KB Bigun instructions

[RBB]

I just picked up a used KB Bigun IC for a great price, but the seller didn't have the instructions that came with it. From what I understand, KB includes some fairly detailed instructions on how to cut your lower intake manifold. Do any of you guys that have installed this IC still have those laying around?

Also, from what I understand, the KB unit comes with a different set of bolts. Can anyone confirm?

 

[Poisonous West]

It is true that the KB Bigun IC comes with a set of new bolts but I did NOT use it.

Also, the KB instructions for cutting the lower intake manifold is VERY conservative. Do NOT follow the instructions I am not home now but will post the dimensions when I have the chance to look up.

 

[JB_2010GT500]

I’ll check too. Pretty sure I have them laying around somewhere.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RedVenom48]

Is the Big Gun intercooler worth it if running an upgraded Heat Exchanger and IC pump?

 

[2011 gtcs]

Is the Big Gun intercooler worth it if running an upgraded Heat Exchanger and IC pump?

My car has one and when I talked to Van about it, he said it does flow a lot more air and keep your IAT2s down a lot more.

 

[Robert M]

My car has one and when I talked to Van about it, he said it does flow a lot more air and keep your IAT2s down a lot more.

In addition to the better flow under the blower (less restriction), I also think I saw at least two extra rows for coolant passage, I believe it was 13 rows on the BIGUN vs. 11 rows on the 2007-2012 and the 2013/14 I/C's. The more exposure the incoming air has to the I/C surface and it's heat removal ability, the better for performance.............Just think how free flowing the incoming air would be into the cylinder heads without any sort intercooler restriction under the blower, but the I/C has to be there for heat removal. For the best blower performance, you will want the minimal in air flow restriction after the blower outlet.


R

 

[Catmonkey]

Is the Big Gun intercooler worth it if running an upgraded Heat Exchanger and IC pump?

Van had a thread on this. He installed one on his 2014 without porting and maybe picked up 5 hp. I'm sure the benefits would be greater on an extensively modded engine running a lot boost. https://www.svtperformance.com/foru...ler-revan-racing.1020005/page-3#post-14442727

 

[Robert M]

Van had a thread on this. He installed one on his 2014 without porting and maybe picked up 5 hp. I'm sure the benefits would be greater on an extensively modded engine running a lot boost. https://www.svtperformance.com/foru...ler-revan-racing.1020005/page-3#post-14442727

I have never heard any claims of hp gains from the BIGUN I/C, even from KB, but I do remember reading Van's thread.

I think the same could be said for an owner installing a FRPP 2013 I/C in their 2008, better air flow below the blower, but minimal (if anything) shown on a chassis dyno.

The gain is a reduction in air flow restriction between the outlet of the blower and the intake ports of the cylinder heads. If there are a couple of additional cooling tube rows on the BIGUN for additional heat removal as the hot compressed air flows through the I/C, that is a benefit also, but like a larger H/E, there are no quotable numbers shown at the rear wheels but instead the system stays cooler with minimal to no heat soak issues. <<<That is a large benefit to a GT500 owner..........but again, not a hp gain/benefit.

Ford SVT Engineers increased the I/C CFM flow rate from the original 2007-2012 Eaton S/C to the larger 2013/14 TVS. At what point is an even larger I/C benefit realized? 2.8KB, 2.9 Whipple? or 3.2KB, 3.4 Whipple? 3.6KB? At some point, that 2013 I/C that was originally designed for the TVS becomes a restriction and more I/C CFM is needed to maximize the flow efficiency and minimize the flow restriction through the rpm range.


R

 

[biminiLX]

Not sure how much the Bigun helps but it definitely has more rows and larger surface area.
The key to making big power is removing the biggest restriction, which is the lower intake manifold.
I bought this lower with KB Bigun from Birdoc several years ago. It was max CNC ported and had a thermal coating on it, I have since extensively ported/welded the rear wall (huge benefit, with help from Bad Company) and improved the side walls, exposing significantly more IC volume.
I believe this is one of the reasons my engine combo has produced excellent power, and it's worth as much or more than head porting IMO.
If you're going as far as installing the Bigun, do as much porting with the lower as you can afford.
My heads only have a port match to the bigger intake ports.
Full disclosure that many people don't share, my Bigun failed and so did my tuners. Apparently there was some trouble with early runs, but KB wasn't interested in helping and as I bought it used. My tuner bought an early run prototype from KB while we did our builds together and his failed, so we both bought new Biguns. I do think it's worth it for guys looking for big power.
-J

 

[Catmonkey]

Jay, what failed? That's some awesome looking work on the top of that manifold.

 

[biminiLX]

Small leaked developed.
Caught it right away. No damage just a pain in the ass.
But it allowed some fine tuning on the dyno and 965rwhp without ice in the tank and about 23-24 deg timing.
Other than BPS shop race car that's the highest SAE number from a Gen 2R 2.3 blower we've heard.
My tuner with a similar 5.8 build and my previous welded/ported Trinity 2.3 made 930rwhp SAE on a similar/same tune, and we believe a lot of that power due to the lower intake mods.
-J

 

[Robert M]

Small leaked developed.
Caught it right away. No damage just a pain in the ass.
But it allowed some fine tuning on the dyno and 965rwhp without ice in the tank and about 23-24 deg timing.
Other than BPS shop race car that's the highest SAE number from a Gen 2R 2.3 blower we've heard.
My tuner with a similar 5.8 build and my previous welded/ported Trinity 2.3 made 930rwhp SAE on a similar/same tune, and we believe a lot of that power due to the lower intake mods.
-J

^^^That is good to know. I wonder if mine should be checked for a leak before the install?



