Kenne Bell superchargers

[Dlsbobby]

Greetings,

Just wondering why more people don't talk about Kenne Bell superchargers? Their dyno graphs look pretty. Plus it does have an EO#. Anyone have one of these TS series superchargers and how do you like them?

[simon.w]

There used to be a fair bit of talk in here about KB ... Back in 2010-2011 you'd see equal chatter about the Whipple, Maggie and KB.

There was a lot of noise about the higher AITs ... And how that effected HP.

These days there are many more FI products available for the Camaro ... Whipple and Maggie have held their own against the new competition ... KB seemed to fall by the way side.

Well that's my theory for what it's worth.

[Inferno LSX]

They suck. Lol. I have one on my LS2 and it runs sooooo hot I have to dump tons off meth into the intake. Better options.


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[cc-rider]

I bought a Kenne Bell this winter for my LS3 Camaro. I did a LOT of searching and reading and decided to give it a go, even though there are some KB haters here who did their best to scare me out of it. My install of my KB starts next week. Check back here and I'll give you an honest review!

There are some guys here who love them, and some who bash them. And because of their factory direct to consumer sales model with very few dealers getting the okay from them to sell, many of the big hitter vendors on this site dump on Kenne Bell regularly because they'd rather you buy a Maggie or Whipple or something they can make some profit on. And who's to blame them for that. This is how they make their living and it's not like the options they are offering are "bad"...lots of awesome FI options for our cars.

Much of the bashing you'll see is because of high IAT's. But what you will also see is that they make huge power. You already saw the graphs from KB. Many people here have got 550 to the wheels with just the KB. Whipple gets these numbers too. Most other chargers will get 490-500. So you get about 50 more with the KB. And the KB comes with a much better CAI as part of the base kit.

Also, in all my research, I noticed that ALL positive displacement chargers have many threads about high IAT's. It's part of the deal when it comes to top mount PD chargers on these LS3 engines. The pushrods just don't allow for intercoolers that are the size that the Ford guys can get in with the DOHC Coyote engines.

Only difference is that KB has a lot of haters. Vendors don't like them because they can't make money off them. Then you have a lot of the lemmings who just pile on and have never even had the KB. And then you have the guys who have one (or had one in the past) and either love it or got rid of it (usually for high IAT's). Research and read and you'll find the 3 groups real quick. KB has also recently changed their intercooler to a better one. And they have a dual pass heat exchanger (you'll read that in the past they didn't, but mine came with one!).

Bottom line. The KB charger is a fantastic option. But so are the other options too.

Also...give Jim Bell a call at Kenne Bell. He's the owner. He loves to talk superchargers and is usually happy to talk.

[Inferno LSX]

Like I said. I HAVE A KENNE BELL and hate it. Still better than nothing. I did find a company that makes a meth injection plate that mounts under the screws and top of IC. I'm gonna try that and see if dumping tons of meth there cools the IAT down.


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[sick13ss1le]

i had a kenne bell and hated was always stretching belts incredibly high iat's now I'm going with a agp twin turbo

[ronniels3]

Originally Posted by Dlsbobby

Greetings,

Just wondering why more people don't talk about Kenne Bell superchargers? Their dyno graphs look pretty. Plus it does have an EO#. Anyone have one of these TS series superchargers and how do you like them?

The worst top mount of all time. I had one on a LS1 Corvette and it would get so hot that one day I put a piece of tin foil over the top and grilled 2 cheeseburgers. It also just about melted everything in my engine compartment. I switched back to the ECS Paxton set up.

[ronniels3]

Originally Posted by cc-rider

I bought a Kenne Bell this winter for my LS3 Camaro. I did a LOT of searching and reading and decided to give it a go, even though there are some KB haters here who did their best to scare me out of it. My install of my KB starts next week. Check back here and I'll give you an honest review!

There are some guys here who love them, and some who bash them. And because of their factory direct to consumer sales model with very few dealers getting the okay from them to sell, many of the big hitter vendors on this site dump on Kenne Bell regularly because they'd rather you buy a Maggie or Whipple or something they can make some profit on. And who's to blame them for that. This is how they make their living and it's not like the options they are offering are "bad"...lots of awesome FI options for our cars.

Much of the bashing you'll see is because of high IAT's. But what you will also see is that they make huge power. You already saw the graphs from KB. Many people here have got 550 to the wheels with just the KB. Whipple gets these numbers too. Most other chargers will get 490-500. So you get about 50 more with the KB. And the KB comes with a much better CAI as part of the base kit.

Also, in all my research, I noticed that ALL positive displacement chargers have many threads about high IAT's. It's part of the deal when it comes to top mount PD chargers on these LS3 engines. The pushrods just don't allow for intercoolers that are the size that the Ford guys can get in with the DOHC Coyote engines.

