Kenne bell intake question?

[Shat9611]

Hey im days away from buying kenne bell 2.8LC kit for my 2012 and I'm also getting their 168mm throttle body, now my question is has anyone modified the intake so that it doesn't route under the car?? I really dont want to cut my bottom headlight support so can I just cut the intake and make it smaller, or can I buy the 5" intake kit for the gt500 and make it fit??
Thanks in advance

 

[908ssp]

Funny the only thing KB did right when designing their system is putting the air intake in the front fender and NOT in the engine compartment. You will see a 20 to 30 degree rise in intake air temperature running the air box in the engine compartment. With all the problems keeping KB SC running cool that is the last thing you want to do.

 

[Shat9611]

The temp diff isnt that drastic l do HVAC for a living and decided to take multiple input temp probe out and place srnsors throughout the car one behind the front bumper, one one the driver side strut tower, and the last one was hanging out the window (for ambient temp)... The biggest difference i saw was when i was ideling the sensor in the front bumper was around 5-8 degrees cooler but when cruising the difference was about 2-3 degrees.. Now with that said being on a teack would prob raise the difference even more but since the nearest track is 3+ hours away i may go there once a year so i dont see the need to hack my body apart for 2-3 degrees

 

[Doug1227]

The other thing to consider is that the MAF meter is in the inlet tube. Getting a nice straight run of tubing for the MAF is critical in getting a good reading. I know other kits have put it there, but not sure that you have much room. I have the big TB on mine and the TB is dead even with the strut tower. Add in the couplings and you don't have a ton of room. The "Hacking" isn't that big of a deal. You can't see it once the car is put back together and it's no worse that grinding on a timing cover.

 

[Shat9611]

The space does concern me, in your honest opinion is the kenne bell 5" intake kit for the GT500 too long to fit under the hood??

 

[908ssp]

The temp diff isnt that drastic l do HVAC for a living and decided to take multiple input temp probe out and place srnsors throughout the car one behind the front bumper, one one the driver side strut tower, and the last one was hanging out the window (for ambient temp)... The biggest difference i saw was when i was ideling the sensor in the front bumper was around 5-8 degrees cooler but when cruising the difference was about 2-3 degrees.. Now with that said being on a teack would prob raise the difference even more but since the nearest track is 3+ hours away i may go there once a year so i dont see the need to hack my body apart for 2-3 degrees

Actually we have thermocouple in front of the air filter on a Whipple and the temps are 10 to 20 degrees higher than the IAT so were shedding some of the heat into the intake cooling system a total waste of cooling system capacity and that's with a vented hood with a none vented hood the temps 10 degrees higher than that.

The best thing about the KB is the location of the air filter. Everything else leaves much to be desired.

 

[Doug1227]

So, just out of morbid curiosity, would you care to elaborate on all of the things that you think KB did wrong on their kit?

Actually we have thermocouple in front of the air filter on a Whipple and the temps are 10 to 20 degrees higher than the IAT so were shedding some of the heat into the intake cooling system a total waste of cooling system capacity and that's with a vented hood with a none vented hood the temps 10 degrees higher than that.

The best thing about the KB is the location of the air filter. Everything else leaves much to be desired.

 

[Department Of Boost]

The temp diff isnt that drastic l do HVAC for a living and decided to take multiple input temp probe out and place srnsors throughout the car one behind the front bumper, one one the driver side strut tower, and the last one was hanging out the window (for ambient temp)... The biggest difference i saw was when i was ideling the sensor in the front bumper was around 5-8 degrees cooler but when cruising the difference was about 2-3 degrees.. Now with that said being on a teack would prob raise the difference even more but since the nearest track is 3+ hours away i may go there once a year so i dont see the need to hack my body apart for 2-3 degrees

I collect/log all sorts of temp data on my 2007.

My air filter is located in the "GT500" spot and boxed in so it is pulling minimal air from the engine bay. As good as it gets without making a completely sealed airbox that feeds from outside the engine bay or run the tube outside the engine bay.

Also keep in mind I have a fully functional splitter and lots of hood vents. Not many engine compartments run as cool as mine does.

At the air filter my temps are about 10-12deg over ambient while cruising down the freeway at 80mph. This is as cool as it gets.

Driving on surface streets (35-55mph) I see 20-25deg over ambient.

Sitting through a light.....one light, will get me temps up to 60-70deg above ambient.

Getting the air from outside the engine compartment is by far a HUGE advantage.

 

[Department Of Boost]

So, just out of morbid curiosity, would you care to elaborate on all of the things that you think KB did wrong on their kit?

Their intercooler (IC) design is incredibly restrictive. The core is too small, inner passages are too small and worst of all the fittings are way too small. Even if you run a huge pump it is still an issue because the big pumps have a problem pumping through a systems so restrictive. Keeping blowers/IAT's down is a constant battle with a street car (you can run ice at the track). For the most part the question of what blower is "best" doesn't come down to blower vs. blower, they all make boost. What really matters in the real world, on real cars, not fantasy dyno numbers under perfect conditions is cooling vs. cooling. And KB's cooling is C+ at best.

KB compressors run hot, which hurts IAT's too. I don't know what it is about their rotor/case design but the run like lava. There is a reason KB is the only company with liquid blower cooling, they need it.