That is an impressive number and like l said previously, get the restriction below the blower to a minimal amount while also having great heat removal and also having maximum CFM flow for optimal blower performance.



Thank you for the confirmation that the BIGUN has more rows for coolant flow, along with the larger surface area. I have comparison pictures somewhere, but I think they are in my Photobucket pictures and have not been brought over to Postimages yet.


R

 

[Robert M]

I was a little bit off on the coolant rows on the 2013/14 oem I/C (and upgrade for the 2007-2012) and the KB BIGUN I/C.

Fist picture is the 2013/14 I/C bottom view.............

Here is the KB BIGUN I/C installed in a lower intake, top view.........

It looks like the row count is 11 on the oem 2013/14 and 15 rows on the KB BIGUN.

As with any larger H/E and it's extra cooling capacity, the KB BIGUN I/C is also larger with extra cooling capacity beyond the 2013/14 level.

R

 

[biminiLX]

16 on KB, 12 on OEM Trinity, but whose counting
-J

 

[Poisonous West]

Here is the instruction for cutting the KB Bigun IC from Kenne Bell.

The 2 "long side" cut are 5.3mm. The front cut is 8mm (KB called out 0.25" BUT just cut 8mm - trust me on this one you will NOT regret on this).
The rear cut depends on HOW MUCH you want to spend IF you are paying a machine shop to do it. I was lucky enough to have a friend who has access to machines and have him did a FULL cut VERY similar to Bad Company / BiminiLX at NO COST.
My friend spent more than 6 hours to finish all the cuts than I have another friend weld up the rear opening also at NO COST.

 

[Poisonous West]

Also, depens on which "version" of the Bigun IC you got, if you have the later updated version, you will have to use the includes Allen head bolts.

The earlier version use (2) 2mm thick aluminum welded to the IC for mounting.

The below picture shown the updated version with (2) machined aluminum welded to the IC for mounting and that's why you have to use the Allen head bolts on the updated version.

Let me know if you have any question regarding to cutting the rear portion of the lower intake.

 

[RBB]

Also, depens on which "version" of the Bigun IC you got, if you have the later updated version, you will have to use the includes Allen head bolts.

The earlier version use (2) 2mm thick aluminum welded to the IC for mounting.

The below picture shown the updated version with (2) machined aluminum welded to the IC for mounting and that's why you have to use the Allen head bolts on the updated version.

Let me know if you have any question regarding to cutting the rear portion of the lower intake.

View attachment 1512986

Thanks Poisonous, appreciate the measurements man. I actually gave Rick at KB a call on Friday and after sending him some pics he determined I had the newest version of the IC, so I will need the bolts. He also mentioned that he would not install the older version due to a number of failures. If I would’ve had the old one, he requested that I send it in for the revision.

 

[Poisonous West]

SO you talked to Rick at KB and KB now is offering some kind of revision for the earlier Bigun IC intercooler?

I have the earlier version and is out of my car now. If KB is offering some kind of revision work on the earlier IC, I would definitively send it back to them and have them work on it.

 

[RBB]

SO you talked to Rick at KB and KB now is offering some kind of revision for the earlier Bigun IC intercooler?

I have the earlier version and is out of my car now. If KB is offering some kind of revision work on the earlier IC, I would definitively send it back to them and have them work on it.

That’s right. We didn’t get into cost since he was able to quickly determine I had the new version after I sent a couple pics in, but they can revise the original unit. He strongly recommended that for the old ones, said they had seen more than a few crack.

I’d definitely give them a shout and send that one in.

 

[Poisonous West]

This is JUST my own personal opinion:

It is NOT worth the extra $$$$ to upgrade to the KB Bigun I/C if you have the 13/14 OEM I/C (I have a 2011 model so I decided to upgrade the I/C)
* Bigun IC cost $$$$
* In order to really utilize the FULL benefit if the Bigun I/C which requires 3 additional works:
1.) You need to machine the lower intake manifold ESPECIALLY the close out area of the by-pass. Justin at VMP did a BEFORE and AFTER testing on his own GT500 more than 10 years ago. What he did is ONLY cut out and weld (port) the close out area of the by-pass. The gain is 10 RWHP with the same 07-12 I/C.
2.) The restriction of the water flow is in the water manifold inlet / outlets casting, the front heat exchanger inlet / outlet, and the Bigun I/C inlet / outlet. You need to completely ditch the OEM water manifold and replace it with the J2Fab 1" inlet / outlet water manifold with custom 1" tubing and 1" ID hose and have J2Fab machine the Bigun I/C inlet / outlet. It took me a little while to figure out how to re-route the custom 1" tubing and 1" ID hose with the J2Fab mod on the Bigun I/C.
3.) After you done the above 1 and 2, the last restriction is I/C pump inlet / outlet plastic housing. If you have upgraded to the 13/14 pump. 1 way is to re-design (in CAD) the pump plastic housing and make it a little bigger internally (so the water flow more) and externally so it will accepted 1" ID hose. Have the CAD send to a 3D printing shop and have it 3D print in ABS material. And other easier way is just replace the OEM pump with a aftermarket high output pump with 1" connections.