Pro's and con's of a Kenny Bell -VS- F1A

[smashedheadcat]

That f1a is a seriously mean blower. I think you're going to be very happy with it.

 

[mpe331lx]

I say go F1a. There is no need to change cams. The cams in the '03 cobra are set to help build low/mid range torque. Which is exactly what you should do with the big F1a blower. Butcher ran his car deep into the 9's (faster than the nitrous'd KB cars) with stock cams and a stock pullied f1a blower. Everyone seems to point the finger at the centrifical blower when it comes to weak low rpm torque. Anyone that knows anything about shaping power curves needs to look at runner length. The procharger supplied sheet metal intake has runners about 2 inches long. That is in the "EXTREME" short runner range. So, shorten the runners, lose low rpms power, and gain it in high rpms. Look at the dyno graphs of procharged cars....... nothing until 5000rpms or so, then the powercurve takes off. So, a 2 inch intake runner starts to become effective at 5000rpms... Now, instead of addressing the runner length problem, they do what any terminator owner would do to increase torque..... add boost. So, here comes the small pulley, and the belt slip.... so with the slipping belt, weak low rpm torque numbers...... and a no help from ATI, the R&D owners ditched them. Nobody is addressing the problem with these blowers. In order to build more power in the low/mid range, you need to add runner length. So, ditch the factory intercooler setup, get a real intake on there (99-01 cobra intake or sullivan for race only) and keep the stock pulley on it. Run an air to air intercooler on there with a 12rib setup. Sure, it's pricey, but you can find used procharged kits in the classifieds for just over $2000, so in the end, it won't be too bad. This setup would produce power in the 700rwhp range with no slip. I almost did this instead of going turbo. Kind of wish I did sometimes.

Exactly what I was talking about! :thumbsup:

 

[spyder1337]

I say go F1a. There is no need to change cams. The cams in the '03 cobra are set to help build low/mid range torque. Which is exactly what you should do with the big F1a blower. Butcher ran his car deep into the 9's (faster than the nitrous'd KB cars) with stock cams and a stock pullied f1a blower. Everyone seems to point the finger at the centrifical blower when it comes to weak low rpm torque. Anyone that knows anything about shaping power curves needs to look at runner length. The procharger supplied sheet metal intake has runners about 2 inches long. That is in the "EXTREME" short runner range. So, shorten the runners, lose low rpms power, and gain it in high rpms. Look at the dyno graphs of procharged cars....... nothing until 5000rpms or so, then the powercurve takes off. So, a 2 inch intake runner starts to become effective at 5000rpms... Now, instead of addressing the runner length problem, they do what any terminator owner would do to increase torque..... add boost. So, here comes the small pulley, and the belt slip.... so with the slipping belt, weak low rpm torque numbers...... and a no help from ATI, the R&D owners ditched them. Nobody is addressing the problem with these blowers. In order to build more power in the low/mid range, you need to add runner length. So, ditch the factory intercooler setup, get a real intake on there (99-01 cobra intake or sullivan for race only) and keep the stock pulley on it. Run an air to air intercooler on there with a 12rib setup. Sure, it's pricey, but you can find used procharged kits in the classifieds for just over $2000, so in the end, it won't be too bad. This setup would produce power in the 700rwhp range with no slip. I almost did this instead of going turbo. Kind of wish I did sometimes.

Nice post. I have a question for you though. You said you have turbos on your cobra but sometimes wish you would have went with the F1A? Why is that?

 

[smashedheadcat]

Just to be different I guess. I love my turbo kit, but I also love the sound of the f1a! It would have been cheaper as well.

 

[blowngt]

Just to be different I guess. I love my turbo kit, but I also love the sound of the f1a! It would have been cheaper as well.

Wanna trade.... :-D

Seriously though, I never thought about the sheetmetal intake vs cobra intake issue?? That coupled with the fact that I'll be using 99-01 cobra cams gives me hope that I'll see some decent #'s. I'm starting off with a 4.0 pulley on an 8 rib belt. I'm guessing I'll be somewhere north of 500.....I hope anyway!!

 

[smashedheadcat]

No trades. ha ha. I'll sell the whole car to ya though. I'm sure you'll make great numbers.

 

[drohan8592]

for a street car (driven every day) isay kenne bell. that's what i have. i put down 612 HP 572 TQ, 17 PSI, 18 degrees timing. and we let off at 6100 rpm because of spark blowout. what really matters is how much space is under the curve. I.E. hp and tq. when i spray a 75 shot i dare a 17 psi procharger to step up.

