A vote for Whipple

whitesnake01 · June 29, 2004

As I pointed out in a reply in another thread, driving with a supercharger feels like your sitting with a ticking time-bomb. You know, you're pushing your engine and drive-train to new limits, especially if you tow with it. And you have this nagging sense that if you break down somewhere, you'd be stuck with a local mechanic who knows squat about it and has no parts.

I've had a whipple blower on my 454 for a bit over two years now. After the first summer, camping up in eastern Canada, it did not run well when I came back home. All the oil had disappeared from the blower. The blower dip-stick was basically coated with leftovers from a dark oil smudge. But no oil. When I tried to drain it, nothing came out. And it definitely had oil before. Through a stroke of luck, no harm was done to my engine (I have nightmares about metal parts being sucked right down). I got a completely new blower on warranty. The downside, for me, is that they are all the way out in California, while I am up in New Hampshire. So, sending parts out for work can be time-consuming. When I sent the blower out for repair in 2002, UPS managed to lose the blower and claimed they never picked it up. Took me over a month until they found it in a warehouse in Kentucky... After they found it, they would not send it to Whipple. They had to send it all the way back to me, so that I could send it out again. But I digress.

On Sunday my wife comes back from a 3,000 mile road trip with the truck, having picked up a vintage camping trailer (1964 Airstream). And the engine sounded very bad. It sounded like 10x the noise you get from a power steering pump low on oil.. except my power steering pump had oil. It was virtually impossible to tell where the noise came from because it was so loud. I even tried with a 10ft PVC pipe to listen to select areas. Talked to Whipple yesterday ordered a new snout for the blower. It just showed up in my drive-way, less than 22 hours after I ordered it. We're talking Fresno CA all the way to New Hampshire!! Big kudos to Whipple for turning the request around so fast. Minor detail, of course, is that I paid a buck or two for the shipping.

Anyone else had to deal with Whipple tech support?

Machine · June 29, 2004

I dealt with whipple regarding my Escalade's blower. I had bad detonation under hard acceleration. Whipple went beyond the call of duty to try to solve my problem...and they finally did. I was one of the first 6.0 Escalades to run their blower and I would use them again on my next ride.

Wingnut · June 29, 2004

I even tried with a 10ft PVC pipe to listen to select areas.

I bet that was a sight.

KurtMcMouth · July 1, 2004

I want to put a Whipple on my 8.1. How much does it effect gas mileage? Is it really practical to do this to a daily commuter?

whitesnake01 · July 2, 2004

I want to put a Whipple on my 8.1. How much does it effect gas mileage? Is it really practical to do this to a daily commuter?

Gas mileage does not change much. But you might be forced to switch from 87 to 92. I seem to recall the Whipple for the 8.1 comes with an intercooler, which mine didn't. That might allow you to continue running on regular gas.

I do not use mine for day-to-day driving, only for towing and family outings. Gas mileage did not change much for towing, but I do have a lot more punch and can climb hills easier than before. But I also had to make other modifications, as well, such as custom radiator, free flow exhaust, etc. It does produce more heat, but only when I tow. Gas mileage might change if you feel more tempted to step on it than before. When you step on it, it can really suck down gas.

tmf6902 · July 2, 2004

I understand you guys give them a vote for good customer service....but would the fact that your having problems in the first place, take a couple of votes away from them??

tbyrne · July 2, 2004

The 8.1 kit is avaiable with and without an intercooler. My mileage pretty much stayed the same with the blower (11-12). It drops off while towing a 24' enclosed car hauler. I then see just under 8.

2002 8.1 Silverado HD - Full Throttle lift, 37" tires, Comp Cam, TOG headers, Volant induction plus more!

2002 8.1 Suburban -Intercooled Whipple supercharger, 22" wheels/tires + more - 407hp/558 ft-lb torque at the rear wheels - 13.93 @ 95.79 MPH

www.tbyrnemotorsports.com

snoman · July 2, 2004

I would go with a whipple or postive displacement super hands down at low altitudes. If you live up high in thin air though boost drops way off with one and you need to overspeed to to make up for it. A centrifical one does this better in thin air and is easier to overspeed and less strain on blower than a rotor unit with it gear box driving rotors.

