Absolute serious question.. Vortech or Kenne Bell

What means of forced induction should I get?

  • Kenne Bell 1.7

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Vortech T Trim

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    9

TweekedGT

New Member
Jul 22, 2004
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Alberta
I am looking at getting a power adder for next year. I've been tossing around all of the forced induction options. I've narrowed it down to three, Turbo, Kenne Bell or Vortech. I think the Turbo is a little too expensive so that means Kenne Bell or Vortech T-trim. If I go Kenne Bell is the 2.2 Blowzilla too much of a pain to work with? (you have to add a Cobra fuel tank and 2 Cobra fuel pumps) That leaves me with the 1.7 Kenne Bell and still the Vortech T Trim. I really can't decide. I am actually leaning towards the Vortech just because of the torque and power curves. It would be great to have the power of the Kenne Bell right now but for drag racing it sucks for traction (which is what i will be mainly using the car for). Any of you guys with blowers have any insight? I want to get a plan in place so I can budget and get the right one the first time. Does it make a difference? Should I just buy the cheaper? I don't know.
 
IF I could go back in time to when I bought mine I would have bought the KB. BUT my ride is a street car. I would love to gobs of low end but that is not to be.

Now that being said I love my Novi. It makes loads of power, and yes down low too. It comes on at about 3000 and builds very fast there after.

Either way you go you have to do the fuel system. I have the 03 Cobra pumps in my GT tank. It is not absolutely necessary to change the tank. Mine has been boosted for two years on the stock tank Cobra pump combo. No fuel issues at all. You will want either 42 LB or 55 Lb injectors too. That way you have some room for more power. 42's are good to mid 500's.

I would get the Vortech and even spring for the Novi if the budget allows. It will make about 40-50 more HP then the T-trim with the same boost. I would also get a AA charge cooler too. There are a few of us from the MPH boards that made our own kits from bar and plate intercoolers. The intercoolers are nice, polished aluminum, with polished tubing.

Either way you go you will want DR for the street after a while. I know that is the way I am going. Especially next year.
 
WOT said:
IF I could go back in time to when I bought mine I would have bought the KB. BUT my ride is a street car. I would love to gobs of low end but that is not to be.

Now that being said I love my Novi. It makes loads of power, and yes down low too. It comes on at about 3000 and builds very fast there after.

Either way you go you have to do the fuel system. I have the 03 Cobra pumps in my GT tank. It is not absolutely necessary to change the tank. Mine has been boosted for two years on the stock tank Cobra pump combo. No fuel issues at all. You will want either 42 LB or 55 Lb injectors too. That way you have some room for more power. 42's are good to mid 500's.

I would get the Vortech and even spring for the Novi if the budget allows. It will make about 40-50 more HP then the T-trim with the same boost. I would also get a AA charge cooler too. There are a few of us from the MPH boards that made our own kits from bar and plate intercoolers. The intercoolers are nice, polished aluminum, with polished tubing.

Either way you go you will want DR for the street after a while. I know that is the way I am going. Especially next year.

I was going to ask you about yours but I couldn't remember what you were running. I thought it was a Vortech for some reason. I have thought about the Novi, I just don't know, or thought i didn't know, anybody that had one. It's a centrifugal like a Vortech? If the Novi makes more than the Vortech than I'll go that route for sure. I still have that little voice in the back of my head that wants a KB just for the instant power and tire roasting ability :D . I guess I'll do some more research and see what i can come up with. thanks for the tip on the Novi, I'll have to look at that one harder now. Hopefully some more people will chime in and help persuade me one way or the other.
 
Green4.6GT said:
IMO...

turbo>novi>kb>vortech


:nice:

remember they are making over 700 rwhp with the MPH TT kits, on stock unported heads, stock cams and intake.. thats just bananas

I know, that is awesome! I was looking at the Turbo but 1 it is way more expensive, and 2 I don't know if there is anybody in my neck of the woods capable of trouble shooting for me if there are problems. i know lots of guys with blowers who can help out with any issues but i'd be breaking new ground with the Turbo down here. That is kinda why I wanted it though, something different and with a lot of power potential. If I could afford it I would probably go that route.
 
My vote is for the KB 2.2,WHY?-the 2.2 makes plenty of power and if you keep the boost down it won't make quite as much down low,helping with traction but if you decide to spin it up(build an engine to rev to 6500-7000 rpm) you can still get 15-20 psi easily for when you're rippin it up at the track. Lots of guys makin BIG power (600-700) with the 2.2. Just my thoughts.
 
