Has anyone ever gone from a 2.9 Whipple to a 2.3?

HPLouis

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I'm contemplating getting a Whipple during the 15% off sale and I was set on a 2.3 since I don't plan on going past 580-600 at the wheels (I don't want to go return style) but I read that the 2.9 is a better design.....then I read that the 2.9 is lazier down low if you pulley it for 13-15 lbs.

Has anyone ever tried both blowers or went from a 2.9 to 2.3 and it felt better on the street?

Thanks
 

TK1299

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I have a 2.9 on mine and it doesn’t feel lazy, at all. I pull 20lbs of boost on a 3.5” pulley. I am pretty confident that if I were to stay at this set up I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference if it were a 2.3 or 2.9.
 

HPLouis

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I have a 2.9 on mine and it doesn’t feel lazy, at all. I pull 20lbs of boost on a 3.5” pulley. I am pretty confident that if I were to stay at this set up I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference if it were a 2.3 or 2.9.
What are your numbers and mods? Are you still returnless?
 

TK1299

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I need to change out my pumps to GT supercar from the Deutchwerks shit that’s in it so I can get the tune finished. Right now it makes 576 to the wheels without any added timing or anything. The DW pumps have a very brief cut out at WOT. Tuner says it should be well over 600 once he finishes.
It’s a very low mile car so I didn’t mod too much: 80lb injectors/ MAF and CAI on 93 octane.
Even at 576 it doesn’t feel sluggish at all. I really don’t want too much torque down low because I don’t want to spin it into a ditch
 

01yellercobra

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I think the only person I've heard of doing something similar is Malcolm going from an older 2.9 down to a VMP 2.3. I think he got tired of the 2.9 beating up lower pullies. He was spinning it to like 28psi though. I think he said the VMP hit a little harder down low. But from what I've seen it's the older Whipples that have the issues like that.

That being said, I have the gen 4 standard inlet and even at 18psi it never felt lazy. It pulled hard all the way through. And that 18psi is with the 3.5" pulley that comes with it. To drop the boost you'd need a larger pulley and I think at some point hood clearance comes into play.

Just my opinion now..... For what you're wanting I would stick with the 2.3. However I wouldn't run it at 13lbs. I would do 16-17psi. Friend of mine had a gen 2 2.3 at 17 or 18lbs and it made 590rwhp. That was with GT pumps (no BAP), 60lb injectors, and a BA3000 MAF. Really a basic set up. If I didn't have plans for a big bore stroker and E85 I would have run the 2.3 myself.
 

NateDogg

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There is no laziness about the gen3 plus 2.9. It hits hard and fast.

The 2.3 TVS is a hell of a blower though. Can't go wrong with either of them imo. One thing that I absolutely hate about the whipple is the fixed elbow. Its so nice to be able to remove the elbow on the TVS.

If I was content stayin below or at 600 I would go with a 2.3 TVS 10/10 times. Whipple does look sexy though.
 

cj428mach

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Malcolmv8 went from a 2.9 to 2.3 tvs. I remember him describing it as night and day difference at low/midrange hit. He's still running the 2.3l and as much as I try to talk him into doing something more, he's happy with his 2.3l.
 

olympic

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I went from a Whipple 2.3 to a 2.9 and there's no discernable difference at the same boost level ( I ran 19-20 psi on both). The new 2.3L is a gen 3 while the 2.9L is gen 4 so it's slightly more efficient, but not enough to notice unless your really pushing the limits. The big jump in efficiency was from the 2.9l gen 4 to the 3.0L gen 5.
 

Black02GT

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Malcolmv8 went from a 2.9 to 2.3 tvs. I remember him describing it as night and day difference at low/midrange hit. He's still running the 2.3l and as much as I try to talk him into doing something more, he's happy with his 2.3l.

Didn't he also go from a 8:1 engine (something lower than stock) to something significantly higher?
 

cj428mach

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Didn't he also go from a 8:1 engine (something lower than stock) to something significantly higher?
He did and was running the 2.9 crusher for awhile. I think after breaking a handful of caged lowers and just dealing with the nightmare that is a Whipple/crusher he went 2.3l. He posted about the difference before.
 

