's why in my first comment l had stated 50HP to 150HP with the stepping up jets and checking plugs between jet sizes, unless one is going to spend more than just for the Nitrous kit as such things as purge valve an solenoid, bottle heater wrap, computer to run system, electronic retard it gets expensive, believe me l know that fact cause its all sitting on the shelf.
If the OP stays with 150hp an under then its cost efficient, once you go over that you require much more than just a bottle, solenoids and carb plate.
Point also is that a 150HP shot is a big bang for the crank, its not just like a 400HP SB running on on pump gas continually.
Its all about checking an rechecking before you step up in jet size, start small work your way up, your engine will have tail tale signs that say enough.
If it was me personally l won't put a little kit on a 305 that's not built for nitrous.

 

[MrSony]

There's just no point in doing it just for a 305. However if you were to install the system and test it on the 305 while you build a 350 or something like that, that would make more sense. At least if it goes wrong you won't toast an engine that's worth a damn.

 

[MrSony]

Or since it's a Regal, toss in a mild 455 and never need the bottle.

 

[lilbowtie]

Really !!