kenne bell opinion
- Thread starter Stang302h.o
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drakesdad
Member
Have you done some research......if not talk to some who have ran it...I was told by my tuner that heat was a issue and that I would be better served with a centrifical such as Vortech...I know that Chris "BlackVert" ran one some years back and sold it......I have thought about it as I like the ease of installation but was informed it would not be in my best interest....just my 2 cents.......if you get feedback from others please share.
Hef5.0weisen
20+ Year Stangneter 
I've had my KB for 4 yrs now, never damaged a piston....popped a few head gaskets, but no pistons. It's the same as anything else, follow the manufactures instructions and you'll be fine. If you get a 1.5 (what i got) and pulley it to make 15 lbs of boost, you'll find trouble. Keep it in its range of 6=9 psi and you'll only need new tires every so often.
it is what it is...can be a bolt on and go, or you can get way into all the varialbes of supercharging a car
Good Luck
it is what it is...can be a bolt on and go, or you can get way into all the varialbes of supercharging a car
Good Luck
drakesdad
Member
Hey Hef, how did you tune it...self or professional tuner? Do you have it on with stock intake and heads?
i spoke with a gent named kennedy who has the worlds fastest kb 5.0 and he stated that because i live in vegas and we see 115 in the summer do not buy the kb.even with meth injection it wouldnt help enough to cool the air charge to a safe temp so buy a turbo kit with an intercooler or a procharger.those are his words not mine.i reallly want a kb and kb says pretty much the same.they said in a hot climate like mine there kit wouldnt be safe past 6 maybe 7 psi.what a dissappointment.
I have seen many people running a kb on stock block - yes post on the Int-ernet and they have blown up their engines because of heat. No I have never owned one but why would people lie about that. They usually post with "uh-oh" in the title or something so if u ask me NO KB.
Now. Turbo's put out more power and an inter-cooler and TUNE is a MUST! I have had a turbo and without an intercooler is not good b/c of heat soak(meaning the car slows down the more yo u hit it ), more chance of detonation, etc.. Turbos ROCK!
Now. Turbo's put out more power and an inter-cooler and TUNE is a MUST! I have had a turbo and without an intercooler is not good b/c of heat soak(meaning the car slows down the more yo u hit it ), more chance of detonation, etc.. Turbos ROCK!
Hef5.0weisen
20+ Year Stangneter
I just did the bolt on and go, set the timing at 10 and had at it. Still have the stock intake and heads....unfortunantely.
Now in the grand scheme of things, I think there is more to be had with it. I'm in the Air Force and haven't been home much in the past few years, so this whole hobby has gone by the wayside, but I've knocked the dust off the tool box and started daydreaming about some goodies: GT-40P's, either a tmoss lower or systemax 1 (hard to find), some cam, maybe a custom grind, and all the little things. After I get all that, I plan to get ahold of Don at lasota, and have him make it all work. Of course, that is the budget (realistic) version. Will it make a Vette cry, doubt it, but I think it'd be fun.
FWIW I have lived in NC where it would reach 100, and now New Mexico where I saw a few 100+ days this past summer, no problem as far getting to work everyday, (as far as this heat topic goes), then again I drive this car like a car not a drag warrior everyday...
good luck
Well 've had my 2.1L KB for a couple of years. First ran it with the FMU but this past year changed over to a AEM-EMS and installed 42 lb injectors and a 255 lph fuel pump. Had a compression issue on #8 cylinder so I ended up having a custom built roller cammed engine. I'm still working on the tune so I don't know where the numbers are. But I must say it's a fun car.
I have done extensive research 
on blowers ... Centri and KB's
I've seen many say this about KB's
If you already got h/c/i ........
The small KB will run outta breath
or
It just don't got the beans to feed such a combo on the big end
Grady
on blowers ... Centri and KB's
I've seen many say this about KB's
If you already got h/c/i ........
The small KB will run outta breath
or
It just don't got the beans to feed such a combo on the big end
Grady
Don 95Vert
Founding Member
I had a 1.5L and a 2.2L KB blower when I had my '95. Edelbrock heads and a custom cam, that's it - and a good tune. Naturally, I had to add a different MAF and 42# injectors. It was a total blast on the street - and on the strip, the 3700# convertible had a best time of 11.1/123. Your results may vary.
