Whipple Stage 1 Upgrade for the Gen 2 F-150 Raptor | Installed/Reviewed
Photos by StacyStangz
Boost makes everything better, and more boost = more better. Those are just facts. So when Ford added two turbos to the F-150 Raptor for its 2nd Generation you knew owners were inevitably start cranking up the dial. What the Raptor lost in V8 rumble with the introduction of the 3.5L HO EcoBoost it more than gained in low-end grunt and mod-ability. Easy power is just an ECU flash away.
This Raptor is one of the most nicely upgraded Gen 2s we've seen. The custom paint work is flawless.
That’s where Whipple, best known for their twin-screw superchargers kits, comes in. They recently released their Stage 1 Upgrade Kit of the Gen 2 Raptor, and we got word that our friends over at Pro-Dyno would be installing one the first kits. The stars aligned and we were on hand to cover the installation and report the results.
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The Whipple Stage 1 Kit for the Gen 2 Raptor consist of a freer flowing enclosed air-box with filter, a substantially upgraded intercooler, ILTR7N8 NGK Iridium Sparkplugs, and a Whipple produced 50-State legal calibration delivered via an HP Tuners RTD device. But wait, there’s more. For those who may be interested, Whipple offers a powertrain warranty to back-up their kit. That’s a level of confidence you don’t see from many developers in the industry. So for those who like a little peace-of-mind with their added performance, Whipple has you covered.
The HP-Tuners RTD, the key to unlocking the performance potential of your Ford.
The higher flowing Whipple airbox is a well made roto-molded piece with a very pronounced intake scoop. Boosted engines hate intake restrictions, so this intake should help alleviate any issues there. The all-aluminum Whipple air-to-air intercooler is a major upgrade over the comparatively puny factory piece. The Whipple core is far thicker and freer flowing, and is able to better cool the intake charge. Like the CAI, the intercooler also reduces intake tract restriction. The cast aluminum end tanks are far more robust than the factory plastic pieces, and the full aluminum welds are less likely to fail than the crimps used to secure the OEM tanks.
A blind man can see the difference here. The Whipple Intercooler is larger and better constructed in essentially everyway than the OEM unit.
The increased thickness of the core alone is enough reason to make this upgrade.
The expert technicians at Pro-Dyno made quick work of the Whipple Stage 1 install.
The included Whipple CAI is capable of moving a lot more outside air into the turbo wheels.
This is Dyno Dan's domain. This Raptor is at the upper size limit of the Dyno-Jet chassis dyno.
The particular Gen 2 Raptor that was visiting Pro-Dyno for this install belonged to SVTP Member @CrewCab_Mike (who also has several other very nice Fords), and featured a flawless custom paint job. The design is very reminiscent of the classic two-tone schemes found on Bullnose F-150s, though this particular color combination was not available at that time. It also featured a number of other tasteful styling mods, and in stock for produced 349 RWHP and 392 RWTQ. After Curtis and Paul finished up the Whipple kit install the Raptor belted out 400 RWHP and 439 RWTQ, for a gain of 51 HP and 47 lbft.
Here you can see the Whipple Stage 1 Kit in action. It essentially adds power everywhere in the curve, so it will be felt in nearly all driving conditions.
But Dyno Dan wasn’t finished. Pro-Dyno is known as the go-to performance shop for Ford Powered vehicles in the Carolinas, and Dan is the guy on-premises slinging tunes. Since Whipple included an HP Tuners RTD in there kit, and Dan tunes with HP Tuners software, he was able to load in one of his custom tunes. South Carolina happens to have 93 Octane fuel available at the pump, so Dan was able to get a little more aggressive than Whipple’s 91 Octane optimized tune (which has to work with the crappy gas out West). Dan’s custom tune cranked out 438 RWHP and 479 RWTQ, for a gain of 38 HP and 40 lbft beyond the Whipple tune and 89 HP and 87 lbft over stock. While Whipple’s optional warranty won’t cover this type of custom tuning, for those wanting a bit more juice it’s good to know that there’s still some low hanging fruit let of the tree.
Pro-Dyno's custom tune adds significantly more power above 4,000RPM due to increased timing thanks to better quality fuel.
Not surprisingly, out on the road these mods significantly wake up this nearly 3-ton truck. While the added power is great, the improved driveability thanks to the transmission tuning is what really sells me on this kit. Everyone knows Ford’s EcoBoost engines respond really well to simple mods like these, and Whipple has put together a quality kit that fits that bill exactly. I like it, and I’m looking forward to installing a similar kit on a Bronco Raptor in the near future. If you’re looking for a Whipple Stage 1 kit for your Gen 2 Raptor give Pro-Dyno, or your favorite Whipple dealer, a call. You won’t regret it.
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