I have done TOO much research on the Lightnings

[95KBGT]

I am not trying to burst your bubble man BUT you strap a kenne belle on that STOCK bottom end...and try to push 500rwhp outta it, you're going to be picking up pistons on the highway. I'd put money on it....

Yes, it lowers intake temps which even at the SAME boost settings as a stock blower will make more power compared to the Eaton BUT the stock rods can't handle very much POWER. The boost levels maybe the same but the force exerted down on that piece of shit rod that ford graced us with will snap it in a short amount of time.

Something to think about.

you sure man? i thought these motors could handle just as much as the terminators? if thats true my buddy Manny has a TT Cobra with stock everything pretty much at over 1000RWHP

 

[MeanGrn Gt]

you didnt know they could move houses? they use hydralic jacks and a lot of insteresting machinery to do it. ive seen em move a small cabin but a regular house is a much bigger pain. Pretty spendy to have a regular house moved

Rods are the weak link of the lightning's bottom end

 

[Fets]

Maybe he lives in a trailor home?

 

[ALITL8]

i didnt read everything cause im lazy tonight but im doing this guys ride sometime this week.

http://www.dragtimes.com/Ford-F150-Lightning-Timeslip-8516.html

i think he told me he's making more in the 750hp range now O0

this is his shop:
PSE Superchargers
758 Enterprise Dr.
Edmond, OK, 73013
http://www.pse.us

anyway, L's are bad mofos!!

 

[MeanGrn Gt]

its probably a pre-fab or a double wide

 

[Matt94GT]

lightnings are burnout machines

 

[97vertstang]

great news!!!!! keep us updated with the lightning!!!! O0

 

[ryclef331]

I am not trying to burst your bubble man BUT you strap a kenne belle on that STOCK bottom end...and try to push 500rwhp outta it, you're going to be picking up pistons on the highway. I'd put money on it....

Yes, it lowers intake temps which even at the SAME boost settings as a stock blower will make more power compared to the Eaton BUT the stock rods can't handle very much POWER. The boost levels maybe the same but the force exerted down on that piece of shit rod that ford graced us with will snap it in a short amount of time.

Something to think about.

you sure man? i thought these motors could handle just as much as the terminators? if thats true my buddy Manny has a TT Cobra with stock everything pretty much at over 1000RWHP

I am 100% sure. There is NO WAY stock for stock a ligntning motor will handle more than a 03-4 cobra motor. Terminators came equipped with MANLEY rods from the factory Lightnings did NOT. They came witha Cracked cap powdered metal rod...which equals crap under power. I could not make this all up if i tried. Beliefve me or do your home work on lightnings and THEN believe me....or just blow up a couple....its up to you.

 

[Lightning Struck]

Good lord there has been a lot of responces here, OK as far as the house goes, it is a modular mobile home. It has the two sides that are matched together when set up. Nothing fancy but its MINE and PAID FOR, plus its a 2002 model so its pretty new .

For the KB and the motor holding it, i didn't see ANYTHING on KB's site about NOT being able to run it on a stock short block :dunno: Ill have to go back again and look but I didn't see anything like that the first time I looked. Besides I'm not dumb enough to try to put out more than the motor can handle, if there is a limit for it, that's what I will stop at. JLP is probally going to do my tune I think, I have family up in PA so I'm thinking of going up for a few days taking the L to Johnny for a tune and spending some time with the relatives while I'm up there. Im going back over to the KB site now to see if I can find out something on the limit for the blower + stock bottom

 

[Lightning Struck]

Ok I went over to the KB web site and couldnt find anything on a limit for thier blower and the L motor, i did find these two write ups about the L's and HP levels.......

http://www.kennebell.net/media/articles/BOOSTED.pdf


and this one......

http://www.kennebell.net/media/articles/UNDERPRESSURE.pdf

im going over to the national L owners club and SVTP to try to find something there :dunno:

 

[MeanGrn Gt]

the limit on the bottom end is 500 hp with a good tune, but that is a good amount of power still. go over to nloc and search about the gen 2 rods. should get a shitload of threads

 

[MeanGrn Gt]

here are a couple unique lightnings

check out the ladder bars

here is a prerunner lightning

now i wouldnt do it to a lightning but they are definately different than most others out there lol

 

[Lightning Struck]

yea those L's are something Ive never seen before........


so if 500 is the limit for a stock bottom end, there may not be any point in getting a KB if I can get around 450-470 with the Eaton........I'm leaving now to go do some investigating.

 

[Lightning Struck]

I went over to SVTP first I found this in a sticky, I cut the intresting part from the bottom of the write up.......

16) How much power can the stock motor handle?

