Installing an Easy 75-175 HP with Zex Nitrous on a 2011 Mustang GT


Nitrous oxide has come a long way as a reliable power adder over the last few decades. With the emergence of drive by wire vehicles, like the S197 Mustang, nitrous companies like ZEX have had to adapt from window switches to TPS voltage activation to accommodate for this technology. Also, dyno testing every kit is where ZEX says they separate themselves from the competition; not all engines are created equal and having specifically-tuned jet sizes for your application is a huge plus.

The Mustang that we were dealing with already has a few bolt on parts that have pushed the power levels over 400 RWHP.

Everything you need comes with the ZEX kit; even a specifically-designed fuel rail adapter that will feed the fuel solenoid.

The world is still filled with companies that engineer nitrous kits for universal applications and are not tested on specific vehicles, which can be important since each engine reacts differently.  Said ZEX’s Matt Patrick, “One of the great benefits of our direct-fit kits is that we take the time to go through and measure the chassis to find out what the right custom components are needed for that vehicle. Also, all of the of the wiring and hoses are cut for that specific chassis, so you get a really nice, custom installation without having to take it to a shop and paying extra.”

ZEX originally started making dry kits in the late 1990’s, that added additional pressure to the fuel regulator to keep the motor from running lean as a form of fuel enrichment.  Since then, they have condensed the size of their Nitrous Management Unit (NMU), engineered a wet kit, and started making application-specific systems. Having an application specific system not only allows ZEX to make sure the jetting is spot on for that motor, but also that any special fuel rail adaptors are included.


Self-Learning TPS Calibration

The NMU incorporates a TPS sensor voltage calibration button. Simply flip the toggle switch to power the NMU, press the program button for one second, and then mash the throttle (of course with the car off, but the key on). Once the NMU blinks “red, green, off” then the NMU is programmed.

ZEX 2011 Mustang Nitrous System PN 82390B

• Custom designed nitrous system for 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0L
• Fully adjustable to give from 75-175 boost in additional safe horsepower
• Active Fuel Control adjusts fuel delivery with changes in nitrous bottle pressure to operate at optimized & engine safe air/fuel ratio
• Throttle-by-wire TPS switch activates nitrous at wide-open throttle
• Easy, 2 hour plug-and-play installation
• Available in purple or black

Remote Bottle Valve Opener PN 82009

• Allows you to open the valve from the driver’s seat at a moments notice
• Manufactured from anodized billet aluminum
• Modular motor assembly provides years of trouble free use
• ZEX design ensures that nitrous flow is not affected by its use

We took the ZEX kit over to local shop Cunningham Motorsports (CMS) to have the nitrous kit installed on a 2011 Mustang  The Mustang has a full exhaust with cat delete, JLT intake, and custom Cunningham Motorsports tune.  The resulting mods allowed the Mustang to produce a respectable 416 hp and 401 lb/ft to the tires.

The process of installing the remote bottle valve opener is very simple. First, remove the retaining bolt for the valve and slip on the valve sleeve and collar. Once this is done the drive motor slips onto the collar and is secured with a retaining bolt. The motor wiring is a simple power and ground that is wired to an on/off switch.

Everything you need comes with the ZEX kit; even a specifically-designed fuel rail adapter that will feed the fuel solenoid.  The adapter also features an additional 1/8” NPT port so that you can install a fuel pressure gauge.  The fuel and nitrous solenoid, along with all the electronics are housed inside ZEX’s NMU box.

Part of the NMU’s electronics is the throttle-by-wire activation that hooks directly to your TPS sensor and includes a resistor to keep the motor’s PCM from throwing fault codes.  Outside the TPS wire, a simple toggle on and ground wire is all the wiring you need to do.

After installing the remote bottle valve opener, we moved to mounting the bottle in the trunk. CMS utilized the sheet metal on the passenger side floor and rolled the carpet back slightly, in case the owner wanted to pull the bottle out, he could cover up the holes. With the bottle mounted, CMS routed the nitrous supply line through a plug in the trunk and surrounded it with a grommet to keep from cutting the line. We ran the line parallel to the stock fuel lines and up into the engine bay.

With the nitrous feed line routed from the trunk to the engine bay, it was time to install the fuel line adapter. First, with a rag wrapped around the fuel line, unlock it from the stock fuel rail by depressing the blue tab on the connector. ZEX's billet adapter will click onto the fuel rail and then the stock feed line will go onto the fitting's end. Attach the fuel feed line to the fuel line adapter.

The JLT intake heat shield provided a solid spot to mount the NMU with the supplied self-tapping screws. With the NMU secured in place, we then attached the nitrous and fuel lines.

The nozzle needs to be mounted between the throttle body and mass air flow sensor. CMS tapped the bottom of the JLT plastic intake tube six inches back from the throttle body to install the ZEX nozzle retaining coupler. The nozzle is then threaded into the couple with the nozzle's sprayer facing towards the throttle body. Before we installed the fuel and nitrous feed lines we installed our 75 shot jets.

Inside the glove box of the 2011 Mustang is an open plate that is a pefect place to mount the nitrous activation and remote bottle valve switches.

 

The advertised power numbers were spot on with an additional 68 rwhp and 98 lb/ft of torque added to the rear wheels.

By The Numbers

Before: 415.5 rwhp and 400.8 lb/ft
After: 483.8 rwhp and 498.6 lb/ft
Gains: 68 rwhp and 98 lb/ft

The 75 shot did exactly what it was suppose to do, generate an additional 75 hp to the flywheel, which translated into 68 rwhp. The big jump occurred on the torque curve, which increased by 98 lb/ft. “On 75 horsepower, you really don’t need to change spark plugs or anything like that. The only thing I’d suggest is to make sure you’re running 91 or 93 octane,” explained Patrick.

Nitrous is no longer a “black art” that requires a special installation from an expensive shop.  Virtually anyone with an average set of tools can install this very same kit in their drive way over the course of about three hours. Keeping your activation RPM over 3,200 RPM and off the rev limiter will be the two main safety goals when running a nitrous system.  Also, retarding the ignition timing based on the shot size will help prevent detonation. Now, this mildly modified Mustang can go from running low 12 second passes to mid 11s with just a simple flick of a switch.

About the author

Mark Gearhart

In 1995 Mark started photographing drag races at his once local track, Bradenton Motorsports Park. He became hooked and shot virtually every series at the track until 2007 until he moved to California and began working as a writer for Power Automedia. He was the founding editor for its first online magazines, and transitioned into the role of editorial director role in 2014. Retiring from the company in 2016, Mark continues to expand his career as a car builder, automotive enthusiast, and freelance journalist to provide featured content and technical expertise.
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