CI GS

Like the title says, anyone on here currently running a Whipple on an LS3? If so, how does it perform, sound, etc, and how hard was it to get a tune?
Haven't seen much discussion about this system on C6 Vettes, although I know they work well on trucks and marine applications.

old motorhead

I think you'll have to go over to the Camaro5 board to find any 2.9L Whipples on LS3's. I haven't heard of even one on this board. There was a guy running one on a Z here, but I think he sold it. Shame. It's a really good blower. Just a little more expensive than an EForce. Probably about the same money as a Heartbeat, but you have to add in the new hood and paint. Depending on your power goals, how you like your boost delivered, and bank account, it can be a good fit.

ProEFI

I've seen a lot of Z's with the Whipple.

Whipple will gain you more torque than you need so car will spin as hell in my opinion,
cause of the lightweight of the vette, Whipple does ford best in my opinion,
and thats what I believe.

I havn't had a chance to use one of those cars, but we raced a whipple Z06 and we won by 2 cars with D1 Z06 both was same mods except the supercharge ...

here is the answer how is it sound.

izaks

Running a Corvette Whipple 2.9 FF on a LS3 (416), but not in a Corvette.
It is a 4 door version of the 2004 GTO
Running it at maximum rpm (18,000) making 16 psi at 5,500 ft above sea level

CI GS

Thanks Old Motorhead. I would actually like to change the hood (just for cosmetic purposes and enhanced cooling) anyhow, so that wouldn't be a problem. The 2.9 Whipple kit is listed at about $100 less than aHeartbeat, but it seems to have much more potential and is not limited by pulley/shaft size etc. I know going the centri route would be by far the best bang for the buck and I would prefer the more linear torque curve of an ECS kit (which I like the looks of) but I can't stand the noise they make at idle on a street car. I have a friend with a Paxton kit on his '07 C6 and it sounds like it has a slipping belt at idle, but it runs good. I also had a big Procharger setup on my boat and it made a ton of scary power, but I couldn't get anyone to go for a ride with me (albeit for more reasons than the noise) and in the end I took the blower off and sold it. The boat can still run ~100mph - as opposed to 122 with the Procharger - but takes a whole lot of time getting there.
I don't mind the whine that the PD supercharger make under boost, but I think they are relatively much quieter than a centri at low RPM.
I would actually like to be able to drive quietly into the neighbourhood without sending the neighbours and their cats and dogs into a howling frenzy.
I know the whipple makes big power (eg the COPO Camaro) and has much more power potential than the Eaton blowers, but I can't figure out why nobody on here has done one on an LS3 Vette? I get the whole big low end boost killing your traction thing, but I've seen guys on here knocking down sub-1.30 sixty foot times, so I can't figure out why you couldn't make a C6 hook with a Whipple with the right tire, because rear wheel torque is torque, whether it comes from the high torque multiplication of a good high stall converter or a screw supercharger, no?
Anyways, my garage project is just about finished, and I want to start modding the GS soon, so I'm looking at options.
Thanks again to everyone fir their input.

CI GS

Thanks. That sounds pretty mean. Would be interesting to see what it would do with another 4-5 pounds of boost. That C5 seemed to be pretty damn stout too, though.

CI GS

16psi on a 416!? That must be pretty impressive. Have you ever dynoed that thing? What does it run in the 1/4?

old motorhead

If you're good with changing the hood, go for it! Contrary to popular belief, the Whipple will make little, if any, more power per pound of boost vs the TVS. With it being a bigger blower vs the TVS, it does have a higher ceiling though. You're still going to see the limits of a 6 rib belt at about the same power level.

The "you can't hook the low end power of a p/d blower" is kind of comical. No, it's not as easy to hook, but yes, it can be done and it's not that hard to do. The Whipple will actually be a little softer on the bottom end vs a TVS at the same boost level.

An LS3 might be a better fit for the 2.9L Whip than the LS7. The LS7 makes stupid a$$ed torque without positive manifold pressure. Just don't forget that the pedal on the right hand side isn't an on/off switch. If you understand that, that "uncontrollable" torque can actually be controlled.

