The ZEX kit eliminates the hassle and guesswork of trying to sort out all the bits and pieces you need to get the system up and running in a vehicle with factory-installed LS power by including direct-fit hardware for the application.
“The perimeter plate system has three key technologies going for it,” Patrick explains. “Perhaps the most important of the three is the Perimeter Injection tech. Unlike other designs you’ll find on the market, we went through the process of developing a manifold around the perimeter of the plate which provides twelve separate injection points. So with that design the nitrous and fuel are mixing all around the opening of the throttle body, which provides an unparalleled mixture distribution – you get a really nice fog going into the plenum of the intake manifold.”
Patrick says that mixture distribution is crucial for two key reasons. “First, it’s great for making power because when that fuel, nitrous, and air mix together better, it will absolutely translate to higher output. But it’s also important from a distribution standpoint because you don’t want one cylinder running lean and another one running rich. Because the fuel is mixed so nicely, we tend to get much more consistent air-fuel ratios across the cylinders, and that in and of itself allows the system to function more efficiently and build more power. It’s not uncommon for folks to switch over from, for example, a single nozzle setup to our plate system and pick up some ET and some horsepower with no other changes.”
We went through a year of research and testing to land at a design that evens out the spray pattern, so you get the exact same amount of nitrous out of each one of those slots. It sounds pretty simple in theory, but in practice, it’s actually very difficult.
ZEX’s perimeter plate design is the result of extensive R&D aimed at delivering the most even mixture distribution possible. By dialing in that design in, the system not only yields more horsepower, it also ensures an even distribution between cylinders to prevent potential lean conditions.
He adds that the development of the injection technology goes far beyond merely drilling a dozen holes in the plate. “If you look closely at the plate you’ll notice that each individual slot is sized a little bit differently from one another. We went through a year of research and testing to land at a design that evens out the spray pattern, so you get the exact same amount of nitrous out of each one of those slots. It sounds pretty simple in theory, but in practice, it’s actually very difficult – if you just put twelve identical slots in there, the flow tends to load up on one side of the plate, and the distribution is horrible. There’s actually a mathematical formula that we developed early on with our carburetor plate system which gets us close, and then we tweak it from there to dial in the flow pattern for this system.”
But the injection technology is only one piece of the puzzle. Patrick says, “The Airflow Enhancement technology is very important too. When you spray nitrous in a consistent pattern around an opening, whether it’s a square opening like our carburetor plates or a round opening like the LS plate, it creates a very intense low-pressure area behind the throttle body, and it helps to induce greater airflow. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a mild form of supercharging, but it’s a way of utilizing the chemistry of the nitrous to enhance the airflow into the engine.”
And as we’re all well aware, heat is typically the enemy of engine performance. That’s where the company’s Cryo-Sync technology comes into play. “Because we flow that chilled nitrous through the plate before it gets released into the air inlet of the engine, within a few seconds that plate becomes a very effective heat sink,” Patrick tells us. “That helps to pull heat away from the throttle body and help to cool it as you’re going down the track. All three technologies work together to squeeze more efficiency out of the system, so when you compare it on a per-pound of nitrous usage versus our competitors, you’ll find that these systems will make more power.”
Installation
OK, so we’ve established that the ZEX LS Series Perimeter plate system has some pretty cool tech going for it. But does that translate to a more involved install? “It’s very simple actually,” says Patrick. “Typically where you’d start off is locating a spot in the trunk to mount the bottle. That’s critical because you’ve got have it mounted where the bottle valve is facing forward, that way while the vehicle is accelerating the liquid nitrous in the tank is always pushing toward the siphon tube at the very bottom of the nitrous cylinder.”