pro charger or whipple

[99 zt 280]

is it worth the money to make my zt faster? will it screw up the motor? which is better? thanx

 

[99 zt 280]

is it worth the money to make my zt faster? will it screw up the motor? which is better? thanx

 

[Dave's ZT260]

Oh it's worth it, but we need more info to help. What engine, drive and present speed? To do this right is not cheap, but the results are awesome. I have had whipples, and like them. The procharger always looks like a high school science project with all those pipes going everywhere. The whipple is a much cleaner setup.

 

[vinny p.]

As Dave said, we need to have more information to get you a proper answer.
I can tell you that I looked into adding a Whipple to my 454 Magnum MPI. I figured it would run me about $10k to do the engine over. This is with me doing all the work. I trashed that idea and went with building a naturally aspirated 540. Although, it will cost me a bit more, I will be making more power than by adding a Whipple. The best part is I will still have my factory Merc. motor sitting in the garage. Ofcourse along with the motor, I upgraded to a Teague upper, Imco lower 'XR' drive.

 

[mkhammer]

I think one would be bias to what ever setup one is runing. sept issue of hot boat mag has a good right up a procharging your engine. I has some advantages over a roots type blower like cooler running temp. waranted for 3-years and capable of making alot more hp at stock rated rpm. I also thought it would look uncoventional. but now that I own one I think its perrty trick and looks good. and 1/2 the cost of a whipple. procharger makes a kit to fit all mercruiser engines that won't ruin reliablity. procharger engines are winning off shore races.

 

[mkhammer]

Vinny
I am going to replce my lower case on my xr. I was wondering if you are going with a Imco 2' shorter or a standard hieght lower I don't Know what results I will get whith a 2" shorter I'm afraid to go there then be disapointed. Any input?

 

[vinny p.]

I was thinking about a shorty, but when I discussed it with a few reliable people, including Mike at the factory, they recommended I stay stock length. He said it may work out, but he also said it may not. I just don't have the resources to sink that much money into something that MAY or MAY NOT work.
A friend of mine runs a 27' Activator. The boat has run over 100 mph. He tried a 2" shorty Imco SC. While he is still testing , he has trouble getting on plane. He has to get the motor to 5000 rpm to pop out of the water. The top end performance did not improve either.

 

[vinny p.]

The bright side is, if it doesn't work, you can always get a spacer to bring the 'X' back to stock.

 

[overboard]

pro-chargers are cheaper and faster at the same boost levels than a whipple. They have less parasitic loss. Also easier on your out drive. But you should not believe you can just bolt the kit on and have a reliable set up. you will need to change head gaskets, exhaust valves, have the ecu recalibtrated (if running efi) and also some fuel line issues that should be addressed.

 

[Dave's ZT260]

Vinny, did you buy the outdrive new? Just wondering how you came up with this combo. I'm sure it can handle your new engine, at least until a new need for speed sets in and a blower goes on top.

It never ends.

 

[vinny p.]

Dave,
No it is not new. I got a deal on it from a local guy I know who went for an Imco SC 2" Shorty. The drive was done this past winter with new gears, bearings, seals and cone clutches. It is a 1.50 ratio, standard length. I got it for $4900. It was a little battered in appearance. I just finished repainting and polishing the lower.

 

[Dave's ZT260]

As you know I'm rebuilding the sportmaster with 1.5 gears. So we will see if the ratio makes a speed difference once and for all.

 

[vinny p.]

That will be interesting to see once and for all. But, in your case, you have more than enough power to pull 1.36 gears.

 

[mkhammer]

I agree also to stay with the stock X-demension my boat planes right away and top speed is great I was told by Imco if I'm happy with the way the boat performs don't change it. The standard lower Imco lower case will increase top speed and give better stability. I was uncertain because all boats react differantly and some members say the 2" shorter worked for them.

 

[mkhammer]

Procharger makes a stage1 M1 5lb boost kit they say you can run without modification. I have a stage 3 kit I had my heads done, pocket ported, cced, titainium valves one angle grind. nelson machine said for what i'm doing I can't bennefit from 2 or 3 angle grind with a blower and can burn valves easyer, chormoly retainers, crane valve springs, crane gold roller rockers. cam is crane w/ hydraulic roller lifters

 

[mkhammer]

Also I Installed felpro stianless core marine head gaskets

 

[mkhammer]

I cant help from putting my 2 cent in. Daves zt you may run out of prop with the kind of hp you have if you are going to run a 1:50 ratio.

 

[Dave's ZT260]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by mkhammer:
I cant help from putting my 2 cent in. Daves zt you may run out of prop with the kind of hp you have if you are going to run a 1:50 ratio. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Quite possibly, but I still plan to test. I’ll go back to the 1.3 Bmax for reliability. For now I have a 34 Bravo1 I want to try.