Rule of thumb is 450 RWHP. The stock injectors and fuel pumps will not safely support any more. With a really good tune the internals will hold out above and beyond that but is usually considered not if but when they will fail. Most, including me run upwards of 450-470 with no real issues on a stock engine. This is with a good dynotune and safe timing and a/f. A street tune will typically have 15-16* of timing while a race tune will have 18-19* and higher if tuned with race gas.

Boost should be kept under 16# unless provisions are made in tuning to accomodate more. 12-14#'s is most common for daily driving and is plenty. Keep in mind when the temps go down the boost will go up due to the more dense, colder and dryer air so change pulleys as needed to compensate for it or you will get a nasty suprise.

The stock short block has the following:
Cast iron block good for as much power as anyone has made to date.
Forged steel 8 bolt crank good for 1000 hp-stock.
"Forged" powdered metal rods good for throwing away first chance you get. They are the weakest link in the chain are always the part that fails first, many examples to date.

Supposed forged pistons, don't really know what they can take because when you change the rods pistons go with it logically. No one that I know of has tested the limits of stock pistons.

Can I put a Kenne Bell or Whipple on an otherwise stock engine?

Yes you can and it's a great investment. The higher efficiency and lower discharge air temperature charictaristics of a twin screw make them a great choice when adding power. They move more air at lower boost levels than the Eaton and aren't as prone to cause detonation due to the lower air temps they discharge. You can run a 2.3 KB or Whipple up to 15-16 PSI on a bone stock motor without danger of breakage.

In order to do so you MUST do the following:

1) Find a reputable tuner who can dyno tune you.

2) Spark plugs with a colder range must be used with the increased boost as well, there are many choices and info can be found by searching.

3) It is HIGHLY recommended to get a Mafia, SCT 2400, 2800 or some other type of MAF upgrade. When elevated boost levels are involved the stock Mass Air Meter is the first component that will reach it's limit, they are cheap insurance. You will require a tuning adjustment when using a larger MAF so keep this in mind. Even when running low boost with the larger blowers this prevents pegging the stock MAF, leaning out the air fuel mix and causing severe damage to the internals.

4) If you plan to go above 12-13 PSI you will need to upgrade the fuel system along with the MAF. The stock fuel system (pumps and injectors) can only support up to @ 500 RWHP. You have several options here but here are the most common:

Replace the stock 130 lph pumps with 255 lph Walbro pump which will support more power than we can ever hope to make.

Replace the stock 42 lb/hr injectors with Siemens Deka 60 lb/hr ones. (You can use 50 or 55 as well but the 60's are most used and said to be easier to tune with.) They will also support as much power as you can stand.

The key to the entire package is good tuning first and foremost. It only takes a few seconds to do irrevokable damage so make sure YOU KNOW YOUR TUNE IS GOOD. Don't take anyones word for it, make them show you-you paid for it. If your tuner doesn't instill 100% confidence in you then find someone else, there are plenty out there just do your homework and ask around.

Good luck and happy modding!!



That's about it for now. More can/will be added later as things are thought of. I'm sure I missed some things so don't ream me too bad if I left something out, it was omitted by error. Thanks again to Sid and Larry for the opportunity. Happy reading.

so according to this rule of thumb is 450rwhp but its says people run 470 with no problems. Then the fuel system is only good to 450 but in other things Ive read there was WAY over this with the stock fuel system :dunno:.

If I went by only this I think I would run the KB and limit boost so that rwhp did NOT go over about 460..........ill keep looking and go to the Lightning owners club now.

 

[MeanGrn Gt]

well just do a lot of research before you think of doing anything. Spendy a lot of money on one thing and seriously limiting it because you dont spend money on other things is just a waste of $$. Also if you are going to change out the eaton id look into whipple over a kb.

 

[ryclef331]

I went over to SVTP first I found this in a sticky, I cut the intresting part from the bottom of the write up.......

16) How much power can the stock motor handle?

Rule of thumb is 450 RWHP. The stock injectors and fuel pumps will not safely support any more. With a really good tune the internals will hold out above and beyond that but is usually considered not if but when they will fail. Most, including me run upwards of 450-470 with no real issues on a stock engine. This is with a good dynotune and safe timing and a/f. A street tune will typically have 15-16* of timing while a race tune will have 18-19* and higher if tuned with race gas.

Boost should be kept under 16# unless provisions are made in tuning to accomodate more. 12-14#'s is most common for daily driving and is plenty. Keep in mind when the temps go down the boost will go up due to the more dense, colder and dryer air so change pulleys as needed to compensate for it or you will get a nasty suprise.

The stock short block has the following:
Cast iron block good for as much power as anyone has made to date.
Forged steel 8 bolt crank good for 1000 hp-stock.
"Forged" powdered metal rods good for throwing away first chance you get. They are the weakest link in the chain are always the part that fails first, many examples to date.

