Is your Coyote suffering from...
Is your Coyote suffering from roadrunner rage? Kenne Bell has the perfect Acme jetpack.
It's natural for owners of the original 5.0L to be somewhat skeptical about Ford's use of yet another name from the glorious past. Nostalgia is a hot commodity that only takes you so far.
One of the difficulties associated with a nostalgic name is that it's sometimes difficult for the reality of the current iteration to exceed our memory of the original. Believe me, memories of the Shelby GT350, Boss 302, or even the original 5.0L, are almost always better than the reality. The early Shelby and Boss cars were off-the-charts cool, but they couldn't hold a candle to a Fox-chassis, 5.0L, injected Mustang for outright driveability or performance.
Rated at 412 hp and 390 lb-ft...
Rated at 412 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque, the new 5.0L has managed to nearly double the power output of the original 302. Back in 1988, 412 hp was a serious power number, but like the Coyote, the roadrunners are faster too. Creating a supercharger kit was made easier with a new 5.0L mock-up motor. Once the guys at Kenne Bell are done with this one, we'll try to convince them to let us build it up for some serious engine-dyno abuse.
The same holds true for the new 5.0L Four-Valve motor. Those who flourished during the original 5.0L renaissance (the rebirth of Ford performance) no doubt hold the original injected 302 in high regard. It was, after all, responsible for the birth of a performance segment that continues to this day. But although impressive in its time, the performance of the original 5.0L simply can't compare to its modern equivalent. Though they share displacement, it's hard to argue with an extra 187 hp, plus 1,000 extra rpm of usable engine speed and even better fuel economy.
As impressed as we are, we can't shake the itch to go to the next level. We love the new 5.0L, and recognize the benefit of the additional displacement and variable cam timing. These changes combined with higher static compression and a revised intake manifold give the new 5.0L something it sorely needed-a little thing we like to call torque.
Though the new Coyote is an improvement compared to the previous 4.6L, the 5.0L is still down a full liter of displacement compared to the Chevy and Dodge boys. All the trick intakes and cam phasing in the world will not make up for the missing liter of displacement. The new 5.0L can match them in terms of real-world performance, but it must rely on a lighter curb weight to offset the missing displacement. Luckily for enthusiasts, the aftermarket is in full swing on the 5.0L, and that includes the Acme boost-masters over at Kenne Bell.
The highlight of the new supercharger...
The highlight of the new supercharger kit is, of course, the Kenne Bell Twin Screw supercharger. The 2.8L pictured here (in black finish) features the revolutionary liquid cooling.
One of the keys to running...
One of the keys to running the supercharger successfully on the street (especially with 11.0:1 compression) is the compressor bypass valve. Designed to recirculate air from the bottom of the blower back to the inlet system, the bypass valves lowers inlet air temperature and reduces frictional losses when not in boost.
Recognizing that positive...
Recognizing that positive displacement superchargers are ultra-sensitive to inlet restrictions, Kenne Bell designed the largest and best-flowing blower manifolds in the business. The Mammoth intakes ensure unrestricted airflow to the Twin Screw supercharger. Remember, big blowers only work as well as the most restrictive portion of the intake.
Case in point, this new 5.0L supercharger kit from Kenne Bell will add as much as 200 rwhp to your new 5.0L at roughly 9 psi of boost. Naturally, the highlight of the kit is the Kenne Bell Twin Screw supercharger. Our test involves a 2.8L, liquid-cooled supercharger, but other configurations are also available. The KB blower brigade for the 5.0L includes the 2.8L (standard and liquid-cooler), and the liquid-cooled 3.6L. There are, however, those who insist on nothing but the biggest and baddest, and Kenne Bell now offers such a jetpack. The 4.2L Twin Screw is capable of supporting over 1,400 hp on the right application.
The new 5.0L kit from Kenne...