MalcolmV8

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Yes I went from a 2.9 Whipple to a 2.3 TVS on the Zinc and absolutely love it and would never go back :) lol
I was running a Gen 2 2.9 at 30 PSI. Besides been a royal pain to work on the Whipple with their non removable inlet it just kept destroying lower crank pulleys for me. Every 400 miles it was broke. I was running a 10.5 CR motor and I suspect the crisp throttle response from the high compression was a good part in that problem.
When I made the switch I was absolutely in love with it. The mid range and low end power on the street was way up there and so much more fun. The top end did not freight train like the whipple but 95% of the driving, for me, was not on a wide open highway doing 100+ at 6000 RPM so it worked out great for me.
The reason for that is on the whipple, although it made 30 PSI on the top end, it behaves very much like a centrifugal in that at 2500 RPM you'll only see about half that boost and it ramps up with RPM. Where as the TVS gives you full instant boost right from low RPM.
The Redfire has a 3.0 Gen 5 Whipple on it and I still see the boost climb with RPMs like how my old 2.9 did but it seems to be less pronounced and more boost at lower RPM.... I think. It's hard to tell because it has an auto with a very loose stall so when I mash the gas pedal it flashes right to 6400 RPM or there about. It was making 28.5 PSI in mid summer heat. I haven't checked it now that it's cooled off but I bet it'll be around 30 PSI now.
To the original poster asked to run 13 to 15 PSI definitely get the smaller 2.3 blower. I pulleyed my 2.9 down to 20 PSI once and it was horrible as hell. The ported Eaton was way more fun to drive on the street. Again yes 20 PSI on the top end making more but mid range and what you use on the street sucked.
Also bear in mind if you're going to run a 2.9 or bigger blower and spin it hard you need to be on race gas or E85. Pump gas can't do that, pump gas is way more fun with a 2.3.
When I tried a 2.9 on pump gas I had to use meth injection to crank it up and make it fun.
There's so much to tell, hope that tiny condensed high level summary helps some.

Later
Malcolm
 

MG0h3

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Strange. I can stab my 2.9 Gen2 standard Inlet car at like 2500rpm and it immediately hits 18/19 psi and just creeps a little, maybe 1 psi, by redline.


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HPLouis

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Thanks everyone. I'm leaning towards the 2.3 since I don't plan on the next level (return fuel system, Magnum, etc.) but now, after doing some more reading, the ported blower I currently have might be enough. If I'm seeing 508/481 on my current setup, what can I reasonably see with the 2.3.....and that's with what I have now (the BA2600, BAP and 60lbers).

I see 12.8 with my current setup (stage 7 port and a 2.8 pulley), will 13lbs from a Whipple give me significantly more power without straining my current setup?
 

MG0h3

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Thanks everyone. I'm leaning towards the 2.3 since I don't plan on the next level (return fuel system, Magnum, etc.) but now, after doing some more reading, the ported blower I currently have might be enough. If I'm seeing 508/481 on my current setup, what can I reasonably see with the 2.3.....and that's with what I have now (the BA2600, BAP and 60lbers).

I see 12.8 with my current setup (stage 7 port and a 2.8 pulley), will 13lbs from a Whipple give me significantly more power without straining my current setup?

It’ll make more power at the same boost level and you can easily and safely run 17-18 psi on 93 and will be 600-625whp


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01yellercobra

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Thanks everyone. I'm leaning towards the 2.3 since I don't plan on the next level (return fuel system, Magnum, etc.) but now, after doing some more reading, the ported blower I currently have might be enough. If I'm seeing 508/481 on my current setup, what can I reasonably see with the 2.3.....and that's with what I have now (the BA2600, BAP and 60lbers).

I see 12.8 with my current setup (stage 7 port and a 2.8 pulley), will 13lbs from a Whipple give me significantly more power without straining my current setup?

Significantly? More than likely. To be honest I don't know of anyone that's installed a Whipple and only ran it at 13psi. If I was going to stay at 13 I'd probably keep the eaton. But something to consider is the volume of air. The Whipple is putting out more volume at that same boost level.

