Can nitrous be detected?

[baz67]

Here is the story. My nephew has a 2005 Colbot with the supercharger and 30000mi on it. He blew the motor last week. GM said it has a burnt plug that was blown out of the head and blown rings. I can understand the burnt plug, but blown out of the head?? The pistons seem fine. GM questioned if the car had nitrous put on it. My nephew swears up and down he has not, but he is only 20 and he is one of those stereotypical early 20 somethings so who knows. However, since he barely has enough money to pay for the car I think he is telling the truth. He admits to putting one of those stupid fart tips on and some sort of air intake system. So nothing to stupid. My concern is that since it is under warrenty GM is looking for any reason not to cover a new motor. My question is can the use of nitrous be detected by either chemical analysis or mechanical inspection? If there is how reliable is the test? Also, what else could have cause this? I can understand the burnt plug, but blown out of the head?? This car is in Houston so I cannot inspect it.

[TonyL]

Im sure it can be detected by a "sniffer" or chemical analysis. I'm not sure if they will go that route though.

[andrewb70]

I feeling, I am not sure on this, is that it could not be detected. Nitrous is nitrogen and oxygen. Both elements are present in the atmosphere.

Define, "blown out of the head?" What's blown out?

Andrew

[baz67]

I feeling, I am not sure on this, is that it could not be detected. Nitrous is nitrogen and oxygen. Both elements are present in the atmosphere.

Define, "blown out of the head?" What's blown out?

Andrew

I tend to agree with you Andrew, but would there not be a higher concentration of nitrogen on the carbon deposits in the combustion chamber or in the oil due to blow-by? I would think GM would have percentage of nitrogen that is acceptable within the motor and if it is out or whack it would indicate something is up.

My mom is handling this because my nephew lives with her in Houston and her notes from the service advisor have the plug is blown out of the "pit". Whatever that means.

[Damn True]

If they did a spectro test on the oil they could in theroy detect it. But they would need an identical engine, running on identical fuel with identical motor oil as a comparator.

[ProdigyCustoms]

My buddy had a warrentee denied because they tested the oil in his Duramax. They are hip to nitrous.

[OHCbird]

First off, if he's straight-up, then the Magnusson-Moss act protects him. If you haven't heard of this, go to SEMA.org for more info.

however, I call BS... unless they run a GC on the sample, and place strict controls on that test, they'd have almost no basis to say nitrous was in the oil / chamber or not. What they might be able to do is look at the plugs for insulator damage. I'd say Franks buddy had other indicators of juice on his diesel.

If I was the dealership guy- I'd just look for signs that he had a kit mounted somewhere. A power tap off of the fuse box, screw holes here or there, etc. Those are the signs a 20 yr old typically leaves.

[Van B]

My buddy blew up the Hemi in his Dodge Ram on nitrous, well after the fact he realized he had probably momentarily starved it for fuel while on the spray. Three plugs had the entire electrode and tip blown off them. Chrysler asked for oil samples and after 3-4 months finally replaced the engine under warranty.

In the meantime he had bought an SRT4 and had the dealer put the stage 3 turbo kit on it. What I am saying is it is possible the dealer went to bat for him a little.

I told him when he went to pick up his truck he should ask the service guys if they knew a good place to get nitrous bottles filled, but he decided not to.

[DB Z28]

No way it can be detected unless the spark plugs are shown.But spark plugs would have to be changed and put in the same kind of plug but used.Nothing will show up in the oil. The Headgasket or piston failer could be blamed on Timing or bad ECM or a bad cal put in or bad gasoline. I asked warrarnty Department at work.

[baz67]

Thanks guys. After a little more digging it seems all of the damage is to the #3 cylinder. It is my understanding that once they get into the motor they can find out. Well that is what they told my mom. I feel it is a scare tactic to see if he fesses up to nitrous. We will see I guess.

[OHCbird]

"If the truth won't set you free- lie, cheat, and make counter-accusations"

Remember that the truth in this case is relative to how deviant your mom feels like being.

If that doesn't work- try the old Jedi-stormtrooper trick:

[andrewb70]

"If the truth won't set you free- lie, cheat, and make counter-accusations"

Remember that the truth in this case is relative to how deviant your mom feels like being.

If that doesn't work- try the old Jedi-stormtrooper trick:

NICE!

On a more serious note, I would suggest scheduling an appointment with the service manager and bringing a lawyer along. Its very posible that a batch of cheap gas and a hick up in the ECU cause this. Those engines run 12 psi.

Andrew

[baz67]

"If the truth won't set you free- lie, cheat, and make counter-accusations"

Remember that the truth in this case is relative to how deviant your mom feels like being.

If that doesn't work- try the old Jedi-stormtrooper trick:

Nice that is funny. I do not think he put nitrous in it, but more worried about the claim being denied becuase they think he did because some evidence is there that it could have been used.

[StRacerDuke]

Any idea if they can detect the additives the put in commercial grade Nitrous within the oil? I know they put a few parts per million of something bad into commerical to prevent abuse but I don't remember what it was.

[EFI69Cam]

Sulpher Dioxide, aka eu deu flatulance, is what they spike it with. Makes you sick if you try to huff it.

They might look for abnormal sulpher levels in the oil.

[DusterRT]

GM said it has a burnt plug that was blown out of the head and blown rings. I can understand the burnt plug, but blown out of the head??

<snip>

Also, what else could have cause this? I can understand the burnt plug, but blown out of the head?? This car is in Houston so I cannot inspect it.

I'd put money on the plug that blew out of the head being loose. All the hammering will fatigue the aluminum threads and eventually it'll blow out. I saw a bone stock 130 HP 4-banger Neon shoot a plug right through the hood! I've also heard of it happening to other people, so it wasn't a freak incident.

[Bow Tie 67]

Or like in my case my idiot brother-in-law does a tune up on my sisters car, then says its running rough. I find a plug laying on top of the engine, see he thought " more tight = more good ". She wont let him touch her car now. Same guy put brake fluid in my nieces power steering reservoir, he thought it wouldn't matter.

[OHCbird]

A high-sulfur content in the oil could be blamed on MANY factors, so I'd say it's a non-indicator.