For S650 Mustang GT owners looking for more horsepower, a supercharger is far from the only option. Nitrous has been a part of Mustang performance for decades, and Nitrous Express’s plate system for the 2024-and-newer 5.0-liter Mustang GT and Dark Horse brings that familiar power adder to the latest Coyote platform. With a 10-pound bottle included, the package is priced around $1,199—an approachable starting point compared with many complete forced-induction builds.
MustangMagazine recently assembled the kit on a standalone S650 intake manifold to take a closer look at its components, plumbing and overall layout. The hands-on look reveals some of the details that can get overlooked when a nitrous system is reduced to a bottle and a horsepower number.
What Makes a Wet Nitrous Plate System Work?
Unlike a dry system that introduces nitrous alone, this wet plate arrangement delivers both nitrous oxide and additional fuel through the plates. Nitrous allows more oxygen to be available during combustion, while the added fuel helps support the increased power demand. Getting the mixture and ignition calibration right is essential; the plates are only one part of a properly configured combination.
The two American-made, half-inch-thick billet-aluminum plates sit between the throttle bodies and intake manifold without requiring modifications to the intake. Looking at the pieces off the car makes their construction and the placement of the fittings easy to appreciate. The result is a tidy arrangement with nitrous and fuel routed to each plate rather than an improvised collection of fittings under the hood.
Lightning Series Solenoids and Braided Lines
The Lightning Series 15300L nitrous and 15201L fuel solenoids control when the system flows. Their billet-aluminum bodies, carbon-fiber cans and optimized internal passages are designed to support consistent nitrous delivery, and integrated purge ports accommodate an optional purge setup. Once the system is armed and the activation conditions are met, the solenoids open to deliver nitrous and supplemental fuel through the lines and into the plates. Their job is simple to describe, but consistent operation and proper flow are critical when additional horsepower is being introduced.
The supplied 24-inch SHO braided stainless plate lines, vehicle-specific bracket, fittings and mounting hardware bring the assembly together. In the close-up photos, the routing between the solenoids and the two plates is especially useful for understanding how the system is laid out. The kit also provides the electrical components needed to control activation.
Jetting Options: From Mild to Serious
One of the biggest advantages of a jet-based nitrous system is the ability to tailor the intended power increase to the combination. NX includes jetting rated for 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350 and 400 additional wheel horsepower. Changing jets alters the amount of nitrous and fuel delivered; it isn’t a guarantee that every engine will safely produce the highest advertised figure.
A smaller shot can be a starting point for an appropriately prepared car, while larger settings demand greater attention to fuel supply, engine capability and tuning. Nitrous Express calls for ECU calibration above the 50-horsepower setting. Jet selection should follow the appropriate instructions and the advice of a tuner familiar with the application, rather than simply choosing the largest jets in the box.
The Fuel Rail Adapter Is a Small but Important Detail
Included in the kit is a fuel rail adapter that provides a connection for the wet system’s supplemental fuel supply without cutting the factory fuel line. That’s an important distinction for an installation that needs to supply additional fuel whenever nitrous is activated. The adapter may not draw the same attention as the billet plates or solenoids, but it deserves a close look during the assembly process.
How the System Knows When to Activate
The kit includes a throttle-position-based wide-open-throttle activation module, master arming switch, relay and associated wiring. For setups using an optional progressive controller, NX recommends operating the solenoids at 18–20 Hz. Rather than spraying whenever the driver touches the accelerator, the system is intended to activate under defined throttle conditions when armed. Correct setup matters: activation control, fuel delivery and the ECU tune need to work together.
What the Close-Up Reveals
With the intake sitting outside the car, it’s possible to see how the plates, solenoids, lines and fittings relate to one another without the usual crowding of the engine bay. That’s the focus of MustangMagazine’s hands-on coverage: getting familiar with the hardware and showing the details of the assembly, not presenting an installed-and-tested performance result.
Bottle-equipped configurations also include a Lightning 500 bottle valve and stainless-steel bottle brackets. A separate dry configuration is available for appropriately managed aftermarket engine-control systems, but the standard plate system discussed here is a wet setup that supplies its own supplemental fuel. Nitrous still comes with responsibilities beyond bolting on parts. Bottle pressure, refills, jetting, fuel delivery and calibration all affect how a system performs. But for owners interested in additional power on demand, this S650-specific package is a reminder that the modern Mustang aftermarket offers more than one route to a quicker car.
For specifications, configurations and installation information, visit the Nitrous Express S650 Mustang kit page.
