Photo: Whipple
After developing a supercharger system for the 7.3-liter Godzilla V8 of the Ford Super Duty, Whipple has turned its attention to General Motors. This time around, the 5.3- and 6.2-liter truck engines are getting forced induction in the guise of a $6,750 upgrade.
The twin-screw blower “makes more power than any other positive displacement supercharger system on the market” according to the Fresno-based company. Designed for stock engines but also compatible with modded motors, the 3.0-liter unit promises over 100 percent volumetric efficiency. The intercooled bypass system is said to use less than one horsepower – yes, one – during cruising, helping with fuel economy.
A dual-pass heat exchanger is also there for quick recovery times and consistently cool temperatures, ensuring maximum performance at any given moment. The system further includes “an aluminum high-flow intake manifold, high-flow water system, billet idler plate, adjustable idler system, and HP Tuners for the factory PCM recalibration.”
Bear in mind, however, that the complexity of the 2019 to 2020 model year Silverado 1500 and Sierra 1500 with V8 options also require new PCM from HP Tuners. This is not included in Whipple’s pricing. The black finish of the blower, however, certainly is.
Customers can also splash out $600 for the Stage 2 Polished, Gloss White, and Gloss Red options while the Stage 3 Polished that includes both the supercharger and manifold is $800. No gains in terms of horsepower or torque have been reported, which is a little bit curious when you’re trying to sell a piece of hardware at this price point. Adding insult to injury, the blower isn't emissions legal at the time of reporting.
However, chances are that Whipple has yet to publish these stats given the intricacies of the L8B, L83, and L87 trucks engines. More to the point, one 5.3 comes with Active Fuel Management while the other 5.3 and the 6.2 feature Dynamic Fuel Management.
AFM is the simpler of the two fuel-saving solutions, shutting down half of the engine’s cylinders in light driving conditions. DFM can turn off anything between one and seven cylinders, translating to 17 different patterns that were designed to optimize power delivery and efficiency in quite a few more driving scenarios than Active Fuel Management.
A dual-pass heat exchanger is also there for quick recovery times and consistently cool temperatures, ensuring maximum performance at any given moment. The system further includes “an aluminum high-flow intake manifold, high-flow water system, billet idler plate, adjustable idler system, and HP Tuners for the factory PCM recalibration.”
Bear in mind, however, that the complexity of the 2019 to 2020 model year Silverado 1500 and Sierra 1500 with V8 options also require new PCM from HP Tuners. This is not included in Whipple’s pricing. The black finish of the blower, however, certainly is.
Customers can also splash out $600 for the Stage 2 Polished, Gloss White, and Gloss Red options while the Stage 3 Polished that includes both the supercharger and manifold is $800. No gains in terms of horsepower or torque have been reported, which is a little bit curious when you’re trying to sell a piece of hardware at this price point. Adding insult to injury, the blower isn't emissions legal at the time of reporting.
However, chances are that Whipple has yet to publish these stats given the intricacies of the L8B, L83, and L87 trucks engines. More to the point, one 5.3 comes with Active Fuel Management while the other 5.3 and the 6.2 feature Dynamic Fuel Management.
AFM is the simpler of the two fuel-saving solutions, shutting down half of the engine’s cylinders in light driving conditions. DFM can turn off anything between one and seven cylinders, translating to 17 different patterns that were designed to optimize power delivery and efficiency in quite a few more driving scenarios than Active Fuel Management.
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