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CNTHOOK
10-02-2009, 07:31 PM
I was thinking of going with nitrous but i just cant make myself do it because its not there all the time and i have made fun of so many nitrous cars and i know i will catch hell, does anybody have any input on a kenne bell blower for these trucks?

grapejuice1998
10-02-2009, 08:14 PM
I was thinking of going with nitrous but i just cant make myself do it because its not there all the time and i have made fun of so many nitrous cars and i know i will catch hell, does anybody have any input on a kenne bell blower for these trucks?

Well, I have had some personal experience with that setup and it would be fine if you could score one super cheap. However, the "optimizer" limits the performance quite a bit and deleting it seems to be a recipe for disaster.

The truck I drove launched hard, but the further it got down the track and the more the optimizer beeped, the slower it got.

Also, if you've ever seen a KB installed, it's quite a plumbing nightmare.

dakfink
10-03-2009, 05:29 AM
I never had any actual hands on with the Kenne Belle.
I have always heard it was a PITA with the (Flop-Timizer)

I think it is a good system just needs to be re-worked and set up correctly.

1: Trash the Optimizer and go with SCT or StandAlone
2: Put an electronic boost controller on it. The darn thing makes 8-10 psi off-idle and holds that all the way through the RPM range .
if you making 8psi at Idle and you holding that all the way through the RPMs then you dumping a lot of pressure over-board.

If I had time and Money. i would find a cheap kit get it in place and fixx all the bugs then look at swapping the Head-Unit for one of the newer models that KB offers.

Jimbarrt
10-03-2009, 05:44 PM
The KB looks like a good choice until you have an issue...KB offers no tech support...finding anybody who wants to deal with their 5.9 apps is not easy...

I installed one (DIY) two years ago, and it made good power through out the rpm range. It is around 8# of boost, so its not killer power, and its pretty safe, no worries about blowing up anything...

UNTIL, the optimiser [to adjust timing, fuel, etc. piggybacks to the pcm] decided to quit. I have since parked the truck, trying [with not much luck] to save up money to go with the sct setup for computer management.

I don't think many would actually recommend the KB, but it is a pretty safe way to make some power, esp. for a daily driver, like mine WAS, if not for the problems with optimizer and lack of customer service.

ME111
10-03-2009, 10:18 PM
I was thinking of going with nitrous but i just cant make myself do it because its not there all the time and i have made fun of so many nitrous cars and i know i will catch hell, does anybody have any input on a kenne bell blower for these trucks?

I'm about to install mine but it will not be an as-is install when I'm done with it. I will be using an SCT tune and without the auxiliary injectors. It will end up being very clean looking from the typical setup. Give me a couple weeks so I can do an NA dyno run and I should have it done with pics and whatnot to follow.

Five9Dak
10-04-2009, 12:53 PM
Don't install any of KB electronics, ever. Then its a pretty good kit for huge low end and mid range gains. The top end gains aren't going to be superb until you up the compressor inlet flow.

My kit makes 6.7psi on a mild bolt on motor. If you want to put the time into reworking both manifolds, you should be able to put 600 to the wheels with the right motor, so it does have room to grow, its just more time intensive to get right.

Don't know what dakfink is talking about with a boost controller, the reason to get this blower is so you have excellent area under your boost curve, even better than a small turbo. Don't know why you'd want to dump it down low, with good tires this set up is an animal on the street. No track times for me, I autoX a lot more than I drag race, and it's perfect for that too.

dakfink
10-05-2009, 09:16 AM
Don't install any of KB electronics, ever. Then its a pretty good kit for huge low end and mid range gains. The top end gains aren't going to be superb until you up the compressor inlet flow.

My kit makes 6.7psi on a mild bolt on motor. If you want to put the time into reworking both manifolds, you should be able to put 600 to the wheels with the right motor, so it does have room to grow, its just more time intensive to get right.

Don't know what dakfink is talking about with a boost controller, the reason to get this blower is so you have excellent area under your boost curve, even better than a small turbo. Don't know why you'd want to dump it down low, with good tires this set up is an animal on the street. No track times for me, I autoX a lot more than I drag race, and it's perfect for that too.

I am not 100% familiar with them BUT I do remember when they first came out some one asked the question of how it made 8-psi at idle and kept from blowing the heads off as the rpms increased.

Someone that had one replied that KB used a Pressure Relief Valve to keep the pressure from getting over 8-10psi.

If that is true by controlling the Pressure Relief Valve (BOV) you can control the Boost pressure. Maybe even gaining some boost

Five9Dak
10-05-2009, 09:15 PM
There is a bypass valve that is industry standard for PD style blowers, that's it.

If you got a two barb style vacuum actuator for the bypass valve, you could use a boost controller to bent some boost, but then you'd be heating a large air mass to a higher temperature, only to dump some it. It would make more sense to run the right size pulley.

The original pulley might be closer to 8psi on a bone stock motor, like I said, mine is 6.7. Full boost is available at rpm, including idle, provided the throttle is open enough to feed the blower at that engine speed. I hope you don't mean idling with 8psi... lol.

As far as blowing the heads off at higher rpms are concerned, boost doesn't increase with rpm like a centrifugal. The boost is developed from a different displacement between the blower and the engine. This ratio is relatively constant through the rpm band.

thirsajohn
10-15-2009, 12:43 PM
Yeah this setup is a constant love-hate thing. Like a good-looking but demanding spanish chick (OK I won't go there) I just learned how to take it apart (You can't really do an easy tune-up) I got rid of the optimizer and got a smart tuner smt6. Had a guy tweak it and dyno it. I am thinking about new computer control though.. and maybe meth injection (although I'm not like a track runner or anything) I just got a volant box from a chevy duramax deisel and PVCed into it for air from 3 places. Sounds mean