The new 5.0L kit from Kenne Bell is available with a number of different superchargers, including a 2.8L (both standard and liquid cooled), and the 3.6L and 4.2L, which are both liquid cooled. All blowers are available with black or polished finish.
Blower choice comes down primarily to online bragging rights, but rest assured, any of the available superchargers will transform your 5.0L into a serious muscle Mustang. Given the elevated static compression, the 2.8L will support more power than the stock components are likely to withstand, especially on pump gas. To combat the high compression, the Kenne Bell supercharger kit includes a number of countermeasures, including precision tuning, ultra-efficient intercooling, and a dedicated cold-air intake. Knowing that the power output of the blower motor is only as good as the greatest restriction, Kenne Bell designed the kit to maximize airflow to the blower. Maximization started off with a dedicated filter that flows over 2,000 cfm. Attached to the filter is a cold-air intake measuring a whopping 4.5 inches in diameter.
The custom inlet system is also home to the mass air meter. Repositioning the mass air meter naturally required reprogramming, as did the installation of the larger injectors. Completing the air inlet system is the Mammoth intake manifold and throttle body. Testing demonstrated that the factory throttle body is the most restrictive element in the system, but as usual, Kenne Bell had a cure (see sidebar on throttle body testing).
In addition to the massive intake, the kit also features a new air-to-water intercooler system. Knowing the new motor features 11.0:1 compression, KB increased the size and efficiency of the intercooler core to maximize heat dissipation. According to Kenne Bell, the intercooler system employs as large a core as space constraints allowed.
For the more adventurous,...
For the more adventurous, Kenne Bell also offers the 3.6L and new (never before seen) 4.2L blowers. The big, bad 4.2L will require a hoodscoop of some kind or at least lowering of the motor, but it's capable of supporting 1,400 hp on the right application.
Naturally the rotors are much...
Naturally the rotors are much hotter on the heated (compressed-air) side than the cooler inlet. The liquid-cooled blowers not only lower the charge temperature, but they also improve longevity by equalizing the blower temperature front to back.
Here is a little secret we'll...
Here is a little secret we'll let you in on. The first run of Kenne Bell 5.0L kits will feature billet intake manifolds. Kenne Bell did this to speed up production until the castings arrive. One won't flow or perform any better than the other-the billet aluminum lower manifolds will just add cool factor. Note the size of the throttle opening in the upper Mammoth intake manifold-it looks like it could literally swallow a wooly Mammoth.
Testing on our '11 5.0L (auto)...
Testing on our '11 5.0L (auto) was performed with a liquid-cooled 2.8L blower. More than capable of supporting the base power level, the 2.8L offered impressive power and torque.
The 2.8L from Kenne Bell was...
The 2.8L from Kenne Bell was equipped with a 4.125-inch blower pulley. Working with the stock crank pulley, the combination produced roughly 9 psi at 7,000 rpm on the 5.0L. The standard six-rib drive system was employed on this kit.
Given the elevated static...
Given the elevated static compression on the 5.0L, Kenne Bell naturally employed an air-to-water intercooler. KB even went to the trouble of increasing the capacity and efficiency of the intercooler core to maximize heat transfer for this application.
Working with the Mammoth intake...
Working with the Mammoth intake manifold is a 4.5-inch air intake system that incorporated the mass air meter. Naturally, programming is part of the equation, and if this test is any indication, then the tune is spot on (and safe) for the boosted 5.0L.
Wanting to maximize the airflow...
Wanting to maximize the airflow of the entire air intake system, Kenne Bell had K&N build a custom filter that flows over 2,000 cfm. The massive air intake system does require some trimming in the engine bay for fitment, but the results are well worth the effort.
The most restrictive portion...
The most restrictive portion of the air intake is likely the factory 80mm throttle body. Many manufacturers have opted for the dual-60mm throttle body, but airflow and dyno-testing has confirmed that the dual-60mm throttle body offers no power gain over the high-flow 80mm throttle body (with a radiused entry for the stock tb) in the Kenne Bell kit.