TVS Blower Advice Needed

[Bruce2009KR]

So, life is too short and I've read so many positive things about the TVS addition to the KR that I'm close to pulling the trigger. For those who have actually done it, help me with the following:

 

1. I'm looking at the VMP Gen 2 TVS and the fellow there recommended this:VMP 07-14 SHELBY GT500 2.3L TVS SUPERCHARGER - 720+ HP KIT

 

He also recommended a set of 8, 56 lb fuel injectors ($299) and a dual plug-n-play fuel pump 40 Amp Voltage booster ($549).

 

I am a bit ignorant on the discussion of boost and pulley. I want to be conservative and don't want to encounter problems. Here's some of the description:

 

The VMP TVS 700 HP Kit Contains:

• VMP TVS GEN II-R 2.3L Supercharger
• VMP Twin Jet 67mm throttle body
• Pulley of your choice (2.4", 2.5", 2.6" or 2.8")
• 1 year warranty
• Unlimited technical and racer support
• VMP Custom Calibrations by Justin Starkey additional starting as low as $199.00 (No charge to existing VMP Tuning calibration customers)
• May be used with 10% or 15% OD lower crank pulley for 17-23psi.

• Boost chart (at sea level) with included supercharger pulleys vs crank pulley/balancer size:

  SC Pulley
  Stock Balancer 10% OD Balancer 15% OD Balancer
  2.40"
  18psi 20-21psi 21-23psi
  2.50"
  17psi 18-19psi 20-21psi
  2.60"
  16psi 16-17psi 18-19psi
  2.80"
  14-15psi
  Step up to 2.60" recommended
  Step up to 2.60" recommended

   

  Boost is an estimate based on stock exhaust, subtract 1psi for off-road exhaust or longtube headers.

  Max recommended boost at sea level is 16-17psi before fuel upgrades are required on 07-10 cars. If you are significantly above sea level you can run a more agressive pulley combination to make up for the altitude.

  Most 07-09 cars will baseline at 420-460RWHP stock and 10-12 cars at 460-480RWHP stock.

  VMP TVS adds 170-220RWHP over stock, more depending on modifications.

I'm open to suggestions and from what I understand, the KR does not need much other than the TVS itself so do you recommend the extras they're suggesting? Lastly, I fully realize suspension work is the next logical step should I perform this swap!

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Bruce

[mavisky]

I have about the exact same setup on my 2009 GT500 and love it.

 

VMP Gen 2

VMP twin 67MM throttle body

2.5" pulley

JLT 127mm intake

56lb injectors

3x heat exchanger bottle

VMP triple pass heat exchanger with fans

 

Still need to get the boost-a-pump and a 170 degree thermostat but the car pulls great and just never gives up even on the factory 3.31 rear gears. Before this my car made 550whp out of the stock blower and I could dead hook 2nd gear unless it was actively raining. The car now will only hook 2nd if the asphalt is perfect and the tires are up to temp. Definitely making more power now than before. If the road surface is anything less than perfect then it will happily do a 2nd gear rolling burnout even with the traction control on.

 

Love this blower and can't wait to keep pushing it with some more complimenting modifications.

[msb64]

I am running their 820HP for 2 years now, although I went the route of piecing it together part by part as I went along.

It looks like their current package price is a better deal.

The 820HP kit essentially has the same major hard parts as the 720HP kit, other than the fuel and spark mods and a tune adjustment.

I feel the pump boosters and injectors are a must, as you defintely don't want to run into a fuel delivery/lean issue, it cant destroy pistons and cylinder head parts in no time.

Generally when you go to significantly higher boost, you go one step colder with the plugs and reduce the plug gap to minimize possiblity of detonation under high boost.

I have also added the JLT 123mm CAI and the Shelby PCV oil interceptor on the passenger side (works very well).

You could have them tune the car to the 720HP level if you want, but add the fuel and spark upgrades as a safety cushion.

I am currently running the 2.5" pulley, and with that I am at the safe limits of the 56lb injectors, something to keep in mind if you want to go to the 2.4" upper.

I went to the ATI 10% over Super Damper as well, for engine protection and the ability to run a slightly larger pulley up top for belt grip.

It turned out that I needed to upgrade my tensioner as well, as I started getting belt slippage at the top of 3rd and 4th gear at the drag strip.

I went with their heavy duty tensioner and so far it seems to be working fine, I am already running the Gates Racing Blue Blower and Accessory belts.

I had them build the tune for E10 94 octane fuel, and it is the only gas I have put into the car since it was new.

For the kind of power levels you are considering, definitely look into beefing up your drivetrain if you haven't already.

I am running the 2011 GT500 clutch assembly (tsb replaced), Dynotech 1 piece aluminum driveshaft, BMR Upper and Lower rear control arms with red poly bushings, a Drake Musclecars heavy duty UCA bracket and a J&M adjustable panhard bar.

So far no broken parts and the car is still very streetable.

One fun side effect is tire spin even in 3rd gear with 285 drag radials

Edited August 7, 2017 by msb64

[mavisky]

So you're on the 2.5 upper and 10% lower now? That makes sense as far as the limit for the 56lb injectors. I was debating looking into the 2.4 vs going with a lower pully.

 

If you have access to E85 you could go bigger on the injectors and make a bunch more power. E85 can take a ton of ignition timing. Unfortunately E85 isn't very common around the Atlanta area.

Edited August 8, 2017 by mavisky

[gasketmkr]

The VMP guys have put together some very good packages for just about any late model Mustang you could be looking to mod.

[msb64]

So you're on the 2.5 upper and 10% lower now? That makes sense as far as the limit for the 56lb injectors. I was debating looking into the 2.4 vs going with a lower pully.