C6smackdown

I've got 2 C6's with Whipples.

I've got a base C6 with a 2.9 on an RHS 502, and I just installed a 2.9L on my C6Z about a month ago. The blown 502 is a blast to drive on the street.

Although, I should have built an all motor Z. Having 2 is just dumb.

CI GS

My thoughts exactly. It would be interesting to see a comparison of the 2.9 to a 2.3 Eaton though. The screw compressor is supposed to be the more efficient blower, and certainly the larger volume should make for lower IATs per pound of boost, although I realize there are other factors like intercooler efficiency etc. But, as they say, the proof is in the pudding.You certainly seem to be wringing a lot of power out of that Heartbeat...

CI GS

Holy crap. You must invest a lot in tires!
Could you please tell us more about these two beasts?

Streetk14

I'm wondering if Whipple has changed their design and actually added a post-blower IAT sensor. I was doing some reading on the Camaro forum, and someone from Whipple was bragging about how low their IATs were. Then it was revealed that their Camaro kits didn't relocate the IAT sensor. Doesn't seem like you'd be able to properly tune the car with it set up like that, as the PCM would have no idea what's going on inside the blower. The IATs are obviously going to be low when the PCM is reading ambient air temp.

If you're looking to make big power with a PD blower, the Whipple would probably be the best choice. You can make some decent boost with a Heartbeat using an 81mm blower pulley and an overdrive balancer, but that's about the limit without either custom pulleys or possibly modifying the shaft. I'm still not exactly sure why the LSA Heartbeat blowers are capable of running much smaller blower pulleys, but it is what it is. I have no aspirations to make over 700 rwhp with mine, so I'm good with that.

The nice thing about the TVS blowers (and probably the Whipple) is that they're basically silent when you're idling or just tooling around. I didn't mind the Vortech "whistle" noise at idle on my A&A car, but the constant air rushing noises from the BOV on decel and during normal driving got old after a while. Just depends on what you're after.

izaks

Makes 780rwhp w/o nos and 920rwhp with nos. (at 5,500 ft )
Battling to get the power down.

CI GS

Damn, that's awesome power! No wonder you're having a hard time hooking it!
If you don't mind, tell us more about your setup - fuel system, transmission, etc...

izaks

Running 80Lb injectors. Aeromotive in-tank pump supplying a surge tank with a Holley Dominator twin pump suppling the motor.
Running a Australian modified 4L65E through a 4" one piece drive shaft with Harrop true track and Gforce side shafts.
Has modified bilstein coil over suspension

With my old 402 set up, ran 10.37 with just over 9,000ft density altitude - 4,345lb race weight.

Having to start all over with the suspension set up, as the new motor makes over 1,000 ft/lb torque

C6smackdown

My Whipple RHS502 has:

HKE built RHS tall deck
4.600" Sonny Bryant billet crank
Callie's 6.300" Ultra Billet I-beam rods (not the compstar rods)
Diamond 4.165 Pistons
Total seal rings
All Pro -2 heads (by WCCH)

just to name a few things.....

The car makes just over 1070rwhp, and right at 1000rwtq.


The C6z is stock with a Whipple. which I've decided to sell btw. It's pretty much brand spanking new. It's only got about 15 miles on it.

NormWild

That Centri must have had straight cut gears, mine makes no noise at idle.

CI GS

I'm not sure what kit he has, but it is 5+ years old.
The Procharger M3 that I had on my boat had straight cut gears and howled like a banshee, but the boat ran like a fart in a hurricane with it!
Do you have the ECS kit? I really like the looks of their blacked out kit and the centris are definitely more bang for the buck. It's just that I keep hearing that centris have a high pitched whine at idle?

CI GS

and here I was thinking I was a speed freak!!

Unreal

You hear the BOV at idle with centris, and that can be adjusted. The blowers are pretty much quiet.