I ran 14# of boost with a Flowzilla inlet and a homemade water injection setup before they became popular. I only blew HGs when I was pushing it to the limit trying to do better, but I knew the risks. I think I tried 22* of spark with an 12.4 A/F when I blew one of them one time - something I'd NEVER do with a customer's car and looking back on it, pretty stupid.
I would NOT be afraid to run one in the summer in Vegas with 10# or less of boost and water/meth injection - in fact my old 1500 KB CAME use from Vegas where a guy used it on a '95 Cobra doing those high speed runs. You just have to be sensible about it, like no back to back track runs and on the highway, cruising, don't nail it right away. Get into mild boost so the water/meth cools things for a bit then get on it. And be sure the tune is setup properly for one. Very few tuners know how to set these up correctly, but you can use the ACT sensor's output as a really good 'safety valve' to keep the motor together.
FWIW, there is a guy on Corral (Tinman) in the Cinci area with the world's fastest KB 5.0 car. He beat Joe's car's time (from Kennedy's) a while back. And his is not an exotic modified KB with an IC like Joe's car was.
Don
I ran 14# of boost with a Flowzilla inlet and a homemade water injection setup before they became popular. I only blew HGs when I was pushing it to the limit trying to do better, but I knew the risks. I think I tried 22* of spark with an 12.4 A/F when I blew one of them one time - something I'd NEVER do with a customer's car and looking back on it, pretty stupid.
I would NOT be afraid to run one in the summer in Vegas with 10# or less of boost and water/meth injection - in fact my old 1500 KB CAME use from Vegas where a guy used it on a '95 Cobra doing those high speed runs. You just have to be sensible about it, like no back to back track runs and on the highway, cruising, don't nail it right away. Get into mild boost so the water/meth cools things for a bit then get on it. And be sure the tune is setup properly for one. Very few tuners know how to set these up correctly, but you can use the ACT sensor's output as a really good 'safety valve' to keep the motor together.
FWIW, there is a guy on Corral (Tinman) in the Cinci area with the world's fastest KB 5.0 car. He beat Joe's car's time (from Kennedy's) a while back. And his is not an exotic modified KB with an IC like Joe's car was.
Don
yes, i think soI can't be for certain if they are still there 
but
If you wanna go look for them
Like 3 years back or maybe even 4 years
Tons and tons of old posts on the Corral were done by Don 95Vert,
and several other knowledgeable KB folks.
Don has done so much with those blowers so using his name
would give you a big leg up on making your research less of
an effort.
We have had several peeps run KB's here as well and
I wanna say the name Matt pops up when I think of
those who would be worthy of research on the subject
Just wanted to share a way to see some info from those .........
Who done it
I will not get involved in the debate of Centri vrs KB
I will say each is great ... AND AS ALWAYS ............
Application and User Ability will make or break a successful combo :Word:
The KB is different from a Centri
thus
One must think and do things differently if they wanna run one
well
That is ... if they wanna be in the group of successful KB folk
Grady
but
If you wanna go look for them
Like 3 years back or maybe even 4 years
Tons and tons of old posts on the Corral were done by Don 95Vert,
and several other knowledgeable KB folks.
Don has done so much with those blowers so using his name
would give you a big leg up on making your research less of
an effort.
We have had several peeps run KB's here as well and
I wanna say the name Matt pops up when I think of
those who would be worthy of research on the subject
Just wanted to share a way to see some info from those .........
Who done it
I will not get involved in the debate of Centri vrs KB
I will say each is great ... AND AS ALWAYS ............
Application and User Ability will make or break a successful combo :Word:
The KB is different from a Centri
thus
One must think and do things differently if they wanna run one
well
That is ... if they wanna be in the group of successful KB folk
Grady
Hef5.0weisen
20+ Year Stangneter
I think the 2.1 comes w/ the flowzilla manifolds, whick means you'll need a gt40 or cobra type lower....stock will not work. Not sure on this but, I think the 2.1 skips the FMU which means you'll want a nice fuel pump, larger injectors, and a way to make thme work together (some type of tuning). Again not sure about 2.1, but I think that'd get you to work everyday......not trying to sell you on this, but for me the 1.5 was a much better option, bolt on and go.
spend some time going thru this if you haven't FAQ's lot of GOOD info there, from the source and also as Final 5.0 said, do search for don95vert, you'll find some GOOD info thumbing thru the archives
and out comes my fatherly instinct....keep in mind this sh@t is expensive, you can do whatever you want to your car....it all depends on how resourceful you are
good luck
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