Black smoke after ZEX install???

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HeyLittleCobra

New Member

Jun 9, 2002

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Pennsylvania

Aug 14, 2004

#1

• Aug 14, 2004

• #1

I just installed a ZEX dry nitrous kit on my 98 Cobra. On my way to the track my girlfriend (who was following me in the other car) told me that the car was smoking a little. I then took a pass down the track without using the bottle and she said it was getting a little worse. I then used the nitrous for four or five runs and the guy at the timeslip booth said that on the final run I was "smoking pretty bad". BLACK SMOKE! I called it a night and drove home. The car seems ok power-wise and I don't hear anything funny. It never really smoked before. Well anyway, here is some info about the day of this smoking...if you can pick something out, please let me know what this black smoke is from. THANKS! I have the ZEX kit set with the 75 HP jets, I had a full tank of Sunoco 94 octane gas, I did an oil change (Mobil 1 synthetic 5w-30) right before going to the track, I also added a bottle of fuel system cleaner when I filled up. Also - I don't have any cats on the car - MAC off-road H-pipe. I appreciate the help, guys.

 

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BVille99GT

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May 1, 2003

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Brownsville TX.

Aug 14, 2004

#2

• Aug 14, 2004

• #2

Probably was the fuel additive.
My car smokes, but is white because of the O/R Pipe

 

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HeyLittleCobra

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Jun 9, 2002

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Aug 14, 2004

#3

• Aug 14, 2004

• #3

BVille99GT said:

Probably was the fuel additive.
My car smokes, but is white because of the O/R Pipe

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I will run the tank dry and see if that was the problem. I hope so. Thanks. Anybody else???

 

Go HoTO!

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Apr 11, 2004

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Mountaintop, PA

Aug 14, 2004

#4

• Aug 14, 2004

• #4

Hum, could be the cleaner...most likely is. Pull your plugs if you can to see how they look.

Do you have stock injectors and fuel pump? If not, you may be running rich with the dry kit. many of those dry kits work by pulsing the injectors to add fuel and if your fuel system is oversized you may be running rich.

 

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HeyLittleCobra

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Jun 9, 2002

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Aug 14, 2004

#5

• Aug 14, 2004

• #5

Go HoTO! said:

Hum, could be the cleaner...most likely is. Pull your plugs if you can to see how they look.

Do you have stock injectors and fuel pump? If not, you may be running rich with the dry kit. many of those dry kits work by pulsing the injectors to add fuel and if your fuel system is oversized you may be running rich.

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I pulled the plugs at the track...I am running NGK BR7EF plugs. (2 steps colder than stock - non-projected tips.) The plugs all looked the same...Not burnt but a very slight white residue on the outer side of the strap.

I do have the stock injectors and fuel pump. (98 Cobras came with 190 lph fuel pump and 24 lb. injectors.) I was thinking about upgrading to 30 lb. injectors. Is this possible with the ZEX kit? If so, what else do I have to do besides a new mass air meter to make this work with the spray???

 

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BVille99GT

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May 1, 2003

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Brownsville TX.

Aug 14, 2004

#6

• Aug 14, 2004

• #6

HeyLittleCobra said:

I pulled the plugs at the track...I am running NGK BR7EF plugs. (2 steps colder than stock - non-projected tips.) The plugs all looked the same...Not burnt but a very slight white residue on the outer side of the strap.

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Two step colder seem to extrem for just 75shot, try the stock copper plugs then step to One colder. If you are spraying more than 125shot then go with the 2 step colder.

 

Go HoTO!

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Apr 11, 2004

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Mountaintop, PA

Aug 14, 2004

#7

• Aug 14, 2004

• #7

Yeah, but that does not explain the smoke. Colder plugs won't hurt anything I don't believe.

Tell me more about the specific kit that you have. How des it work? I am not familiar with the ZEX. If this the one with the computer that reads bottle pressure and then adds fuel accordingly?

The fact that ALL the plugs look the same is really good. The problem with the dry kits is that your AF could be could overall, but running way too lean at one cyclinder.

Keep an eye on those plugs. With the juice. You should read them everytime you use especially when first using the kit.

I think you may have a little problem with your rings. Perhaps your black smoke is from oil, BUT I would think that you would see that on the plugs. Wouldn't you?

 

ImportEater98

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Mar 17, 2003

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Worcester, MA

Aug 14, 2004

#8

• Aug 14, 2004

• #8

I have the ZEX kit and i get the same problem. There is not much black smoke, but i think its a combination between the o/r h pipe, and the fact that the zex hit, when spraying, puts negative vaccum on the fuel pressure regulator to dump more fuel into the fuel rail. N/A with the o/r h pipe (with MILS), my a/f ratio was 12:1 which is relativly rich (this was at about 4-5K RPM), so with the zex kit you are making it run even richer. Perfectly burning plugs will have a little bit of a gray/white hue to them. I have run 20 bottles through my 98 GT and compression is as good as new, and it runs just as strong as the day i bought it. I would keep an eye on your oil consumption just to double check, but i wouldn't be worried.