Only difference is that KB has a lot of haters. Vendors don't like them because they can't make money off them. Then you have a lot of the lemmings who just pile on and have never even had the KB. And then you have the guys who have one (or had one in the past) and either love it or got rid of it (usually for high IAT's). Research and read and you'll find the 3 groups real quick. KB has also recently changed their intercooler to a better one. And they have a dual pass heat exchanger (you'll read that in the past they didn't, but mine came with one!).

Bottom line. The KB charger is a fantastic option. But so are the other options too.

Also...give Jim Bell a call at Kenne Bell. He's the owner. He loves to talk superchargers and is usually happy to talk.

If you haven't installed it you should return it and get the ADM LSA set-up. I am not a KB hater I just had one and it didn't work that's all. Cost me a lot of money.

[z3R0fo01]

Originally Posted by ronniels3

The worst top mount of all time. I had one on a LS1 Corvette and it would get so hot that one day I put a piece of tin foil over the top and grilled 2 cheeseburgers. It also just about melted everything in my engine compartment. I switched back to the ECS Paxton set up.

What did it melt?

[SoChrisB]

I have a lot of buddies with Mustangs who run Kenne Bell and have had luck. I have heard about higher AITs from them, as well. The other thing is Kenne Bell doesn't market or sell to 3rd party vendors. You buy directly from them.

[cc-rider]

Originally Posted by ronniels3

If you haven't installed it you should return it and get the ADM LSA set-up. I am not a KB hater I just had one and it didn't work that's all. Cost me a lot of money.

LOL. You are a KB hater my friend. I remember you posting this stuff on some other threads. With all due respect, you can fry a burger on any engine. Engines get hot. Anything bolted to the engine will be hot. So the fact that you fried a burger on it really has no meaning.

Do you have some IAT2 data logs you can provide?

[cc-rider]

I'd really love for someone to provide a logical explanation that is either driven by HONEST data or physics that explains why a Kenne Bell supercharger working air to 8 psi creates temperatures that are so insanely higher than other top mount PD chargers (i.e. Maggie or Whipple)? Anyone?

I know that some of the IAT data you'll find here searching about the Whipple vs KB is misleading. The Whipple used to take their IAT2 readings before the supercharger. Do they still do that? That just seems dumb and dangerous to me...but sure enough will result in a good IAT2 reading.

They all have roughly the same size intercooler brick and heat exchanger. They are all top mounts attached right to the engine block so they will inherently get hot from conduction. They all compress air to 8 psi which creates heat. I can't imagine that any one of them can compress the air to 8 psi significantly cooler than the other. In fact, there are many claims that twin screw chargers are the most efficient PD chargers out there. So that would then leave the intercooler system to be the determining factor. And as already mentioned...they are all roughly the same thing.

So why is this that the KB apparently has these soaring IAT's while the other top mount PD chargers are so much better? I'm asking for real! I would seriously like to know. I have found no logical explanation for this. Therefore...I tend to think that this is just KB hate. But I may be wrong...

[AGP Turbo]

Originally Posted by cc-rider

I'd really love for someone to provide a logical explanation that is either driven by HONEST data or physics that explains why a Kenne Bell supercharger working air to 8 psi creates temperatures that are so insanely higher than other top mount PD chargers (i.e. Maggie or Whipple)? Anyone?

I know that some of the IAT data you'll find here searching about the Whipple vs KB is misleading. The Whipple used to take their IAT2 readings before the supercharger. Do they still do that? That just seems dumb and dangerous to me...but sure enough will result in a good IAT2 reading.

They all have roughly the same size intercooler brick and heat exchanger. They are all top mounts attached right to the engine block so they will inherently get hot from conduction. They all compress air to 8 psi which creates heat. I can't imagine that any one of them can compress the air to 8 psi significantly cooler than the other. In fact, there are many claims that twin screw chargers are the most efficient PD chargers out there. So that would then leave the intercooler system to be the determining factor. And as already mentioned...they are all roughly the same thing.

So why is this that the KB apparently has these soaring IAT's while the other top mount PD chargers are so much better? I'm asking for real! I would seriously like to know. I have found no logical explanation for this. Therefore...I tend to think that this is just KB hate. But I may be wrong...

Some compressors are more efficient than others. Sometimes the difference is huge. PD blowers have some serious problems with 'super heating' the air. This is when the heated compressed air slips backwards to the compressor stage and it compressed again and the heat is multiplied. The high IAT data on KB's has been out and common knowledge for years. They are clearly not as efficient as others.

[Supermaro54]

Not a Camaro but here's a build from another forum. Post #50 IAT 228*.
http://www.performancetrucks.net/for...-522509/page5/