Whipple Installed!

[GT-SD]

Great thread, nice to have insight from those with miles on the Whipple. This thread inspired me to order the kit for my new in October 2024 Lariat Ultimate 3.73's BAP (not a Tremor) with the Whipple kit & PMF traction bars, otherwise bone stock.

The install (done a week ago) was rough as the instructions were missing steps or had incorrect steps, and all the vacuum lines were the wrong size. That said, there was Zero need to remove the whole front end, just the grill and good to go.

That said, it's in and it's everything I hoped for dynamically. Transforms the truck from a lumbering work truck to a sporty, responsive enjoyable to drive machine.

I am working through a random misfire, that is random in cylinder only, as it throws a CEL under steady WOT, though it seems to run fine, Whipple will resolve all the noted issues I'm sure, as they have been brought to their attention.

A comment on how audible the blower is, I agree with the assessment above, its is always present, except at highway cruising. Haven't towed with it yet. Installed at 11,000 miles, oil changes to be synthetic every 6200miles (10k km's)

Some fun with the Whipple

Sorry to hear you have an issue. Without having specifics on the installation, this would be my troubleshooting method and process of elimination:

• Make sure your tank has all good fuel. Top Tier (Shell, Exxon, Valero, etc) 91 or 93 stuff. Don't go cheap on this.
• Make sure your bypass valve fitting is connected to the intake correctly. In double checking my install, this was a tight fit and wasn't seated correctly. I found it in a pre-start check, but I initially thought it was seated well.
• Did you cut the additional air access triangle in the airbox?
• Did you install the supplied AFE High Flow Air Filter?
• Confirm you do not have any fuel leaks. You should have the Whipple Branded Fuel Headers and high flow injectors. Confirm these were installed. This was a little tricky for me keeping everything together while stabbing it in.
• Did you confirm that the coolant is flowing in the secondary system with the key on?
  • Is it flowing in the right direction?
  • Did you vacuum fill the system or did you use the fill and stopper method?
  • Did you add the water wetter into the secondary coolant?
• Check your MAF Sensor install. For my kit they sent the wrong screws. I had to get some small metric ones at the local hardware store. If air is leaking around this, it could cause issues.
• Confirm all of your intake piping from the airbox to the intake is installed correctly and clamped.
• Did you change your spark plugs or regap the Original?
  • If you Re-gapped the OEM original, then change them all to the Motorcraft SP-581 and confirm the Gap is 0.031". The OEM ones are gapped large, like 0.055" or something like that. It is real easy to damage a spark plug trying to regap.
• Did you install new plug wires? If not, how many miles were on the original?
  • If you have more than 20 - 30k miles, then replace.
  • If it is low mileage, then take each one off an ohm check them. I don't recall what the spec is, but they should all be similar.

Random misfire at boost sounds like air/fuel confusion or possibly sparkplug issue. Most of the above items are easy to confirm without throwing parts at it. The last items on the list are fairly inexpensive parts to throw at it and provide certainty that they are not the cause. With the information you provide Whipple, they may have a more narrow scope for you to try, but not knowing all the details, this is where I would start.

 

[Isthatahemi]

Thanks for the list, Whipple finally got back to me asking about plugs and gap. The kit I got came with ecoboost performance plugs gapped to 0.028, I opened them up to 0.031…..their email references 581’s which I bought preemptively, but used the supplied plugs instead.

I just gapped the 581’s and I'm going to install them.

 

[Isthatahemi]

I went through everything carefully, and yes, I had the same MAF screw issue as you.

I carefully looked at the intake track, fuel rails, and Whipple has suggested I replaced the plug wires, which seems to be a go to on these.

I followed all the steps and instructions they provided so yes, I have all the parts on as indexed and shown, and I’m running top tier 93 octane.

I’ve been modifying Fords for a while, like a decade and this is the first random misfire I’ve ever ran into, there’s always a cylinder or at least a cylinder bank that gets identified.

It’s worth saying, I cannot hear any misfire at all, and typically a misfire under what sounds like a pop gun in the background, or quite simply a miss. I can’t hear anything strange.

I also locked in gear and did a few RPM sweeps from 2-3k, and there is no perceptible miss at WOT at those speeds.

Anyhow, sorry to high jack a great discussion with my minor issue. Plug wires are the next thing…

 

[Isthatahemi]

Did anyone else get VERY tight fitting Viton O-Rings for the large fuel rail fittings? Mine were so tight, I thought they would split, one did today and started leaking fuel, I dismantled the fuel rails, replaced the large fitting and plug O-Rings with larger diameter generic Viton ones, and all is well.

And yes, I carefully synthetic greased them before assembly, they were extraordinarily tight, but I needed the truck for Monday so used them.....and promptly forgot to replace them.

 

[GT-SD]

Did anyone else get VERY tight fitting Viton O-Rings for the large fuel rail fittings? Mine were so tight, I thought they would split, one did today and started leaking fuel, I dismantled the fuel rails, replaced the large fitting and plug O-Rings with larger diameter generic Viton ones, and all is well.

