I'm thinking of skipping straight to the Kenne Bell...
 

Hey All:

I just bought an 03 Lightning. I have a cold air kit that I have not installed yet.

Instead of doing pullies and all that sort of thing, I am thinking of just going straight to the KenneBell. Do you think the stock motor would put up with that?

I am planning to tow with the truck, any thoughts on that?

Thanks for any help

Steve Moberley

I think it is a good idea. :rocker: Unless you can wait for the whipple.

Definately the way to go. The whipple may be more reliable, but who knows when it will come out. It's always two weeks away. I've never had any probs with my KB.

You may want to contact JDM and ask about the Magnum Powers blower. They are half the price and make almost as much power as the KB.

Give Anthony or Jim jr. a call at JDM (this not an advertisement), either one of them will be glad to talk to you and give you honest advice regardless of weather or not you will buy their products or not.

They sell all of these blowers and will tell you which one would be better for you, or possibly the might advise you that your $$ might be better spent on different mods???

That's not a bad idea, but I would probably go with some good long tube headers to allow a little better airflow, for the bigger blower.


Rocks

I have researched this ad nauseum and agree that going straight for the more efficient blower is the way to go. Pulley it for 13-14psi and it will make 50-60rwhp more than an Eaton at the SAME boost level... and at ~450rwhp, you should not be over the limits of the stock motor.

No long tubes or lots of pulley swaps, no messing with the stock cats, etc.

Adding the other mods later will yield more power, of course, but they are not necessary to reach a really nice point on the HP scale. :)

Overspinning the Eaton to where it creates astronomically high air charge temps is more hazardous to the motor.

Your motor your choice!

many have made good HP numbers with a stock block. All you can hope for is that you block will be one of them.


Suavy

I want to make another point here... no blower is safe if you push the limits of the stock block.

My thinking is... what is the most efficient and safe way to make ~450rwhp. I think over that you will have trouble sooner, rather than later.

Now there are lots of ways to make 450rwhp with our trucks. The one I think is the most efficient is going with a better blower and just being smart about keeping boost down. It may not be the cheapest way to do it, but I think it is the safest way to get to that number. Now it will also be easier to get carried away with trying to make more power, since we all know the KB is capable of block-splitting power. That's where some common sense and restraint comes into play.

What he said! :thumbsup:

With a Whipple just around the corner, you want a KB..:confused: :eek:

In reference to the stock block.

Isn't the 03-04 engine suppose to be a little stouter main bearing webs, better head gaskets, more spark threads. Possible a better batch of rods?

Seems like lots of folks automaticaly put limitations on the engines but I am curious what the limits are on the newer 03-04 stock blocks.

That is one of the main reasons I traded my 99.

The intake plenum and runners are unchanged since 01 correct?

WA2fast, just a quick ?...Who said anything about 450 hp???

My point is IF going with just a blower, not that that is even possible...you would/should have to atleast do a boost bypass, breather, and program.. then why not go with a MP blower which is half the cost of the KB...

Then you would have the best /safest and best bang for the buck setup!

The MP is more than capable of creating too much boost for a stock motor! And it is capable of making 450 hp aswell.

Have you seen the #'s a MP produces without all the bolt ons? Not anything special. Are there any MP trucks hitting 11's without any exhaust mods or a converter or slicks. I know I've only personally seen two MP trucks. One was Ramairsvt and it was not on there long, becuse it didn't make the power he wanted and the other is johnfastruck who has every bolt on there is and has a best of 11.9. The mp will make power, but it needs to be turned way up to do it.

I disagree

Boost bypass does NOTHING to produce power - it keeps you from dumping boost - but thats a safety measure.
Same with an oil breather
According to FRPP a program/tune is NOT needed for a Whipple.

There are plenty of people running good times with stock exhaust.

I cant wait to see what the net difference will be on a bone stock truck ...

Wes - You have my blessing :D - Keep us informed how it goes

Doug, I said nothing about those things producing power. My point was that they were needed if you are going to make high boost. You NEED a boost bypass if you are going to run higher than stock boost levels!!

FRPP probably sells a kit running low boost levels, if you pulley it up to make power, then you will need it!!

I dont know how much power can be had at stock boost levels w/o any other mods...My quess is that not enough to justify the cost of the blower!!

Money would best be spent on chip/pulley/filter etc. IMHO!

Tell me again, why would someone spend $4000 + to get let's say 50-75 hp, when just as much or more could be had for much less $$ and safely at that??