VMP upgraded intercooler pump

[WhiteyDog]

Hey guys,
For those of you like me with a Roush or VMP supercharger in your '15 -'17 GT that uses the standard Bosch intercooler pump and maybe wanted a little more coolant flow and possibly lower IAT's, I saw this VMP pump on their site #SUC012 and thought I'd give it a try and give some info on it. First off, I have the stock Roush heat exchanger. Yeah yeah, I know, "WhiteyDog you're an a**hole, just buy the bigger VMP triple pass or the Whipple oversized heat exchanger". I didn't want to do that and I don't go to the 1/4 mile strip. I'm pushing possibly 640-650rwhp at around 10.5psi of boost and I don't live down south where it's so stupid hot and humid I'd wanna kill myself. Now, the VMP upgraded intercooler pump is plug and play like advertised. Use their supplied connector, connect to the end from the car, and plug the other end into their pump. I used two vise grips to clamp down on the hoses to stop flow before pulling off the old pump and connecting to the new pump. The pumps are set up the same so you can't really screw up the connections. Mounting the VMP was a little challenging because it is fatter around than the stock Bosch pump. They supply you with another bracket, but with a little swearing and some garage engineering, I made it fit without much trouble. When driving the car around normally my IAT's used to always read 40 degrees and a little higher above ambient temp. (Post supercharger reading in my nGauge, and I know there's a whole debate on how accurate those numbers are). Now it reads about 5 - 8 degrees cooler than before, and drops faster after sitting at a red light. When I get into boost pretty good it doesn't go up as high and will also come down a little faster than before. I had no problems with air in the system, and you can see the coolant tank bubbling and sloshing around considerably more than before when the pump is running. Install took about half an hour, and so far I'm happy with it.

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[sy1462]

Thanks for the write up WhiteyDog. I am in process of moving to the South East so I'm unfortuantely going to need to face the reality of ditching the Roush HE and going with a bigger unit. May do the pump at the same time so I won't have to wonder "what if"....

 

[ugstang17]

Man, thanks for the write up. I am waiting to decide if I want to add that pump as well before installing my oversized Whipple HE on my setup. That VMP triple pass was nice on my 14GT. But it is nicely priced compared to the Gigantic Whipple which btw does not use fans so the setup is a little easier to install electrically (like no electric HA!) and much more stealthy than two fans screaming, "HEY! I'VE GOT A HUGE HE OH AND A PD SETUP UNDER THE HOOD AS WELL!!!!"

Was the bracket they provided the relocation bracket that places the pump over to the side and mounted near the drivers side bumper bracket as I recall? Without the Roush HE in place I will need that regardless of going with a larger flow pump. Thanks again.

 

[WhiteyDog]

Thanks for the write up WhiteyDog. I am in process of moving to the South East so I'm unfortuantely going to need to face the reality of ditching the Roush HE and going with a bigger unit. May do the pump at the same time so I won't have to wonder "what if"....

If you are going to have it all torn apart anyway, I personally would get a stronger pump. Especially living in the south east. I know that Whipple has a pump as well and may be stronger than the VMP pump, but I'm not sure.

 

[WhiteyDog]

Man, thanks for the write up. I am waiting to decide if I want to add that pump as well before installing my oversized Whipple HE on my setup. That VMP triple pass was nice on my 14GT. But it is nicely priced compared to the Gigantic Whipple which btw does not use fans so the setup is a little easier to install electrically (like no electric HA!) and much more stealthy than two fans screaming, "HEY! I'VE GOT A HUGE HE OH AND A PD SETUP UNDER THE HOOD AS WELL!!!!"

Was the bracket they provided the relocation bracket that places the pump over to the side and mounted near the drivers side bumper bracket as I recall? Without the Roush HE in place I will need that regardless of going with a larger flow pump. Thanks again.

I know what you mean, but I'm not sure if the mounting bracket they supplied is for moving the pump to the driver's side or not. I guess maybe you could with the right hose routing, I installed my VMP pump right where the Bosch pump was in front of the right front tire.

 

[ugstang17]

We're in the same temperate zone. I recall the bosch pump on the 575 kit had it mounted to the HE on the Roush kits for the 13/14 GT's. A relocation bracket came with the triple pass to move it over to the drivers side location. So I am going on that old configuration as reference which may be biting me in the back side. I sent a request to VMP to find out what options are available. I tried to purchase their triple pass last fall without the fans. They offer it as such in the 2650 base SC package they sell but won't offer the unit in that format alone. Got a great deal on this dual pass Whipple, but it will need a little more plumbing work than a triple pass would since the Roush kit HE routes in one side and out hte other. Pretty sure that Roush unit is a single pass HE. Thanks for getting back.

 

[ugstang17]

I just pulled up the mounting setup for the phase 2 on the S550. That's what I get for assuming it would be in the same location as on the 13/14 GT setups. I see its mounted under the windshield washer fluid bottle. Sorry for confusing the subject. That actually makes it easier to install the larger unit while in there doing the HE at the same time.

 

[WhiteyDog]

I just pulled up the mounting setup for the phase 2 on the S550. That's what I get for assuming it would be in the same location as on the 13/14 GT setups. I see its mounted under the windshield washer fluid bottle. Sorry for confusing the subject. That actually makes it easier to install the larger unit while in there doing the HE at the same time.