And yes, I carefully synthetic greased them before assembly, they were extraordinarily tight, but I needed the truck for Monday so used them.....and promptly forgot to replace them.

Yes, they were very tight, and I used a lot of patience to get everything together and not pinch or mess anything up. Below is a part/step breakout that I made to confirm which o-rings were used where. Whipple confirmed everything but the T-Map. That was not used. You could probably call Whipple and request the size/config of #2-203 (I believe these are the ones you are referring to). I have found in industry practice that O-Ring manufacturers miss the tolerances. If you can get the O-Ring specification, then you can find a local supply house and try those.

 

[Isthatahemi]

Yes, those are the Viton Rings - I greased them and forced them on, and greased then and installed the fitting, I am wondering if I got a smaller size ring, or if the new fitting is larger, the rings were so tight when I installed them they should not have been used (a previous install I did on my F150 had the correct o-rings).

Looking at those fittings, (just noticed this) the 15.82's I got didn't have that shoulder by the gasket, the gasket was flat on the hex, so the hex head of the fitting pressed right onto the body of the blower, probably why it failed ultimately.

I was hoping something related to the injectors or rails was the cause of the misfire, but still no.

To the guys that have this installed, if you floor it from a stop to say 100mph, does it pull cleanly with no issue? I finally tried a couple pulls, and it lurches through first and 2nd, throttle partially closing twice according to the logs. If I do a pull from 3rd gear, it flashes the CEL after 7 seconds of WOT.

Or am I the only idiot that goes WOT for fun and does this sort of stuff. All this is normal stuff on the Whipple 150 and worked fine.

 

[VB!]

To the guys that have this installed, if you floor it from a stop to say 100mph, does it pull cleanly with no issue? I finally tried a couple pulls, and it lurches through first and 2nd, throttle partially closing twice according to the logs. If I do a pull from 3rd gear, it flashes the CEL after 7 seconds of WOT.

Or am I the only idiot that goes WOT for fun and does this sort of stuff. All this is normal stuff on the Whipple 150 and worked fine.

It depends on the pavement and the road. Mine needs a good straight line and even traction to pull clean. If the truck can break traction (like running over a crosswalk stripe) or lean (in a turn) it backs off the throttle a lot. I also learned this weekend that you can't put the pedal to the floor on a grade in the rain at highway speeds. The rear end just cuts loose. Can you tell if the throttle cutting out is just because of the traction control and other nanny features of the truck?

Try it in 4x4 and see if you get a different result.

Going WOT from a dead stop to 100 would be irresponsible and illegal. No one with a Whipple does that.

 

[Isthatahemi]

It depends on the pavement and the road. Mine needs a good straight line and even traction to pull clean. If the truck can break traction (like running over a crosswalk stripe) or lean (in a turn) it backs off the throttle a lot. I also learned this weekend that you can't put the pedal to the floor on a grade in the rain at highway speeds. The rear end just cuts loose. Can you tell if the throttle cutting out is just because of the traction control and other nanny features of the truck?

Try it in 4x4 and see if you get a different result.

Going WOT from a dead stop to 100 would be irresponsible and illegal. No one with a Whipple does that.

lol - yes, it was in 4wd, advantrac “off”.

I can’t really say if the throttle close as part of the running quality issues related to the misfire, or if it was traction control. From what it’s worth there was no noticeable wheel slip, especially midway through second gear. Also, in my experience, a light usually flashes, there was no flashing, except the check engine light.

I **can** say it’s nothing like traction control intervention on my F150. Keep in mind all the weirdness I’m mentioning, are oddities that I never experienced in 10 years of building 10 and 11 second F150s. I was one of the lucky ones who had zero issues with the Whipple tune for my F150.

 

[Isthatahemi]

Got a nice message from Chuck at Whipple, and a thorough email about the ongoing random WOT misfire. They are working on a fix, apparently it relates to it being well below freezing here and the torque management (load limiting).

Waiting on a new tune to correct the issue, but sure enjoying the power....and the effortless power it confers on the truck.

 

[mikeylikesit]

confers ? wtf does that meen

 

[Tex_Hunter]

confers ? wtf does that meen

A bit odd to use in an automotive setting... but technically "correct"/acceptable

 

[Isthatahemi]

Hmm, couldn’t think of a better word, didn't give it much thought.

 

[mikeylikesit]

View attachment 201907

A bit odd to use in an automotive setting... but technically "correct"/acceptable

odd for sure. and why use some big word that needs a dictionary to figure it out. like you said , its a fugin truck forum

 

[McE]

Why use lot word when few word do trick

 

[Isthatahemi]

Experientially it’s is the most applicable and accurately descriptive transitive verb reflecting the relevant nuance expressively necessary to convey the experience I was having.

That should keep you busy for a while.

 

[VB!]

Whipple has not replied about the misfires, but the random nature of it, vs specific cylinders, implies it’s a detection or parameter issue.
My truck being a 24 likely has a different base tune.

