Here are a majority of the...
Here are a majority of the 100-plus parts that comes in the Hellion 5.0L turbo system. The system is typical Hellion with minimal cutting and easy installation.
It's been about a year since the Coyote 5.0L-powered Mustang has hit the streets, and MM&FF has chronicled its successes, from nitrous to exhaust upgrades, to bolt-on cold-air kits. We've even added a few different supercharger systems in search of big power from Ford's superstar powerplant. On the dragstrip, we've watched sacred time barriers go down from the 11s to the 8s and with relative ease. This month, we turn to a turbocharger. Our travels took us to the El Paso, Texas-home of MSD Ignition's head-quarters as the company adds a single turbocharger to its brand-new 2011 Mustang GT. We added a turbo to our new '11 Mustang so we could R&D parts under boost, states MSD Marketing Director Todd Ryden.
The turbo kit came from the boost-addicted, horsepower freaks at Hellion Power Systems, and it centers on a Turbonetics 64mm turbocharger. We've come to appreciate two things from Hellion horsepower and ease-of-installation and its Coyote 5.0L system continues with both of those goals.
From the moment this article took shape, we didn't stop hearing from John Urist, head designer and front man at Hellion. He kept updating us with results from Hellion's own test car as it unleashed 550 rwhp effortlessly, through an automatic no less. Our MSD test car was also equipped with the factory supplied 6R80 six-speed auto, so we expected similar results.
Urist offered insight to the task that lay ahead of us: Turbocharging a Coyote 5.0L has its advantages, like durability. So far, it seems a lot better than the Three-Valve engines. The efficiency of the engine allowed us to increase the size of the standard turbo to a Turbonetics HP64, which has a billet impeller. We normally run a 62mm turbo with a cast impeller, but this engine runs great with the HP64.
The billet impeller turbo huffs a mere 6 psi into the engine out-of-the-box, but Urist says the turbo is capable of supplying up to 25 psi. He also informed us the kit is capable of accepting up to a 76mm turbo from a variety of manufacturers, which can be purchased through Hellion. Certain 76mm units will bring output to the 850-rwhp range.
Of course, there are those who require a bit more than 850 rwhp, and Urist says the turbo mounting area is large enough for a mid-frame turbo up to a 91mm unit, like a Turbonetics Y2K turbocharger. Hellion will be releasing an adaptor kit later this year for those looking to add the mid-frame turbo to the standard 5.0L kit.
A turbo system is more than just a turbocharger opening the box revealed over 100 parts, proving the point. There was the usual assortment of nuts, bolts, clamps, and hoses, but we went immediately to the glamorous parts. Our greasy paws grabbed the pipes; every hot and cold piece is made from stainless steel. The downpipe starts at a stout 3.5-inches and is finally split into a pair of 3-inch exhaust pipes that drop down to 2.75-inches in order to mate with the stock axle-back exhaust. We wanted to offer the highest flowing exhaust on the market, as well as the scavenging effects of the step from single 3.5-inch downpipe to the dual 3-inches, proclaims Urist.
Like the turbo, the intercooler core is the largest one of any standard Hellion system on the market. The Hellion intercooler core measures 24-inces wide, 7-inches tall, and 3.5-inches thick. The kit includes 47-lb/hr fuel injectors standard, but larger fuel injector sizing is available. An SCT X3 handheld tuner is included in the base system, but we turned to Dave Rochau of Motiva Performance for a custom tune. Rochau was responsible for the tuning on the Hellion test car and we wanted the same results with the MSD vehicle.
1 The front nose and lower...
1 The front nose and lower cover are removed for the installation.
2 The factory catalytic converters...
2 The factory catalytic converters and H-pipe are removed and replaced with the stainless steel Hellion piping. High-flow cats are optional for those looking to keep the car emissions-compliant.
3 John Urist suggests the...
3 John Urist suggests the removal of the lower chassis brace to make it easier to route the driver-side exhaust pipe through the K-member. Its removal isn’t required but makes the job a lot easier.