| Question: |
Can I run more than 6psi on my Whipple Supercharger? |
| Answer: |
Each Whipple Supercharger kit is designed to run a safe 6psi of boost on your stock engine. Any more power would have to be supported by a cooling option (i.e. Intercooler, Water Injection, etc.) |
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| Question: |
What is an FMU? |
| Answer: |
An Fuel Management Unit (FMU) is a special rising rate fuel pressure regulator placed in the fuel return line of the fuel injection system. This is a very common approach to handling the increased fuel demand required by supercharger kits. It does work. It will make the injectors flow more fuel than their rating. These are used in addition to the factory fuel pressure regulator and only have an affect under boost. They are rated by the ratio of fuel pressure to boost pressure. For instance, a 10:1 FMU will give you 100psi fuel pressure at 10 psi boost pressure. The problem here is that the extra pressure on the fuel pump decreases the flow capacity of the pump. That is the last thing you need on a supercharged engine. You can offset that by installing an in-line fuel pump in addition to the in-tank pump. |
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| Question: |
What is the correct cam to run with a supercharger? |
| Answer: |
Many people select cams which are not the correct choice for a force induction engine. Cam selection is best discussed with the cam manufactures. Generally speaking a Turbo, Roots, Twin-screw, and Centrifugal cam will be different from each other. Be cautious of choosing a cam that has a large amount of duration and lift. An ideal street application cam you will want to take in consideration drivability, emissions, and decent idle. For these reasons, we suggest a mild camshaft. |
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| Question: |
How do you check the oil in a Whipple head unit? |
| Answer: |
When checking the oil level in a Whipple supercharger, you should check it when the dipstick is in the "screw position." If you check the oil in the "unscrew position" the oil reading will be off by 1/4-1/2". |
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| Question: |
What kind of maintenance will be needed for the Vortech Aftercooler? |
| Answer: |
The Vortech Aftercooler requires that you flush out the system every 30,000 - 50,000 miles. Flushing the system will be very similar to flushing out the radiator, where you would drain the coolant and then refill it with coolant. |
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| Question: |
Why is intercooling such a good thing? |
| Answer: |
Anytime you compress air, it heats up. Even at 100% adiabatic efficiency (which is impossible), the air will heat up quite a bit. The inefficiency of the compressor (turbocharger or supercharger) will heat the air up even more. As the air is heated, the density of the air drops. Engine power is a function of the amount of air, and fuel, you can get into the cylinder during the intake stroke. It is not really the volume of air but rather the mass of air that is the key. As the air is heated and the density drops, the same volume will supply less air mass to the cylinder. The key is to not only compress the air, but to cool it back down as well to achieve the maximum mass of air, and therefore maximum power.
In addition to this, the hotter the inlet air, the more tendency the engine will have towards detonation and pre-ignition. These are very damaging to the engine and they rob power.
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| Question: |
How can you control detonation? |
| Answer: |
A number of companies who make ignition systems also offer devices usually called "Boost Retard" units. These are relatively inexpensive and allow you to dial in the amount of "boost retard" needed to control detonation. What this means is that when using this device you can run normal lead in your distributor, which provides good starting and economy under normal driving conditions. However, when the engine goes into boost, which normally occurs only when you floor it or are under a load such as going up a steep incline, the Boost Retard device automatically retards the ignition timing to avoid detonation. Many of these systems have a dash-mounted knob that allows you to adjust the degree of retard per pounds of boost. Several of the kits we sell include Boost Retard units in them. |
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| Question: |
How much boost can you normally run? |
| Answer: |
Six to nine pounds (psi) is normally a safe level for most stock engines. Running more than this will usually require a reduction in compression ratio. Centrifugal superchargers can typically safely run more boost than a roots type blower due to the fact that the pressure is created inside the blower instead of in the manifold. Every engine is different and some engines are more tolerant of boost than others. |
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| Question: |
How do you change the boost? |
| Answer: |
On any belt driven blower, which is most centrifugals, you can change the amount of boost by changing the size of the pulley on the blower. The smaller the pulley the faster the blower runs and the more boost it makes. We sell different sizes and varieties of pulleys for most of the major manufacturers. |
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| Question: |
When should a standard air bypass valve be used? |
| Answer: |
A standard air bypass valve should be used on all supercharged applications where the supercharger is making more than 6 psi. The advantages of using an air bypass valve include eliminating compressor surge (the noise heard during deceleration) for quieter supercharger operation, and reduced heat soak in the discharge tube and the supercharger. |
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| Question: |
What else can I do to get even more out of my engine now that I have a supercharger? |
| Answer: |
Several modifications can be made to your engine to substantially increase horsepower, in fact there are too many to list. In basic terms, you will need to strengthen the engine internal components, increase air flow and increase fuel. It is recommended that you consult with others who have implemented successful engine combinations. |
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| Question: |
What exhaust system should I use with my supercharger? |
| Answer: |
Stock is OK. However, the increased mass of the intake air makes the exhaust system flow more than it was originally designed for. Therefore, exhaust modifications such as high performance cat-back exhaust systems can add substantial increases. |
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