It is known that the $K$-theory of a large class of groups can be computed from the $K$-theory of their virtually infinite cyclic subgroups. On the other hand, Nil-groups appear to be the obstacle in calculations involving the $K$-theory of the latter. The main difficulty in the calculation of Nil-groups is that they are infinitely generated when they do not vanish. We develop methods for computing the exponent of ${\nk}_0$-groups that appear in the calculation of the $K_0$-groups of virtually infinite cyclic groups.