Did the vacuum hoses from the kit fit your truck? How about the add a fuse, or battery, both

Right now, 93, tried 91 initially. Can’t see anything wrong in the logs

I took a while to respond to this because things were changing on my truck. Whipple did the install on my '23. It was the first '23+ 7.3 Super Duty to get it and it took some work to develop the best configuration. They just finished the final updates and changed some parts to get it to the final configuration. My '23 also now identifies as a '25 with the latest tune. All the '23-'25 trucks get the same tune and they said it will continue to evolve.

They're great people with a great product. I got to meet and talk with several people there over the last year and a half and learned a lot. I have a buddy that works next door to them and he has nothing but good things to say about them as well.

I also finally got my all important CARB EO sticker. That does not mean much for most people reading this thread but it does here.

They said they're updating the instructions. If you want a picture of something specific they did, let me know.

 

[Isthatahemi]

I took a while to respond to this because things were changing on my truck. Whipple did the install on my '23. It was the first '23+ 7.3 Super Duty to get it and it took some work to develop the best configuration. They just finished the final updates and changed some parts to get it to the final configuration. My '23 also now identifies as a '25 with the latest tune. All the '23-'25 trucks get the same tune and they said it will continue to evolve.

They're great people with a great product. I got to meet and talk with several people there over the last year and a half and learned a lot. I have a buddy that works next door to them and he has nothing but good things to say about them as well.

I also finally got my all important CARB EO sticker. That does not mean much for most people reading this thread but it does here.

They said they're updating the instructions. If you want a picture of something specific they did, let me know.

View attachment 202027

Cool. I'd really like the updated parts, can you tell what changed? Presumably vacuum lines and tune. Have you gone WOT with yours? Mine continues to flash and or have a sustained CEL under sustained WOT, and flat out will not launch and hold WOT in 1st and 2nd gears.

I'm a huge Whipple fan after a few years of owning a Whipple'd F150, but my current situation......ya. I would prefer to get a custom tune once that's an option, but a "clean" base tune is needed.

 

[VB!]

Cool. I'd really like the updated parts, can you tell what changed? Presumably vacuum lines and tune. Have you gone WOT with yours? Mine continues to flash and or have a sustained CEL under sustained WOT, and flat out will not launch and hold WOT in 1st and 2nd gears.

I'm a huge Whipple fan after a few years of owning a Whipple'd F150, but my current situation......ya. I would prefer to get a custom tune once that's an option, but a "clean" base tune is needed.

My original install was done in December 2023. At that time the vacuum lines were pre-production versions. The latest work replaced the lines with the production versions and changed the wiring harness to the production version. The harness had to change to the final design for the air temperature measurements. I believe they added wires and changed the final routing to get some of the sensors to work properly. I was told these are what they're shipping. The new version appears more finished when comparing it to photos of the old.

I never had unknown problems with the original tune. It never gave me any codes. The small issues were known while Whipple worked on it before releasing the kit and I drove it about a year that way. The new tune fixed those issues and I can tell the difference but I doubt anyone else will. Both the old and new gave smooth predictable power unless I did something to get the trucks features to back off on power.

I have a few hundred miles on the new tune and configuration and notice no flaws. Most of this was open highway on the floor of the Central Valley. It's been raining all over the state and I have not had the chance to do a WOT pull from a dead stop to compare it to what it did before. I did get some dry pavement on the way home and did have some fun at highway speeds. I had it on cruse at 80 when it was dry and general fastest traffic was a bit faster. Occasionally it would bottle up due to trucks and I would work my way around other cars to make some space to drive as alone as I could. I had fun with this as bottlenecks create open roads in front of them and it caught some attention as a hard pull is noticeably fast. (It did what it did before, it drops to 7th gear and pulls hard until I give up which is above what the speedo tracks. The speedo stops and the tach keeps moving. I have never found its top speed.)

There was a Raptor that was probably running 82-83 but would get bottled up in traffic. When I would go around I would pass him and then slow back down to my pace and awhile later he would pass me again when it opened up. We came to a spot where a lane was ending and he kept it just a car length or so ahead of me and paced me. I dropped it, he obliged and got on it, and I passed him and steadily pulled away from him until I was pulling away really fast and laid off it. This all took a few seconds. A couple minutes later he passed me and I never saw him again. I'm really curious as to why. Someone who knows can chime in on where a Raptor is speed limited.

It is smooth, predictable, and flawless power. There is no "turbo lag". I got 11.9 MPG driving like this for 150 miles, climbing over a mountain range for 50 or so, and navigating LA traffic for 40 or so miles of a 300 mile trip.

I have a friend with a TRX. Whipple said he'll win if we lined up head to head. I don't doubt it as the Tremor is so much heavier and has a different build philosophy but we have to try it.

 

[Isthatahemi]

Interesting, sounds like it’s running well. The higher speed limiter is a practical thing in faster traffic when passing.

I am interested to hear if yours will take WOT in 4wd in the lower gears.

Something on the brake booster looks different on yours, perhaps that’s why the vacuum lines didn’t fit mine

 

[McE]

The minute we have full tuning access, I'm pulling the trigger. Huge thank you to the early adopters! Tons of great info from you guys.