[Cool SS]

The video says it all. I regret having a Whipple installed on my Camaro. It has failed on me 3 times since I had it installed in March of this year. Whipple is pretty much saying it's my installer's fault. My installer knows his stuff. I need Whipple to admit that I have a lemon and rectify the situation. Lemons happen.

[Future1LEa10]

Sucks man. Whipple is supposed to be top of the line too.

[MSU120]

Sorry to hear this….I hope it gets resolved.

[SSUNDVL]

I get its frustrating you spend a ton of money and then have issues and happened 3 times? Can you share some details on what exactly is wrong? Also, out of curiosity who did the install?

[Cool SS]

Originally Posted by SSUNDVL

I get its frustrating you spend a ton of money and then have issues and happened 3 times? Can you share some details on what exactly is wrong? Also, out of curiosity who did the install?

Yes, today was the 3rd time since March of this year. Very frustrating to say the least. I don't want to start naming other names publicly yet. The installer is a reputable LS/LT specialist shop in SoCal who has been at this for years and has lots of experience turning up Whipples and racing. He's got a Whipple on a 6th Gen SS at 23-lbs with no issues. Mine is still at a measly 8-lbs. Whipple knows the shop. They have been in contact with the shop at each incident.

The main part that keeps failing is the tensioner pulley. When the pulley fails the belt comes loose and shreds everything under the hood that is soft enough, fluid spews everywhere, the engine smokes and its a big scene. Something on the Whipple is out of spec causing this repeated chain reaction. Lemon.

[SSUNDVL]

3 times in 4 months, give some deets on the background or pictures... why is Whipple not warrantying it or just swap out the blower? This doesn't sound right if this was clearly on them they would replace/rebuild it as they do with other issues. how does the pulley fail and what do you do to rectify when pulley breaks? is it seizing? how much tension is on the belt?

You use the same shop and keep getting the same results get a second opinion, there is plenty of "reliable" techs and shops that have such little time/qc or really are not reliable.

[Cool SS]

Originally Posted by SSUNDVL

3 times in 4 months, give some deets on the background or pictures... why is Whipple not warrantying it or just swap out the blower? This doesn't sound right if this was clearly on them they would replace/rebuild it as they do with other issues. how does the pulley fail and what do you do to rectify when pulley breaks? is it seizing? how much tension is on the belt?

You use the same shop and keep getting the same results get a second opinion, there is plenty of "reliable" techs and shops that have such little time/qc or really are not reliable.

You seen one pic/vid you've seen them all - A shredded belt, shredded hoses, fluids all over the engine, fluid all over the ground, a loose or broken pulley, car being hauled away on a flatbed. I have shared pics and video with Whipple each time there was a failure. Pulley has been replaced under warranty the last two times. It's time for another solution, that is what the video is about.

I don't know how much tension is on the pulley. Changing, tires, brakes, and oil is the extent of my automotive knowhow. The 1st and 2nd time it failed there was a loud clicking sound coming from the supercharger before failure. Different from the normal gear grinding sound Whipples are known for. This time there was a high pitched chirp that started a couple of days before it failed. I sent a vid of the engine and chirp to Whipple to analyze a couple of days ago. They got back to me today after it finally failed saying the pulley was out of spec. Of course it was, it was in the process of failing again. My installer refuted the claim that it was installed incorrectly. It should be obvious that something somewhere else on the Whipple is out of spec and its pulling the pulley out of spec till it fails. There are a lot of moving parts, the whole thing needs to be replaced. But at this point its hard for me to trust in another Whipple.

I'd like to know if anyone else has experienced this?

[SSUNDVL]

ill buy your "defective" Whipple head unit for 2k

[shinysun]

Whipple SC has some issues on the aliment of pulleys. Sometimes they provide wrong pulley spacers(washers).

[Dagstar]

Originally Posted by Cool SS

I'd like to know if anyone else has experienced this?

I experienced this once, and another guy on the forum has had it happen twice to him. With mine I heard chirping/clattering and it turned out the supercharger tensioner pulley had major play and was rubbing metal on metal. This was after about 7k miles. The new one's been fine so far, but it's only been a few thousand miles if that. My Whipple was installed by a GM only performance shop that has installed quite a few on LT1s.

https://youtu.be/NrtBE9bPDP4

[KingLT1]

Check to make sure the tensioner pulley has the snap ring washer in place. If not the pulley will move back towards the arm throwing off the alignment.

[jtengr87]

Originally Posted by KingLT1

Check to make sure the tensioner pulley has the snap ring washer in place. If not the pulley will move back towards the arm throwing off the alignment.

+1 Also take a look at this tensioning procedure from installation manual.

[19 2SS]

im on my 3rd tensioner pulley in a year, after a while it wears down and will wobble back and forth. the second failure caused my supercharger belt to snap off and get caught into my serpentine belt. If it happens one more time i'm gonna have to dig deeper

[jtengr87]

Originally Posted by 19 2SS

im on my 3rd tensioner pulley in a year, after a while it wears down and will wobble back and forth. the second failure caused my supercharger belt to snap off and get caught into my serpentine belt. If it happens one more time i'm gonna have to dig deeper

Is the mounting bolt coming loose or is the bearing in the pulley failing due to excessive play?