Red2000GT said:
My vote is for the KB 2.2,WHY?-the 2.2 makes plenty of power and if you keep the boost down it won't make quite as much down low,helping with traction but if you decide to spin it up(build an engine to rev to 6500-7000 rpm) you can still get 15-20 psi easily for when you're rippin it up at the track. Lots of guys makin BIG power (600-700) with the 2.2. Just my thoughts.

:nice: Sweet, good reasoning. The thing that will suck is trying to get my big @ss through a roll cage :D . That would be a small price to pay for 700hp though!
 
Go check out MPH's site. GI JOE and Fitz have KB setups and make huge power.

The only thing to remember though is they hit hard down low. So you will need all the suspension setup to hook at all.
 
Alright...so you already stated that this was going to be primarily a track car, but what about your working budget, projected power levels and techincal abilities when it comes to installing it?

Answer those for me first, then I'll give you my opinion.
 
Here is what I think, take it for what it is worth.

If this is going to be a track car, limited street. I would use a Centrifugal SC. Why, you could build the car to spin 8500 RPM and use a wider range of rear gears. I think you could run as high as 4.56's if you wanted to. You would put down some very impressive numbers and be able to back it up at the track.

Now if the car is giong to be a street car, limited track. I would go with the KB unit. You be limited to about 7000 RPM and I wouldn't dare run more gear than 3.90's. You will put down some impressive numbers.

I am pretty positive though, you will put down better HP and 1/4 numbers with the Centrifugal SC.
 
Gearbanger 101 said:
Alright...so you already stated that this was going to be primarily a track car, but what about your working budget, projected power levels and techincal abilities when it comes to installing it?

Answer those for me first, then I'll give you my opinion.

Yup, lots of track and some maybe daily driven street. I'm looking at spending about $5000US and about 500-600rwhp. I have a forged 302 stroker motor being shipped as we speak with a compression ratio of 8.5/1. She is being built for major boost.
 
TweekedGT said:
I have a forged 302 stroker motor being shipped as we speak with a compression ratio of 8.5/1. She is being built for major boost.

That changes things, you would be better off going with the KB unit. You will be RPM limited with the Stroker.
 
TGJ said:
That changes things, you would be better off going with the KB unit. You will be RPM limited with the Stroker.
How do you figure? A hard spinning Centi will make use of the additional displacement every bit as well as a Twin Screw will. With either blower he's still going to be limited to the factory rev limiter in which case the engine will still be more than able to handle the 6250RPM that accompanies it. Besides....a 2.2 will murder his budget and even with all the bolt-ons, a 1.7L won't realistically make any more than 450-500rwhp without a steady diet of race fuel...and even then it's gonna run out of steam in a hurry trying to support the required airflow to feed his stroker.

I personally think he’d be better off with a Novi 2000 if “best bang for the buck” and this level of power is what he’s after.
 
Gearbanger 101 said:
How do you figure? A hard spinning Centi will make use of the additional displacement every bit as well as a Twin Screw will. With either blower he's still going to be limited to the factory rev limiter in which case the engine will still be more than able to handle the 6250RPM that accompanies it. Besides....a 2.2 will murder his budget and even with all the bolt-ons, a 1.7L won't realistically make any more than 450-500rwhp without a steady diet of race fuel...and even then it's gonna run out of steam in a hurry trying to support the required airflow to feed his stroker.

I personally think he’d be better off with a Novi 2000 if “best bang for the buck” and this level of power is what he’s after.
Damn, also true. You guys are starting to through me for a little loop here.
 
Gearbanger 101 said:
How do you figure? A hard spinning Centi will make use of the additional displacement every bit as well as a Twin Screw will. With either blower he's still going to be limited to the factory rev limiter in which case the engine will still be more than able to handle the 6250RPM that accompanies it. Besides....a 2.2 will murder his budget and even with all the bolt-ons, a 1.7L won't realistically make any more than 450-500rwhp without a steady diet of race fuel...and even then it's gonna run out of steam in a hurry trying to support the required airflow to feed his stroker.

I personally think he’d be better off with a Novi 2000 if “best bang for the buck” and this level of power is what he’s after.

Well I have looked around quite a few boards. You do agree that the stroker can't spin as high as a stock stroke car can? All you have to do is look at how the Centrifugal stroker cars are doing compared to positive displaced SCed cars. The positive displaced cars are putting out better number's when RPM limited around 6500 RPM. A lot of the big name strokers from MPH are switching from centrifugal SC to the KB unit. I am pretty sure that is the reason why.