What should I do? (Whipple 2.9 or keep TVS 2.3)

[mr4teth]

So I'm thinking about swapping my TVS 2.3 for a Whipple 2.9.

I have a guy that's willing to buy my TVS for about what it will cost me for a FRPP badged 2.9 Whipple. With the 2.9 I should pick up about 25 - 35 more RWHP on a 91 octane tune putting me right at 700RWHP STD or 680RWHP SAE. The Whipple will run more efficient, produces less heat and allows me to take the HPs up into the mid to high 700 range and maybe 800's with additional mods. The only catch is initially I might have to buy 72lb injectors ($620) and I might loose a little bottom end "grunt" the TVS makes.

I know more is better but I'm at the point were I can't use the HP I have because of traction issues.

"Yes" swap them out or "No" keep the TVS?

On a side note I know a guy who has the same setup as me but with long tube headers and he's at 711RWHP on a race fuel ...... maybe I should just add headers and move on.

[97LaserRed]

i dont think 30 rwhp is worth it.... I say stick with what cha got!

[Rodeheaver's]

thats a tough call.. teh tvs is HARD to beat no matter wich way you look at it.. I think i would stay with the tvs and add headers, tehy will just make the entire package more efficient..

[cwh19]

thats a tough call.. teh tvs is HARD to beat no matter wich way you look at it.. I think i would stay with the tvs and add headers, tehy will just make the entire package more efficient..

x2 for sure

[Inkdcountryboy]

Swap it!!!

[03 OW SVT]

My vote is keep what ya have. Question we have to ask ourselves Mark, is... When is enough going to be enough?

[RUTHLESS]

My vote is keep what ya have. Question we have to ask ourselves Mark, is... When is enough going to be enough?

Easy answer...Its NEVER enough.


Oh stop crying about injectors, Mark. You should see the list of parts I put on my car to support the KB and then some. lol I say go for it and see how far you can go. Just keep in mind that when you start you cant stop with these things. It starts out with a port, then a twin screw, then spray, then turbos, then a cage, race gas, then a full drag suspention, then , then then . lol Oh and a few NEW engines along the way.

I am just not sure I would go with the 2.9. I think I would go bigger. hehehe

[95riosnake]

If you can swing the price tag on the Whipple+injectors (which it seems you can if you're considering it) I would go whipple. It's not so much the initial gain to me, but more the potential it gives you down the road. You know you'll probably never be content with your power level for long, so when the bug for more power bites, you can always up it with a few more mods. Just my .02

[mr4teth]

Here's what a TS member had to say about swapping his TVS to a Whipple 2.9!


Now what? .....

Hi Mark,

In my personal opinion don't make the switch to the 2.9 it's just not worth it. Especially with the stuff that is coming out for the Tvs, like the new throttle bodies, elbows, new porting and front drives.

The 2.9 I feel is kind of a dog especially if you drive it on the street a lot. I have to run more boost with the 2.9 to equal or slightly beat my old Tvs up to 5000 rpm in torque and horsepower. After that the 2.9 makes a bit more but I think the Tvs could be right there with it with the stuff that is out and/or coming out.

I feel that there is an effciency problem with the 2.9 because it sure seems to suck up a lot of horsepower to drive it. It is very hard to break 750rwhp sae. Most the posts you see are kind of shall I say misleading but I don't want to start a war on the boards. Truth is I have seen up to 26 lbs boost with my 2.75 and 10% lower and still have my doubts that it would be much over 750 sae although in fairness I did have a belt slip problem and some traction problems on the dyno.

If you really are going to step it up go with the KB 2.8 or the Whipple 3.4 and do the lowering. Or better yet wait to see where the new KB 3.6 and 4.2? end up being. Also there should be stuff coming out about the Whipple 4.0 but after what I have been through with the 2.9 I would have to think about another Whipple.

Short answer is I personally don't think you should make the change to the 2.9. I may be putting mine up for sale in spring and move on to one of the newer s/c's or just go back to a Tvs and use all the stuff that is now available. I would probably get into the low 700's where 99.9% of the 2.9's are but the low end that they have sucks.

Sorry for the long reply!

[95riosnake]

Or better yet wait to see where the new KB 3.6 and 4.2? end up being. Also there should be stuff coming out about the Whipple 4.0

say whaaaa.....? Did I just read KB 4.2 and Whipple 4.0? That's just ungodly.

[Flyin Monkey]

Buy the whipple sell the TVS. Get some Kooks long tubes. Tune it and enjoy it.

[KBCobra]

Buy the whipple sell the TVS. Get some Kooks long tubes. Tune it and enjoy it.

x2, Efficiency goes a long way.

If the low end grunt is truly that bad w/ the whipple, spray it will a small dry shot on track days. I remember my 03 cobra port/pullied eaton days, I had a 100 dry shot and holy cow, it was more violent then the kenne bell @ 19lbs by itself.

[street591]

Buy the whipple sell the TVS. Get some Kooks long tubes. Tune it and enjoy it.

x3

If you can consider your tvs sold already then I don't see why not to buy, or switch it out really. If it keeps things running alot cooler and efficent then I would definately swap it out.

Then you can be the first steel city whipple shelby!!

[SonofaBish]

I say go for it.... You've already got enough HP, but if you don't do it, you'll always wish you had..... If you go with the Whipple now, and decide that you would rather step back and downgrade to teh TVS again, then you can do that, and you'll probably still be able to get great resale on the Whipple... and you'll be able to say that you had done it, and you didn't like it.... However, that's a very unlikely scenario... Even with 700+ in my car, i was damn tempted to turn it up, since all it took was a slight turn of a very small knob....

[MBH]

I know more is better but I'm at the point were I can't use the HP I have because of traction issues.

No. I wouldn't do it. Your best bet is to buy a much more aggressive tire once yours are gone, so you can make the best use of what you have.

Is 30rwhp worth $620 injectors, new tune, dyno time, installation time (assuming you're installing it yourself with some friends, if not installation $$$)?

IMHO, I'd leave it alone or if I really wanted something more, I'd put long tubes on it. They sound fantastic & will free up a little more power too. The only way I'd tell you to go for the whipple would be if you wanted a lot more power down the road, and even then - I'd suggest you consider the bigger unit based on your goals at that point.

Do you not like the way your TVS sounds? Do you know if the whipple sounds better/worse? Would it be quieter/louder?

[mr4teth]

Do you not like the way your TVS sounds? Do you know if the whipple sounds better/worse? Would it be quieter/louder?

No I love my TVS! That's what's making this decision hard! I feel the car is almost perfect but I'm not sure I will feel this way a year from now when everyone and thier brother has a 2.9 GT500 car and is blowing my doors off!

The TVS is a great SC but it has it's limitations. I can put LT headers on ($1400 - $1200 .... yep GT500 guys get ) and pick up a few more HP and it will run a little more efficient but at that point I maxed it out. Yes I can also play with porting the inlet or even sending the entire TVS out to Stiegemeier but I would be pushing the TVS WAY past what it was designed for!

I'm not really sure about sound difference nor do I really care. I'm more interested in the immediate HP gains, efficiency over the TVS and room to grow "if" i want down the road.

O yeah ... 2010 GT500 Super Snakes are being out fitted with the Whipple 2.9 not the KB 2.8!

[biminiLX]

Whipple
-J

[yeahloh95]

i say whipple and long tubes , and have you tried out tose new tires yet?

[mr4teth]

i say whipple and long tubes , and have you tried out tose new tires yet?

Not yet hopefully Wednesday!

[Sonic03snake]

Skip the little blowers and get the big boy Go big or go home.