Alright so im having trouble figuring out what went wrong here. Details: Ive got a zex wet kit plate system with the zex TC window switch set to arm after 3000 rpm and a WOT switch mounted to the TB.

Last weekend I was attempting to outrun a 2012 CTS-V Coupe (which required nitrous lol) and could not get my kit to spray. So after several failed attempts at reprogramming the window switch and checking connections, we went home. There I looked everything over again and noticed the WOT switch was not aligned in such a way that it would be pressed by the Throttle (always something simple). So, I began adjusting the bracket/bending in order to get the switch where it needed to be all while my companion repeatedly pressed the throttle to the floor in order to confirm it WOULD hit the switch (all this time, the car is off, ignition off, but arm switch is ON, idk why).

After the adjusting is complete, I notice the white signal wire going to the switch has a loose end on it, so I unplug it and allow it to hang freely in the engine bay while hunting a new female end. After 10-15 mins, the nitrous solenoid begins smoking and is BOILING hot to the touch (because naturally when something is smoking, you touch it, right?)

At this point I assume the solenoid is toast, so it is currently being replaced. In the mean time, I have gone over all of the wiring, checked connections, and cannot find anything wrong. The only thing I can think is that while the white wire was dangling free, it touched metal causing the circuit to ground, but even then, the window switch should not have allowed the solenoid to activate correct? As the car was not even running, much less at 3000 rpm? Also, the nitrous and fuel solenoids share the same power and all, so why would only the nitrous solenoid malfunction?

 

Generally having a nitrous solenoid activated for to long will cause a magnet to burn up. Now it could also have gotten to hot in the engine bay and possibly caused a short in the coil itself but it is highly unlikely.

Trey

 

Right, well, I can't figure out how the solenoid was even being activated during that time.

 

The solenoid did not get to hot from engine bay heat.. That is a silly answer.. EXTREME engine bay heat can affect a solenoid but it is usually over a long period of time.

There are a few different factors that can cause a solenoid to over heat.

1. Constant power for a long period of time.
2. Poor ground or wiring connection.
3. Starving the coil for amperage by not using the right gauge wire.

Based off your story above something had to have shorted out sending a constant power source to the solenoid or the controller was not programmed right and it was sending signal the entire time.

Dave

 

Yeh like I said I went over all the wiring and connections. I re did most of it but didnt see anything bad really. Hopefully it won't happen again.

 

Upgrade those ZEX noids to Nitrous Outlet or NX noids The There was some ICEMAN noids in parts classifieds not long ago & I would also get the Nitrous Outlet dual stage window switch with TPS if its still on parts I never liked the micro-switches In your post it says the Armed switch was on!!! IF the power source was Hot & the noid on that long Lookin for parts to fix the other issue Would be the OH **** moment Dont leave the button on for 20min LoL more like 20 seconds or less

 

In order to figure out what happened we need to know exactly how it is installed and programed. Without that inforamion everyone is just guessing.

1) can you provide a wiring diagram or explanation o where everything is connected
2) how is the window switch programed

Depending on where you are pulling tach signal from and how you set up the window switch is where I think the key to this puzzle will be found,

 

This was all wired exactly as is instructed by ZEX. (There is an online PDF of it for the TCS window switch) the tach signal is coming from a wire from the pcm (excuse my ignorance on this detail, this part was not hooked up by me,however it reads the rpm accurately) As for having the "arm" switch on for 20 mins, that should not have made the nitrous solenoid hot as the car was not even running, therefore the window switch shouldnt have allowed such. Ive reviewed the wiring multiple times and cant find any errors. Ive also redone all wire connections just in case, but as I said, none seemed faulty.

 

there is a signal modifier for the window switch to adjust the signal it is recieving from what ever wire you are connected to...without knowing details the following is just a hypothesis...so take it with a grain of salt, just trying to elude to where my thought process is.

if the wrong multiplier was used to program the window switch or tach signal location this could be the possible reason the kit was not activating when you were trying to race the caddy as well as the tps switch issues...this would also allow the unit to "activate" with the engine off....Also the nitrous solenoid will typically pull alot more current compared to the fuel solenid and why it might overheat sooner.

 

Alright well like I said, im not sure what wire this is, all I know is that it comes from, or goes to, the PCM and the display shows the correct RPM when the car is running. Anyone feel free to chime in on which wire "should" be used if this one is causing the problem.