NOS or Turbo
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2006
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NOS or Turbo
Alright...so I'm thinking about doing something to give my truck (1999 F250 Super Duty XLT 4x4 with V10) a little more power...ok well a lot more power. I don't want to mess with the gear ratios too much cuz it's a daily driver so it sees the highway a lot but it sees the mud a lot too.
My question is this: Which would be easier and/or cheaper...NOS or a turbocharger? I don't think I want to do a supercharger cuz I think they are more expensive. And eventually I'd like to run BOTH the NOS and the turbo. But this is just for starters.
I'm going to have to wait another 2 and a half years or 35000ish miles...gotta let me Extended Warranty run out before I do anything, but I'm just trying to get thoughts and ideas now. It's better to start early.
My question is this: Which would be easier and/or cheaper...NOS or a turbocharger? I don't think I want to do a supercharger cuz I think they are more expensive. And eventually I'd like to run BOTH the NOS and the turbo. But this is just for starters.
I'm going to have to wait another 2 and a half years or 35000ish miles...gotta let me Extended Warranty run out before I do anything, but I'm just trying to get thoughts and ideas now. It's better to start early.
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2006
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Depending on what you've got, I'd say gears depsite your highway use. I run 4.10s with street tires, didn't really have any affect on MPG...these trucks get cr@ppy mileage any way you look at it. But torque multiplication makes a real difference in getting a heavy truck moving.
NOS is typically the cheapest way to get power initially, but over time/constantly refilling the tank, the costs start to equal out. I had a few company cars with NOS, the bottle tended to be empty at the most inopportune times...and I got lazy because it took too much time to drive all over town to fill it. But that was 10 years ago, you should be able to refill NOS pretty much anywhere these days.
Have you considered a used blower? That's the route I took.
NOS is typically the cheapest way to get power initially, but over time/constantly refilling the tank, the costs start to equal out. I had a few company cars with NOS, the bottle tended to be empty at the most inopportune times...and I got lazy because it took too much time to drive all over town to fill it. But that was 10 years ago, you should be able to refill NOS pretty much anywhere these days.
Have you considered a used blower? That's the route I took.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: NE Tennessee
Start saving now and go with supercharger when warranty is done. Nitrous is nice but is mainly for racing. Either on or off. Supercharger, turbo is all the time and can help with partial throttle acceleration too. If gears worries you about milage then don't go either route and keep it stock.
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I currently have stock tires and wheels, but here soon I'm upgrading to 16x10 wheels and nothing less than a 35inch tire. Probably looking at a 3 or 4 inch body lift and later on a little more with the suspension lift.
I hadn't thought about the refill factor of a NOS bottle. Not a BIG issue...but it would probably get expensive, considering my driving style. And the main thing about the supercharger that scared me was the price...but I hadn't thought about saving now and keeping everything mostly stock until the major upgrade down the line. That's actually a great idea that I think I'll go for...thanks for the advice!
Ballz
I hadn't thought about the refill factor of a NOS bottle. Not a BIG issue...but it would probably get expensive, considering my driving style. And the main thing about the supercharger that scared me was the price...but I hadn't thought about saving now and keeping everything mostly stock until the major upgrade down the line. That's actually a great idea that I think I'll go for...thanks for the advice!
Ballz
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For what it's worth, I run 4.10s with what amounts to a 31-inch street/performance tire. Second-best mod I ever did, right behind the suipercharger.
If you are running tall tires you may want to re-consider gears. They'll maximize your power thanks to torque multiplication, and won't be adding any undue stress to your engine. In fact, they will increase performance without even touching your engine, so engine longevity isn't even an issue - it will be 100% stock. These are heavy trucks and they need all the gear they can get.
Any of the mods noted - NOS, turbo, supercharger - all make power, and power requires fuel. Add NOS, you need to richen the misture. Add boost, you need to richen the mixture. No way around it, drive it to take advantage of your newfound power, and MPG will suffer.
If you are running tall tires you may want to re-consider gears. They'll maximize your power thanks to torque multiplication, and won't be adding any undue stress to your engine. In fact, they will increase performance without even touching your engine, so engine longevity isn't even an issue - it will be 100% stock. These are heavy trucks and they need all the gear they can get.
Any of the mods noted - NOS, turbo, supercharger - all make power, and power requires fuel. Add NOS, you need to richen the misture. Add boost, you need to richen the mixture. No way around it, drive it to take advantage of your newfound power, and MPG will suffer.
