I think this will qualify as one of the stupid questions allowed in this forum, but here goes...



Since nitrous is about 33% oxygen and outside air is roughly 21% oxygen with the rest being primarily nitrogen in both cases, then shouldn't blowing compressed air in to the intake result in about 2/3 the horsepower of a dry nitrous system? And if you were to blow it across the MAF sensor then it would cool the wires and the computer would compensate by adding more fuel and... Well you get the idea.

 

You forgot the power that comes a long with the cooling effect nitrous has when its released. That cooling effect makes a denser air charge overall, not just tricking a sensor. In theory if you had a tank large enough you could boost with it, but that would be one really big freaking tank to add enough air to be able to add the extra fuel that makes the extra power.



Dry/wet doesn't change anything. You have to add fuel to the amount of oxygen you have going in, that is what makes the power. The only difference between dry and wet is what is adding the fuel. Dry uses the current fuel injectors and wet sprays it with the nitrous from an "extra" injector.

 

You missed with that answer, a bit.



Compressed air is VERY commonly used to add power to an engine. It's called forced induction and usually accomplished with a turbocharger or supercharger.

 

I assumed me meant filling a tank with compressed air, like nitrous oxide, since he was comparing the two. You could do the same thing, with a large enough tank to keep that up for any length of time. Of course either of the popular supercharging options would be a hell of a lot better idea.

 

Ummmm, yes? It's called "forced induction".