 

killbee

Founding Member

Jul 30, 2000

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Western NC

Aug 14, 2004

#9

• Aug 14, 2004

• #9

Well lets start with the smoke. Black smoke =rich condition, Blue = oil consumption, white= water vapor. Since yours is black we can eliminate an oil problem or a blown head gasket. Since you've dropped 2 ranges down in your plugs this could be causing you to run a little rich= black smoke. Try putting your stock plugs back in and see if it goes away, dont use the juice during this, drive a while to see if it will clear up. If it does only drop 1 heat range with the juice but I would suggest a good dyno tune before before running her too hard. If the plugs dont work start looking for any vac lines that you may have left unhooked or that could of come loose, this will cause a rich condition also. You can also locate these leaks by letting the car idle and spraying throttle body cleaner or starter fluid around your intake and hoses, if the idle changes you have a leak. Hope this helps .

 

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spikeGT_99

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May 3, 2004

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Jackson, Ms

Aug 14, 2004

#10

• Aug 14, 2004

• #10

this is kinda off subject, but will nitrous slow you down when you're not spraying??? i ask b/c i know a guy with an '01 SS camaro and i own him when hes not spraying, needless to say when he hits the 150 shot he leaves in a hurry, anyway i believe the zex kit is all electronic and almost idiot proof, heard nothing but good things about it, thats the kit i would get if i got one, but i want to know the answer to my previous question before i dive into the juice
Spike

 

killbee

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Jul 30, 2000

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Western NC

Aug 14, 2004

#11

• Aug 14, 2004

• #11

Just depends on your tune, if you dont have a switch chip or a duel program, it could slow you down under WOT. If you are tuned just for the juice it will richen your A/F and usually remove some timing under WOT. If your tuned for N/A your have a leaner A/F and more timing which = more HP without the juice. Your best bet would be to have a duel tune or chip 1 for the juice and 1 for N/A that way you can have the best of both worlds.

 

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HeyLittleCobra

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Jun 9, 2002

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Aug 14, 2004

#12

• Aug 14, 2004

• #12

spikeGT_99 said:

this is kinda off subject, but will nitrous slow you down when you're not spraying??? i ask b/c i know a guy with an '01 SS camaro and i own him when hes not spraying, needless to say when he hits the 150 shot he leaves in a hurry

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I installed the ZEX kit just a few days ago. I ran a few times not spraying and it didn't slow me down. I got a couple 13.2's and 13.3's. My best before the install was a 13.17.

 

FallenPhoenix

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Nov 22, 2003

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Odessa Tx

Aug 14, 2004

#13

• Aug 14, 2004

• #13

the only way it could slow you down is the added weight of the equipment.

 

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HeyLittleCobra

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Aug 14, 2004

#14

• Aug 14, 2004

• #14

BVille99GT said:

Two step colder seem to extrem for just 75shot, try the stock copper plugs then step to One colder. If you are spraying more than 125shot then go with the 2 step colder.

Click to expand...

I'll try the 1 step colder plugs next time at the track. I don't see me going over the 75 hp shot for a while at least until I get a timing adjuster. I'll save the 2 steps colder plugs until then - they are brand new. Thanks for the help!

 

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HeyLittleCobra

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Jun 9, 2002

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Aug 14, 2004

#15

• Aug 14, 2004

• #15

FallenPhoenix said:

the only way it could slow you down is the added weight of the equipment.

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True. The full 10 lb. bottle weighs about 24 lbs. and the rest of the kit might weigh a few pounds more...What's 30 pounds? I'll just go on a diet. HA HA I'll take the added HP.

 

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spikeGT_99

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May 3, 2004

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Jackson, Ms

Aug 14, 2004

#16

• Aug 14, 2004

• #16

cool, i guess that SS has got some other serious problems, cuz its not a race unless he sprays, i was worried it'd do long term damage to the engine, but now... keeps sounding like a better and better idea, thanks for input, didnt wanna hijack
Spike

 

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HeyLittleCobra

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Aug 15, 2004

#17

• Aug 15, 2004

• #17

Well, I had to order the spark plugs. (NGK TR6) I will go with these cuz they're only one step colder than stock. We'll see what happens. Thanks for all the help!

 

Fastime331

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Dec 23, 2001

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St. Petersburg Fl.

Sep 7, 2004

#18

• Sep 7, 2004

• #18

HeyLittleCobra said:

I installed the ZEX kit just a few days ago. I ran a few times not spraying and it didn't slow me down. I got a couple 13.2's and 13.3's. My best before the install was a 13.17.

Click to expand...

Hod on a second now. your sig says your best was a 13.029 @ 109.

What's the truth?


BTW Nitrous kits typically do slow you down. First off without an MSD timing retard, PMS, Tweecer etc... you will have to back off 2-4 degrees. Secondly you usually run one to two ranges cooler plugs. Lastly you have 30 more pounds on the car, which is minimal but is a fact. I lost, from experience, 2-3 th's and 1-2 mph when running NA on a nitrous tune for 150 shot.