 

[longrodLX]

for a street car (driven every day) isay kenne bell. that's what i have. i put down 612 HP 572 TQ, 17 PSI, 18 degrees timing. and we let off at 6100 rpm because of spark blowout. what really matters is how much space is under the curve. I.E. hp and tq. when i spray a 75 shot i dare a 17 psi procharger to step up.

exactly why i would only go with a pos. displacement blower or my turbos. i hate the actual dialing them in part with the turbos but every time i drive my car i fall back in love. tha turbo powa is amazing :rockon:

 

[drohan8592]

exactly why i would only go with a pos. displacement blower or my turbos. i hate the actual dialing them in part with the turbos but every time i drive my car i fall back in love. tha turbo powa is amazing :rockon:

no doubt bro !!! a huge turbo is definitely in this car's future. but then it will be a dedicated drag car. and in no way shape or form am i taking away from a turbo street car. i'm just saying, slapping on a positive displacement or turbo is worlds better than a centri. at least on these animals. nuff said !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[drohan8592]

KB/TURBO owns all. bottom line.

 

[drohan8592]

Thats funny because MM&FF had a feature article awhile back on the F1A and revving it beyond 6k made it slower, it was faster at 6k then at 7500rpm

this is true. MMFF overspun the procharger 03 cobra by spinning the blower up to 7,200. they spit the belt off and said it was due to the fact of them overspinning the blower. the F1A is a bad ass blower, but not for a terminator.

 

[smashedheadcat]

for a street car (driven every day) isay kenne bell. that's what i have. i put down 612 HP 572 TQ, 17 PSI, 18 degrees timing. and we let off at 6100 rpm because of spark blowout. what really matters is how much space is under the curve. I.E. hp and tq. when i spray a 75 shot i dare a 17 psi procharger to step up.

So what you're trying to say is that your 17psi KB car needs a 75 shot to beat a 17psi procharged car and you still call your blower superior?? If that's what floats your boat, more power to ya.

 

[spyder1337]

What's the CFm difference between a f1a and a comparable blower.

 

[longrodLX]

So what you're trying to say is that your 17psi KB car needs a 75 shot to beat a 17psi procharged car and you still call your blower superior?? If that's what floats your boat, more power to ya.

no thats not what hes saying. thats just what he has. and yes the KB is a far superior blower on the street and at the track over the F1 or any other centri for that matter.

 

[blowngt]

no thats not what hes saying. thats just what he has. and yes the KB is a far superior blower on the street and at the track over the F1 or any other centri for that matter.

I think that the guys at Triangle would agrue that point.......

 

[drohan8592]

So what you're trying to say is that your 17psi KB car needs a 75 shot to beat a 17psi procharged car and you still call your blower superior?? If that's what floats your boat, more power to ya.

no what i'm saying is that my kenne bell @17 PSI will destroy a Procharger@ 17PSI. i'm talking if only a blower swap, not a cog system, or a solid axle or any of that. a 17 PSI KB will KILL a 17 PSI procharger terminator any day. if you find someone in socal with a F1A and they're only running 17 PSI. let me know. then we'll see who has the superior blower. bottom line

 

[drohan8592]

I think that the guys at Triangle would agrue that point.......

do you have any idea what the triangle car has done to it ?? and how much boost they're running. probably not. look at the muscle mustangs and fast fords test on the procharger. this is a good comparison. for a normal terminator. did they even get into the 10's ??

 

[smashedheadcat]

no thats not what hes saying. thats just what he has. and yes the KB is a far superior blower on the street and at the track over the F1 or any other centri for that matter.

I beg to differ sir. Even on the juice, no KB cobra has gone as fast as Jimmie from Triangle speeds procharged cobra. That is a fact. What you are stating is opinion. Like I mentioned earlier, people blame the blower for a lack of low rpm torque you should be blaming the intake with 2 inch runners. In the upper rpms, the "far superior" KB cant manage much more than 630rwhp without race gas.

 

[smashedheadcat]

no thats not what hes saying. thats just what he has. and yes the KB is a far superior blower on the street and at the track over the F1 or any other centri for that matter.

I beg to differ sir. Even on the juice, no KB cobra has gone as fast as Jimmie from Triangle speeds procharged cobra. That is a fact. What you are stating is opinion. Like I mentioned earlier, people blame the blower for a lack of low rpm torque you should be blaming the intake with 2 inch runners.

 

[drohan8592]

smashedhead -

so unless your saying jimmy from triangle speed shop is running pump gas, then your post has no credibility. the triangle car is sick, but it is also completely transformed. and he is running wayyyy more than 17 psi. that sir is a fact. and do you drive your car in the 5,000-6,500 rpm range all the time ?? i doubt it. that is when the procharger car takes off. if it is such a good blower, then why is every jumping ship that buys them ?? for 95% of the people on these forums, the kenne bell is superior. just ask.