No confusion at all. Yeah, that's where mine is mounted. And yeah, that might make it easier to mount when it's all torn apart for the big Whipple. I hear guys say it can be done with a little rerouting of the hoses and some fittings.

 

[ugstang17]

Hey! Just got a response back from VMP. They also mentioned that they now have the triple pass package w/o fans available for $599. Just an FYI in case you decide to do something further on the HE side. You now have two nice options.

 

[WhiteyDog]

Hey! Just got a response back from VMP. They also mentioned that they now have the triple pass package w/o fans available for $599. Just an FYI in case you decide to do something further on the HE side. You now have two nice options.

Wow, thanks for the info. Just to throw something out there . . . . With VMP offering their triple pass H/E without the fans, do you think enough air will be able to pass through the H/E to get to the radiator? I'm not criticizing VMP because I like their products, but since it's a triple pass, that thing is pretty thick (and dense). I know the radiator has the fans pulling air in, but without the fans on the H/E helping move the air also, will the radiator fans be strong enough to work against such a thick H/E?I know it has been said the fans on a H/E don't help much over a fairly low speed anyway so maybe it won't matter. Maybe I'm overthinking this, but it's something that came to mind.

 

[ugstang17]

IN theory with respect to restriction/obstruction you may have concern. However there is the practical side to consider. While the H.E. (regardless of size) sits in front of the radiator -- as does the AC condenser, oil cooler, and trans cooler (as applicable) -- there is the fact that the intercooler is mounted inside the intake which is directly connected to the engine...obviously. Because heat has conductive properties, the intercooler absorbs some of the heat the radiator would otherwise be removing fully on its own if the engine was under N/A function. So while the primary function of the HE loop is to remove induced heat from the compression process of the SC head unit it is also carrying heat away that is induced into the intake as well. So it's really not an issue.

While H.E. fans may help, it is my belief that a larger volume flow pump like the one you have implemented on your setup is the better solution. Flow is the secret. Ford did not add fans to the 13/14 GT500 when it was released, they added a larger intercooler pump to handle the increased BTU load needing to be addressed. After myu experience with the triple pass with fans on my 14, and then reading a thread on another site where a guy was able to lower IAT's down south by placing smaller single pass units in series together with no fans and increasing flow of the heat removal medium, I chose to try a different route this time around.

Finally the Whipple dual pass unit is almost twice as thick as the VMP triple pass but has not fans at all. There are no reports of it failing to perform properly that I have found or having any ill effect on ECT's. So again while in theory I see your concern, in practicality (real world) it's insignificant where the "rubber meets the road" so to speak. Just my opinion from experience with FI setups and from my line of work dealing with heat removal on other applications. There is likely to be some "higher educational" differing of opinion from a desk chair point of view through theory, but again its theory v real world application. That's why engineers have lab techs who actually do the testing to see how their theories apply in their designs before releasing them.

 

[WhiteyDog]

Hmm, . . .I wasn't aware that the Whipple was actually thicker than the VMP, so yeah, I guess that would throw my theory right out the window. And for you saying more flow is the secret, I've read that a few times myself here and there so that's why I wanted to try a higher flowing pump, first. But, I was also concerned in getting too strong of a pump causing cavitation for my single Roush H/E (I have experience with different pumps when I was in the petroleum industry). I would think if you go with the VMP triple pass or the Whipple oversized H/E there is enough of volume in the H/E to get the most ass-kicking pump you can get your hands on without worry of cavitation. Unless I'm looking at this wrong. . .

 

[ugstang17]

I've got the Whipple in the basement ready to go in. I've had the VMP triple pass in the previous car. While the VMP is slightly larger in width and height, the WHipple is nearly twice as thick.

VMP and other companies have done testing on various pumps for efficiency. I know VMP tested the unit you purchased before releasing it according to the sales rep I spoke with who told me earlier this year to hold off buying the GT500 pump or WHipple pump because they were testing a less expensive option that was testing better in the application for less cost. I am concluding that the one you have SUC012 is the unit because it is new to their arsenal.

You've gone the correct route in my personal opinion. Upgrading the pump first is the wiser move. Plus it allows you to see the results over the packaged application before adding additional heat removal upgrades.

 

[WhiteyDog]

I've got the Whipple in the basement ready to go in. I've had the VMP triple pass in the previous car. While the VMP is slightly larger in width and height, the WHipple is nearly twice as thick.

VMP and other companies have done testing on various pumps for efficiency. I know VMP tested the unit you purchased before releasing it according to the sales rep I spoke with who told me earlier this year to hold off buying the GT500 pump or WHipple pump because they were testing a less expensive option that was testing better in the application for less cost. I am concluding that the one you have SUC012 is the unit because it is new to their arsenal.

You've gone the correct route in my personal opinion. Upgrading the pump first is the wiser move. Plus it allows you to see the results over the packaged application before adding additional heat removal upgrades.

Well, I just thought I'd give it a try and I can honestly say it's working pretty well for me so far. And it sounds like from the tests that VMP did, this pump will perform even better with a less restrictive H/E like the VMP and Whipple compared to being connected to my single pass Roush.

 

[Chainsaw]

I chose the Varimax pump, which I believe is the same pump that Edelbrock & Whipple use. Lingenfelter tested it and it flows 25% more than the Bosch pump. It also has the advantage of being a brushless pump. Brushless pumps have the advantage of using less amperage to run, plus eliminates a failure point, the brushes.
https://www.lingenfelter.com/PDFdownloads/L330070000.pdf

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