Supposed forged pistons, don't really know what they can take because when you change the rods pistons go with it logically. No one that I know of has tested the limits of stock pistons.

Can I put a Kenne Bell or Whipple on an otherwise stock engine?

Yes you can and it's a great investment. The higher efficiency and lower discharge air temperature charictaristics of a twin screw make them a great choice when adding power. They move more air at lower boost levels than the Eaton and aren't as prone to cause detonation due to the lower air temps they discharge. You can run a 2.3 KB or Whipple up to 15-16 PSI on a bone stock motor without danger of breakage.

In order to do so you MUST do the following:

1) Find a reputable tuner who can dyno tune you.

2) Spark plugs with a colder range must be used with the increased boost as well, there are many choices and info can be found by searching.

3) It is HIGHLY recommended to get a Mafia, SCT 2400, 2800 or some other type of MAF upgrade. When elevated boost levels are involved the stock Mass Air Meter is the first component that will reach it's limit, they are cheap insurance. You will require a tuning adjustment when using a larger MAF so keep this in mind. Even when running low boost with the larger blowers this prevents pegging the stock MAF, leaning out the air fuel mix and causing severe damage to the internals.

4) If you plan to go above 12-13 PSI you will need to upgrade the fuel system along with the MAF. The stock fuel system (pumps and injectors) can only support up to @ 500 RWHP. You have several options here but here are the most common:

Replace the stock 130 lph pumps with 255 lph Walbro pump which will support more power than we can ever hope to make.

Replace the stock 42 lb/hr injectors with Siemens Deka 60 lb/hr ones. (You can use 50 or 55 as well but the 60's are most used and said to be easier to tune with.) They will also support as much power as you can stand.

The key to the entire package is good tuning first and foremost. It only takes a few seconds to do irrevokable damage so make sure YOU KNOW YOUR TUNE IS GOOD. Don't take anyones word for it, make them show you-you paid for it. If your tuner doesn't instill 100% confidence in you then find someone else, there are plenty out there just do your homework and ask around.

Good luck and happy modding!!



That's about it for now. More can/will be added later as things are thought of. I'm sure I missed some things so don't ream me too bad if I left something out, it was omitted by error. Thanks again to Sid and Larry for the opportunity. Happy reading.

so according to this rule of thumb is 450rwhp but its says people run 470 with no problems. Then the fuel system is only good to 450 but in other things Ive read there was WAY over this with the stock fuel system :dunno:.

If I went by only this I think I would run the KB and limit boost so that rwhp did NOT go over about 460..........ill keep looking and go to the Lightning owners club now.

Good lil write up there.

By stock fuel system, I think they mean that basically, you're not running an all out fuel cell or anything crazy. Yank the stock pumps (there are two!) and replace them with a pair of 255's....thats easy! Now you're good to well over you max hp limit in the fuel supply department. Now then injectors might not be up to par....

You said it yourself though, you CAN make that same power with the stock eaton. Its been proven time and again. I'd rather buy a 125 (used) 6 lb pulley than spend a couple g's on a KB and get the same power.

 

[Lightning Struck]

OK I found this thread on the Lightning owners club .........
http://www.nloc.net/vbforum/showthread.php?t=145535&highlight=KB+blower

I'm going to do a lot more looking but it appears that the KB will ultimately be a waste of money if I cant go higher than about 500rwhp. I can get 450 without the KB, having the Eaton ported will be the big jump, it yields about 35rwhp.

Hmmmm, .............gotta keep looking

 

[Lightning Struck]

OK I have been all over the place, the LO club.....Johnny L Performance and a few other places. It appears that the 500rwhp is the limit for the rods on the block, so that's a stopping point. I have also looked at the price sheet for the KB compared to getting the Eaton ported. I can come out cheaper on the ported Eaton with the upper plenum. Johnny L sells a aluminum one for 645 but that's a little pricey. The C&L will do fine for me and is HALF of the JLP one.

So here is what I'm looking at.......the JLP coldair kit / Accufab Lightning TB / C&L upper intake / Stiegemeier Ported blower / #6 Lower pulley from JLP / that takes care of the complete intake side. Then a catback exhaust and a SCT tune from either JLP in Pennsylvania or Wayne's Dyno in Jacksonville NC. This should make 450hp and well over 500ft tq. I have seen a few trucks with this/similar setup and they are around the 12.0 1/4 mile mark that is what I would love to have.

The total on the intake parts would be around 1400 bucks, and then I would have to pay a SMALL amount for labor at my speed shop. So thats about 1200 cheaper than the price of the KB

 

[ryclef331]

PM sent...

 

[95KBGT]

i hate you