Another thing to consider is your eaton close to maxed if not maxed out with your current set up. Ported, pullied, making heat, etc. At 15psi the Whipple is just getting started.

All that being said, just by reading your responses on here, stick with the eaton. I think you'll be happy keeping what you have.
 

HPLouis

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Significantly? More than likely. To be honest I don't know of anyone that's installed a Whipple and only ran it at 13psi. If I was going to stay at 13 I'd probably keep the eaton. But something to consider is the volume of air. The Whipple is putting out more volume at that same boost level.

Another thing to consider is your eaton close to maxed if not maxed out with your current set up. Ported, pullied, making heat, etc. At 15psi the Whipple is just getting started.

All that being said, just by reading your responses on here, stick with the eaton. I think you'll be happy keeping what you have.
Yeah, I'm starting to this so too. I'm looking for reliability more so than power. I was thinking that 13psi from the Whipple would be cooler and safer than the 13psi from the ported Eaton. Also, if I ever decided to go to 15psi, it would be easier on the Whipple since I can pulley it down. I can't pulley the Eaton down any further and I don't want a lower because I want to keep the cage.

From what I'm reading in this thread here: (GAS)Fuel System Upgrade Options: What You Need To Know

It looks like I'm good up to 600 with the BAP, MAF and 60lber's. From what I've read, it looks like the Whipple can give me around 550-580 and that can fit in with what I have.

I've got until tomorrow night to grab the 2.3 from Lethal at 15%. Thanks for all the advice in this thread. I'm going to go back to more research.
 

hatchke

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I'd love to see some more dyno charts to illustrate the point here. This is my Gen 2 2.9 on 93 and E85 on 20/21psi. The power is super linear but that torque/boost hit is about as instant as it gets imo.

52509234224_1dd8f3e4fa_b.jpg


I'm running a 3.25" upper and stock lower pulley
 

MG0h3

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Yeah, I'm starting to this so too. I'm looking for reliability more so than power. I was thinking that 13psi from the Whipple would be cooler and safer than the 13psi from the ported Eaton. Also, if I ever decided to go to 15psi, it would be easier on the Whipple since I can pulley it down. I can't pulley the Eaton down any further and I don't want a lower because I want to keep the cage.

From what I'm reading in this thread here: (GAS)Fuel System Upgrade Options: What You Need To Know

It looks like I'm good up to 600 with the BAP, MAF and 60lber's. From what I've read, it looks like the Whipple can give me around 550-580 and that can fit in with what I have.

I've got until tomorrow night to grab the 2.3 from Lethal at 15%. Thanks for all the advice in this thread. I'm going to go back to more research.

Your car and the components won’t know the difference between 500rwhp and 600rwhp as far as reliability goes.

Might work your clutch a little harder is all.


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MalcolmV8

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Strange. I can stab my 2.9 Gen2 standard Inlet car at like 2500rpm and it immediately hits 18/19 psi and just creeps a little, maybe 1 psi, by redline.


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That's impressive. Mine have never been anywhere near that. I see I posted about half up above, I'm thinking it was less than that. Probably down 5 to 8+ PSI the more I think about it. It's been a while, I really need to dig up old data logs and see. But never 1 PSI, not even close.

I just looked at a recent Redfire log since I have those handy and even it shows creep even on a very small RPM band. When I mashed it at the track it flashed to 6200 RPM and was around 26 PSI. As the RPMs creeped to 6900 RPM the boost was increasing along the way, 27, 28, 28.5.
That shows a 2.5 PSI increase from 6200 to 6900. If I had the ability to start at 2500 RPM I'm sure the boost would creep up just like my old 2.9 did but I don't have any way of validating or testing that right now.

Malcolm
 

01yellercobra

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I imagine things are different at 25+psi versus 21psi. Like how different a centri acts pullied for 8psi versus 12psi.

I will say on my logs I see pretty consistant 19-20psi. It mostly seems to depend on the weather when I'm logging. I'm sure the only way to know for sure would be to swap a smaller pulley and do a 25psi hit. But I'm not in a hurry to do that.

Malcolm, could the creep you see also be in part to when you ran the restrictor on the BPV trying to solve the off idle surge?
 

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