FAQ's

What is the Warranty on a Kenne Bell Supercharger? 1 year unlimited mileage (see the following link) www.kennebell.net/warranty.htm

Does the supercharger void my new vehicle warranty? No. It is against Federal Law for a Dealer to refuse a warranty claim because an aftermarket product has been installed on your vehicle. If a warranty is denied, contact the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at (202) 260-2080 or www.epa.gov or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at (202) 326-3128 or www.ftc.gov. Additional information is available at the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association) website www.sema.org. Kenne Bell is a member of SEMA.
Are Kenne Bell Supercharger Kits "50 State Legal?" Since 1991, all our kits have been "50 State Legal" with a California Air Resource Board Exemption Number. Some kits may be only "49 State Legal" and in the process of being California certified so, if in doubt, check with us. You can also check the internet at www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermkt/DEVICES/devices.htm. Then type in "supercharger system."

Will the supercharger hurt my engine? We bought our red 1990 Mustang convertible new. It has 110,000 miles on it and 3620 dyno runs on the 100% original engine. The heads have never been off and it's driven daily. Boost does not overstress the rods, crank, block, bearings etc. like rpm does. Engine inertia loads increase with the square of rpm. A 10% increase adds 40% more inertia loading. A 25% increase = 100%! A Kenne Bell supercharger doesn't require higher than stock engine rpm to make more HP and torque. We do it with boost. Remember, a Twin Screw doesn't have to depend on engine rpm to generate boost. The most common engine problems emanate from 1. over revving, 2. detonation (inadequate fuel octane, excessive ignition timing, lack of fuel etc.), 3. running more boost than the kit was designed for and 4. "other" engine changes and modifications such as heads and pistons (too high a compression ratio), injectors (wrong size), mass air meter (wrong calibration), headers (leaks), ignitions (non-compatible), regulators and pumps (excess or insufficient fuel pressure), underhood filters that suck in hot air etc. We could go on and on. We've seen it all.

This guy says . . . the internet says . . . my mechanic says . . . Who's tests do I believe? I'd answer any question with a question. Does he have a dyno? Has he tested this product himself? Does he own his own test vehicle? Does he have the equipment to verify the test . . . or is it seat of the pants? Were the tests performed under controlled conditions? One of the real dangers in testing is you're bound to get data. I would always ask for a copy of the test data. Kenne Bell retains a large fleet of vehicles - naturally aspirated, supercharged and turbocharged. We do extensive testing on our products, the competition and related products.
I've heard that . . . Quite often those who do the most talking are the least knowledgeable. One test is better than 1000 opinions.

Do I need an exhaust system? I've heard that you always need "some back pressure." Anyone who says you need "some back pressure" to make power needs "some re-education." Aftermarket exhaust systems may not help at a given HP level but can show some improvement at higher HP levels. Check out the Kenne Bell "Tech Tips" and "Dyno Tests" for specific vehicles. We cut off the entire exhaust system in back of the cat and test it with no exhaust to determine if there is any exhaust restriction (back pressure). We test at 100HP increments from 300-1000 RWHP to determine at what HP level an exhaust becomes restrictive.

Will the Kenne Bell Supercharger Kit work with my "tune"? Absolutely not! Supercharger "tunes" require massive re-calibration by an experienced tuner.

Do I need larger injectors, auxiliary injectors, an oversize fuel pump, an FMU, a BOOST-A-PUMP™? Most of our kits include the Kenne Bell BOOST-A-PUMP™. It's adjustable from 1-80% more capacity, quiet in operation, doesn't heat the fuel, is easy to install and is maintenance free. Our kits vary. Some include larger replacement injectors and a BOOST-A-PUMP™ . . . whatever is required to supply adequate fuel and the optimum air fuel ratio for that particular application.

What fuel octane will I have to run? 91, 93 or 94 octane. Our kits are designed to operate on 91-92 octane on the street. 94 will allow you to run another 1-2 psi a can of Torco adds 7 octane. Never run leaded fuel with oxygen sensors or catalytic converters. It will destroy both.

Intercoolers? Kenne Bell marketed our own air to air intercoolers for the Buick GN, and the Syclone/Typhoon in 1986 and 1990 respectively - well before the supercharger industry even began offering intercooling. First of all, contrary to popular belief, intercoolers do not "make" more horsepower. Supercharger output is FIXED and doesn't increase merely because downstream air charge temperature is lowered. It's the same air by mass. The mass, the weight, the oxygen content of that blast of air discharged by the supercharger cannot be increased. You don't believe it? Try this. Capture the discharged air in a bottle, seal it and weigh it at 300°, 200°, -50°. The weight (mass) won't change, the engine can't ingest more air so it won't make more power. Yes, the cooler denser air, at -50° for example, will "allow" more boost or advanced engine timing but that air, by itself, won't make more power. Now if the air temperature entering the supercharger (ambient) is reduced, it is denser and cooler and then will make more power (1% increase for every 10° temperature drop according to our data).

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