96k3500 454 Whipple Supercharger build thread

[dale_gribble]

Well, I have everything in now. All gaskets, gauges, wiring, injectors, etc. Now I just need the time.

I am going to do the build in three phases:

1. Gauges
2. Injectors
3. Supercharger bolt on

Each phase will take some time. I will probably do them in the order above. I should start getting some progress soon, this week hopefully.

 

[scmsltn]

That is a good idea to do stuff in phases....helps you troubleshoot in phases.

 

[hquick]

You'll NEED to get an intercooler on that thing.
If you don't....you will lose an incredible amount of power (timing will be ZERO). During summer, I regularly see IAT's of over 100degC when ambient is 30.
I'm running a 5.7...and I believe the 7.4's run alot hotter.

 

[dale_gribble]

There really isn't a way to separate the Whipple charger from the intake manifold- it's made to bolt right together. It would be a lot of custom work to get an intercooler involved.

What supercharger do you run? How much boost? That is a huge temp difference between ambient and IAT. Without a supercharger, I typically see a 10-20F degree difference between ambient v. IAT now. I am running some large flex-a-lite fans and the cowl hood helps move air too. I will be very surprised if I see temp variation like that.

What are your exhaust gas temperatures?

 

[scmsltn]

You'll NEED to get an intercooler on that thing.
If you don't....you will lose an incredible amount of power (timing will be ZERO). During summer, I regularly see IAT's of over 100degC when ambient is 30.
I'm running a 5.7...and I believe the 7.4's run alot hotter.

At 30 celcius (86 fahrenheit) you see temps OVER 100 celcius? That is more than 215 degrees Fahrenheit. Something doesnt seem right...that is too high.

 

[hquick]

Guys....those sorts of IAT's are completely normal with non-intercooled whipples.
I'm running the side mounted whipple on my 5.7.
I'm running a marine intake with 45lb LS1 injectors...tuned by myself using EFILive and a 0411 PCM with Road Runner.
If you datalog as you stomp on the throttle you will see the IAT's skyrocket.
An intercooled setup would most likely pull me back to around 60-70deg IAT's.
I'm in the process of building a forged 383 with custom water/air intercooled Holley intake.
Oh...mine's a Suburban...so...harder to get moving. Maybe due to loading up more I see higher IAT's.

 

[hquick]

If an intercooler is out of teh question....you may want to look into water/methanol injection. You WILL need to cool the charge air somehow.
Where do you live? Do you get high ambient temp's?

 

[dale_gribble]

I live in Southern California a few hundred feet above sea level. 9 months out of the year outside temps are 70-80F. My truck weighs 7,500#, so weight wise we aren't too far off.

What other mods do you have to your truck? Is your air intake isolated from the engine compartment? Can you take a picture of your engine compartment?

I am not convinced that the 454 runs 'hotter'; that isn't necessarily a blanket statement. My engine doesn't have to work as hard to create power to motivate the vehicle. Also, I have 5.13 gears so that really helps the motor and trans get going.

 

[hquick]

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Mocked up Holley.

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Air intake is a diesel version with K&N panel filter....mounted in stock fashion...so air is from the front of the vehicle.
Marine Intake
Polished/ported TB
Hydroboost
4 into 1 headers
3" stainless twin system
14 bolt rear with Trutrac
4L80E
Two speed duel elec fans
All aluminium oversized radiator

 

[dale_gribble]

Thanks for the pictures. That new intake looks a-ma-zing. Please post pictures when it is installed. It is odd to me seeing the heater on the left hand of the engine compartment and the master cylinder on the right hand side!

I definitely see where I will have some advantages here. Yours has potential for some pretty significant heat soak with all of that intake tubing. Look at the difference here (not my truck)-

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On the 7.4L setup, the air intake feeds cold air right into the blower without running multiple sections of metal intake tubing over the hottest area of the engine compartment.