8100HD · July 2, 2004

snoman, please explain this theory....as I am interested......

my 8.1 runs 8 psi from 200ft to 5000ft.....

snoman · July 2, 2004

snoman, please explain this theory....as I am interested......

my 8.1 runs 8 psi from 200ft to 5000ft.....

Not a theory, as air density decreases, the boost developed drops because there is less air to work with. If you gage is not properly alltitude compensated (most are not) it will record a higher pressur than is realy present as you climb. You need a good properly compensated Absolution Manifold Pressure Gage to see true boost and pressure. I did not write the laws of physics and the volume of air moved with each rev of the rotors is fixed and there is less of it as you climb so less in delivered. If you make 6 PSI at sea level (14.7 PSI) this is about a a 40% boost. At 8000 feet you have about 11 psi or less and 40% of that (and it will be less too) is 4.4 psi max boost in theory and so on. This is why in th old days supercharger speeds where adjustable on aircraft engines. Turbo chargers are not immune to this either but are a little less effected by this if proporrly designed and gated.

Machine · July 6, 2004

I understand you guys give them a vote for good customer service....but would the fact that your having problems in the first place, take a couple of votes away from them??

Not at all. The 2002, 6.0 SC that whipple designed had a few bugs in it. Whipple knew about the minor issues and they where excited to see folks wanting to work with them to pefect it. I felt like a test pilot with a solid warranty if my engine blew up.

elgineddie · July 9, 2004

I would like to get a Whipple for my 6.0L Suburban because it NEEDS it... with 35"s and a lift kit. I am "this close" to getting one and I have spent tons of time online reading, both here and at www.superchargersonline.com but I just don't get the feeling that you can use one for an everyday or long-haul driver with any sense of reliability.

I've been stuck 5 hours from home with a Suburban-load full of kids, luggage and crap in the middle of a trip with a blown critical part and with nobody's garage to pull into and work. NOT fun, NOT a good feeling and a sure way to add $600 and an extra day or two to any trip.

I understand there are times when modifications don't go well. I guess what I am looking for is someone who can come forward and tell a truthful story that their Whipple bolted up and ran like a watch for 50,000 miles. That's worth $4000.

N900WM · July 13, 2004

I'm with you elgineddie,

I have owned two supercharged trucks a Ford F250LD 5.4 and still own the Silverado 5.3. Both had/have Magnacharger blowers. The Ford unit blew twice, both times 600 miles from home, once with a load and once empty (other than one pi$$ed off wife). The third time the spark plug blew out of the head, 1000 miles from home. That's when I bought the HD.

The Silverado just turned 50,000 miles and I have had NO problems. And the truck has seen some long distance heavy towing.

I would love to bolt a blower on my 8.1 HD. But now I'm chicken. Bawls arn't big enough I guess. I need consistant reliablility. And I have yet to meet anyone who is REALLY working a supercharged 8.1.

Machine · July 13, 2004

I can see where you're coming from. I hesitate using my Escalade for pulling or long road trips. It's been reliable as hell but I'm SOL if it breaks down outside of my service area. Not alot of Cadillac dealers will even look at it, but it's covered under warranty from the dealer that did the install. So far, it's been a garage queen that I take out on wkends.

elgineddie · July 13, 2004

Ahhh, the need for speed (or torque)!

No matter what we do, we seem to cause ourselves pain and suffering. Even with a stock turbo diesel, you tweak it out and then start roasting transmissions, tires and u-joints. Ya just can't win!

I am starting to think about a centrifugal super charger instead. The cost is a bit lower (who cares) but it seems to win on the reliability. I know the boost comes on at 3000 RPM but I spend a lot of time in that range anyway. ;-) From what I understand, you can throw the belt that runs your centrifugal S/C and your engine will still run without it.

OK, where is my next upgrade?? ;-)