 

If you have access to E85 you could go bigger on the injectors and make a bunch more power. E85 can take a ton of ignition timing. Unfortunately E85 isn't very common around the Atlanta area.

That was VMPs recommended limit, and I don't like to push the edge.

I went with the 10% over lower mainly for the added motor protection of a high quality dampener.

It is a bit cranky to install with hand tools, I needed a 3 foot extension on my biggest breaker bar to get it loose, and had to put the car in 6th gear with ebrake and blocks to keep the car from moving.

I am not a fan of using impact tools on any motor, especially on the crank, and torque everything I can with a torque wrench.

I installed a new torque to yield dampener bolt, and that was easier than breaking the oem one loose.

Some pretty scary flexing on my breaker bar, even though it was a beefy one.

No need to go to E85 or race gas, car is already making more power than I can get to the ground at the strip, and I don't want to get into dedicated strip suspension components.

Still running full stock exhaust and cats too, with the exception of KR mufflers, they sound awesome at wot.

[msb64]

Should also mention as an added precaution, I set my raptor shift light to 5800 and lowered my rev limiter to 6100 rpm.

No need to push the rpms with that kind of torque and hp in a street car.

Driving the car off the line I am at just over 127mph in the quarter so far, haven't been back to the track since I installed the heavy duty VMP tensioner.

[gasketmkr]

That was VMPs recommended limit, and I don't like to push the edge.

I went with the 10% over lower mainly for the added motor protection of a high quality dampener.

It is a bit cranky to install with hand tools, I needed a 3 foot extension on my biggest breaker bar to get it loose, and had to put the car in 6th gear with ebrake and blocks to keep the car from moving.

I am not a fan of using impact tools on any motor, especially on the crank, and torque everything I can with a torque wrench.

I installed a new torque to yield dampener bolt, and that was easier than breaking the oem one loose.

Some pretty scary flexing on my breaker bar, even though it was a beefy one.

No need to go to E85 or race gas, car is already making more power than I can get to the ground at the strip, and I don't want to get into dedicated strip suspension components.

Still running full stock exhaust and cats too, with the exception of KR mufflers, they sound awesome at wot.

Spot on about the KR mufflers, nothing to improve on there unless you are looking for sheer volume.

[mavisky]

I've got KR mufflers on stock manifolds and cats as well so totally agree. That being said I'm considering headers and they may have to go once the long tubes go on. Hoping the long tubes will get me to the point where I can run a 2.4 upper and a 10% lower and still be safe. May need a bump in injectors though if get flowing that much air though.

[Bruce2009KR]

Gents,

 

Some are saying if I do this VMP kit on my KR I need inter-cooler and other important engine saving upgrades. Thoughts?

[sheppd01]

You don't absolutely need and intercooler but it is a good idea.

 

I have this one.

http://www.revanracing.com/products/kenne-bell-bigun-intercooler.html

 

And this

https://www.americanmuscle.com/vmp-triplepass-dualfan-heat-exchanger-0515.html

[mavisky]

Intercooler, not so much. Heat exchanger, definitely. It's shocking to see how small the factory unit is. I would have thought it was an oil cooler if I didn't know better. The VMP triple pass and their 3x plastic reservoir are a great addition to any GT500 regardless of the blower.

[msb64]

I live in a moderate climate which usually is only in the 70s F in the summer, so cooling is not much of an issue for me so far.

I am still running all stock components for that, and even with numerous back to back passes at the strip, never noticed signs of heat soak (such as reduced mph).

It all depends on the climate where you live though, I always like to play it on the safe side if you can afford it.

Never hurts to ask BJ or Justin at VMP for advice on that, they do mods like that every day and will have a lot of experience in that regard.

Personally I love the KR mufflers, and want to get a spare set before they disappear like so many other 07-09 parts have, like KR brace, KR short shifter and Ford Racing shift arm/ball.

At the 800hp level and especially with long tube headers, cat life can become an issue, even with high flow aftermarket cats.

If you drop or gut the cats, then you look at increasing noise levels which change the exhaust sound/volume, something that just installing long tube headers alone will do.

At this point my cats are holding out, and I definetly do not want to increase the exhaust noise, it is already more than loud enough for me at wot.

The engine savers I decided on were listed earlier, reduced rev limiter, reduced shift points, super dampener, conservative pulley, 94 octane fuel only and frequent oil changes irregardless of miles (typically only 2000km per season).

A less obvious one was the passenger side PCV oil interceptor, once you remove a blower without one, on a motor with medium to hard pulls or has been tracked you will find a substantial amount of oil residue covering the heat exchanger under the blower.

That is definitely not high pefomance, and will definitely contaminate the intake charge.

Next upgrade I am considering will probably be going to some bigger injectors like the ID75s or so, to give me a bit more headroom there.

[FiaCobra]

I'm also looking to do the TVS upgrade.

[Bruce2009KR]

Thanks for the suggestions and advice!

 

The parts are still arriving, I did spring for one piece aluminum driveshaft and BMR upper and lower CA's. JLT passenger side catch can too.

 

An issue where I'm confused is the tune. I was under the impression this 720 hp kit from VMP came with a tune (I mean, how can you achieve such results WITHOUT one!). Still, I'm learning and now see that that's an extra $200-$250 and I wish the salesperson had done a better job "selling" (informing) me with, " Hey, you're gonna love this kit but let's talk about the tune you'll need to go with it."

 

I'm in Northern VA and I know there are some VERY competent shops that build street/strip cars. I'm guessing THEY will have the necessary recommendations and can furnish a tune?? I hear Lund tunes are superb but then I hear the ones from VMP are the way to go. I'd love to learn more on this part of upgrading. Thanks in advance!!