KB's are a PITA to work on. Assembly/disassembly is tedious. KB loves RTV, which makes everything take 10x longer than if it has O-rings. "Popping the blower off" to fix/check something on most blowers is no big deal, the KB's are a huge PITA.

The way the IC lines hook up on the back of the manifold is a assembly/disassembly nightmare.

KB's are notoriously hard on belts.

The MAF is too far from the TB. It makes it harder to tune for good drivability.

KB customer service/tech is non-existent. If you can even get them on the phone.

If pressed I could probably go on.

I've owned KB's. I have switched over to Whipple and will never look back.

 

[Seer]

Their intercooler (IC) design is incredibly restrictive. The core is too small, inner passages are too small and worst of all the fillings are way too small. Even if you run a huge pump it is still an issue because the big pumps have a problem pumping through a systems so restrictive. Keeping blowers/IAT's down is a constant battle with a street car (you can run ice at the track). For the most part the question of what blower is "best" doesn't come down to blower vs. blower, they all make boost. What really matters in the real world, on real cars, not fantasy dyno numbers under perfect conditions is cooling vs. cooling. And KB's cooling is C+ at best.

KB compressors run hot, which hurts IAT's too. I don't know what it is about their rotor/case design but the run like lava. There is a reason KB is the only company with liquid blower cooling, they need it.

KB's are a PITA to work on. Assembly/disassembly is tedious. KB loves RTV, which makes everything take 10x longer than if it has O-rings. "Popping the blower off" to fix/check something on most blowers is no big deal, the KB's are a huge PITA.

The way the IC lines hook up on the back of the manifold is a assembly/disassembly nightmare.

KB's are notoriously hard on belts.

The MAF is too far from the TB. It makes it harder to tune for good drivability.

KB customer service/tech is non-existent. If you can even get them on the phone.

If pressed I could probably go on.

I've owned KB's. I have switched over to Whipple and will never look back.

hence why IMO... whipple > kb

 

[Department Of Boost]

All that being said, if we are talking about the 5.0 and it is supposed to be a street car/daily driver and under 700hp (which is a LOT!) I would go with a Roush TVS. They have a super sano/OEM level of finish and the TVS blowers run cooler than a twin screw under normal driving conditions, which means more power more of the time.

If I were looking for stoopid power a 3.4L or 4.0L would be in the cards.

 

[Shat9611]

Yea im starting to steer away from KB prob onna go with a procharger just cuz the whipple kit is so pricey... Ik im gonna suffer with the lack of torque but ive heard good things about them... Any known flaws with procharger??

 

[Department Of Boost]

Yea im starting to steer away from KB prob onna go with a procharger just cuz the whipple kit is so pricey... Ik im gonna suffer with the lack of torque but ive heard good things about them... Any known flaws with procharger??

I'm a bigger fan of PD blowers then centri for street cars because of the torque.

But if I were to do a centri it would be a Procharger. Only downsides I see with them is they are kinda "in the way" under the hood and running that huge tubing to/from the IC is a bit of a PITA IMHO.

 

[stang8psi]

And the placement of the filter on procharger is just horrible.

 

[Riptide]

People talk about lack of torque with a centri but if you're racing whats the big deal? Most of the time you'll launch at or near the power band anyway. What am I missing here?

Oh and plus one whipple > kb


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[Seer]

People talk about lack of torque with a centri but if you're racing whats the big deal? Most of the time you'll launch at or near the power band anyway. What am I missing here?

Oh and plus one whipple > kb


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daily driving I'd assume.

 

[Riptide]

That makes sense. But I guess for being out of boost a stock 5.0 or even a 3v seems fine to me. If it were super low compression and a total dog out of boost that would be kinda suck though.

Are the newer KB intercoolers any better?


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[Shat9611]

And the placement of the filter on procharger is just horrible.

I do plan on getting a 3" cowl hood so the filter by the firewall may end up being a positive

 

[downtime!]

I run the new 2.8LC on my 2012 and I see none of the issues mentioned above. My IAT's stay constant and cool, even here in Texas heat. Beating on it at the track in Ohio last month, I saw a small rise in IAT's when hot lapping (we had the strip to ourselves, so was able to make as many passes as I wanted). The new heat exchanger is huge, almost as big as the factory radiator, and it does a good job of keeping the charge cool. No issues with the pump, or belt, and I've put almost 15000 miles on her since the installation in late December, including the 3100 mile round trip to Ohio last month.

It's a good kit, that makes good power (my car did 625 at the wheels, and now runs mid to high 10's at 130, and gets 30 mpg on the highway). I love how the OP asks a simple question, and it turns into a bash KB thread.

 

[Drkmrkiv]

It's interesting to me that the 99-2004 Mustang and Cobra guys LOVE their KB's.
As a former 2004 mustang GT owner and have spent hours and hours researching blowers for the 2V, KB was on my short list...

But since buying my 5.0, I have read next to nothing on the forums about KB. There are maybe 1-2 threads for every 100 when talking about blowers.

I'd like to go with KB because its different. I like doing things a little differently than the rest of the pack. I love the blower design and love the blower casing. I think it looks beautiful under the hood.

And this thread highlights the crux of the issue...
One says they're horribly designed and unreliable whereas someone else swears by them. I just wish there was more information out there about KB.