Just How Much Nitrous Can A 12-Valve Cummins Survive? Dark Iron Diesel Finds Out.

We’ve all wondered just how much abuse a legendary 12-valve Cummins can take, but few are willing to actually find the limit. Kyle Redekopp decided to answer that question in the most violent way possible, strapping 12 bottles of gas to his truck for the ultimate nitrous oxide capacity test. With a custom rack in the bed and lines plumbed directly into the intake, the goal was simple: feed the engine until it pops.

Ramping Up The Pressure

The experiment started on the dyno with a baseline of around 450 horsepower. Kyle slowly increased the dosage, moving from 100- to 200-horsepower jets to see how the engine reacted. Everything seemed stable until they loaded up the massive 400-horsepower jets. Chaos ensued immediately upon activation. As Kyle observed, “Something popped under the hood. Now we’re dumping all the coolant out.” The pressure was so immense that it blew the head gasket and knocked the exhaust ventilation system clear off the shop building.

A Nitrous Oxide Capacity Test Gone Wrong

Most mechanics would stop at a blown head gasket, but this engine was destined for a rebuild anyway. Kyle made the risky call to continue and decided to run it without coolant. The second attempt at the 400-shot without cooling resulted in a massive fireball and even more destruction. “It shot a flame out! The exhaust vent is blowing apart,” Kyle said, reacting to the sheer force of the explosion that blew a freeze plug right out of the block. The test was quickly becoming a safety hazard for the facility.

Taking The Fire To The Street

Terrified of burning down his shop, Kyle moved the truck to an abandoned stretch of road. “Well, dude, I’m freaking out right now,” he admitted before getting behind the wheel. Surprisingly, the truck still ran, so he hit the button for a drag pull that actually worked. The final blow came during a massive burnout attempt where the turbocharger literally caught fire, glowing cherry-red.

The Aftermath Of The Experiment

While the engine got toasted, the transmission survived, proving the resilience of the driveline. This destructive experiment proved that while a 12-valve is tough, even legends have a melting point when you force-feed them too much nitrous.