Whipple vent screw plug

[doodguy]

Hello,

Under high rpm/ boost my gen3 whipple shoots whipple gear oil out the vent screw on top.

Does anyone know the thread depth and bolt specs of this bolt?

Any down side to just plugging this?

Sponsored

 

[Burkey]

Hello,

Under high rpm/ boost my gen3 whipple shoots whipple gear oil out the vent screw on top.

Does anyone know the thread depth and bolt specs of this bolt?

Any down side to just plugging this?

Um...
Any chance it’s overfilled?

 

[doodguy]

Um...
Any chance it’s overfilled?

No because the fluid is half way down the sight glass.

I'm running 23psi. When under high rpm full boost it blows out the bolt on the top right of the blower.

Whipple knows about this told me replace the bolt with regular one but didn't tell me the size. I went to a few bolt stores they told me British thread but didn't know the size/ have replacement bolt.

I'm hoping to figure out the size and just order one online.

 

[tsloms]

I’m not sure of the thread size but absolutely do not plug it. When running it is building up pressure internally and needs to be vented. You could run it to a catch can to capture these vapors.
I needed to add a catch can to my TR6060 when running high hp as it also purged fluid out of it under hard acceleration.

 

[ugstang17]

So you spoke directly to them on the phone? Or you just got a general email response? I would suspect the latter as I recently contacted them about detailing whet is in the mounting kit for the over sized HE they sell.

Call them on the phone and make them give you the specific answer. The thread spec is in the drawings in engineering probably not far from their desk if not even accessible on their server. I hate bashing companies but it really upsets me (coming from and having worked in the world of technical service and support) the laziness that has sprung up in technical support within companies because of the ability to provide quick general replies to buy time and click the "resolved" box -- so to speak -- rather than take the 5-10 minutes to look the spec up or get one's ass out of the chair and go ask the engineer or assembly team and provide the specific back to the customer. Few people today provide the level of service in technical support as BMR technical support for example. That company has it together in that aspect though not related directly to the topic at hand. Kelly Aiken gets back to you with the details and specifics.

Be cautious. There are several tapered threads in England I have learned from working for a company out of Oxfordshire some years ago. There is tapered metric the more common and then another tapered thread known as BA. They had to send me the tap to complete a project I was working on here stateside because no SAE tapered or Metric tapered thread sizes were working with the we were tapping for. What BA thread is I have no true idea. Maybe one of our savy Brit counterparts who work in the trades may be able to elaborate -- if it even applies here. I only warn you of this because a tapered metric bolt may start in a BA tapered thread but then cross thread soon after you think it is actually working. So get the specific thread size from WHIPPLE before you attempt to force anything. I can't imagine this plug being a straight thread.

 

[ugstang17]

No because the fluid is half way down the sight glass.

I'm running 23psi. When under high rpm full boost it blows out the bolt on the top right of the blower.

Whipple knows about this told me replace the bolt with regular one but didn't tell me the size. I went to a few bolt stores they told me British thread but didn't know the size/ have replacement bolt.

I'm hoping to figure out the size and just order one online.

Sorry I failed to see this. That being the case this concerns me. Could be an indication of a seal that is failing between the gear box and the impeller cavity on the unit. This is making an assumption based on more primitive basic roots blower design theory (and experience) and not seeing the actual mechanical's on the Whipple design. Plenty of guys are running your higher boost level so there must be an answer to this rather than the glazed over response they provided you. If there would be a compromised seal between the two areas this could lead to oil migrating into the impeller area when not under boost. And at higher boost levels this could become way more critical than those of us running under 15psi IMHO. I used to work on laser systems the used a massive roots style blower unit and when we started getting large pressure levels in the gear case the oil would migrate into the cavity when the unit was off and eventually get into the glassware contaminating the gas medium used to create the light wavelength the laser produced to cut with. Eventually the impellers would make contact as well and then the unit would be cooked. Not trying to create an overly suspect situation, but I would not rule it out and would get Whipple more deeply involved than a simple email response to the resolve. There should be little to no pressure in the gear case area at all.

Sorry I missed this earlier on.

 

[tsloms]

My gen 2 Whipple did that as well when I was running it at 17psi. I’m thinking it is normal behavior but still not desirable.

 

[doodguy]

Here is the picture of the bolt and the oil spew that hit my hood.

 

[ugstang17]

Found this through duckduckgo.com. It shows all of the British standard tapered threads. All the more reason to find out the specific thread type, size, and count on the plug...if they are using a British thread and not just a metric taper.

https://www.newmantools.com/taps/tapsbritish.htm

 

[doodguy]

Sorry I failed to see this. That being the case this concerns me. Could be an indication of a seal that is failing between the gear box and the impeller cavity on the unit. This is making an assumption based on more primitive basic roots blower design theory (and experience) and not seeing the actual mechanical's on the Whipple design. Plenty of guys are running your higher boost level so there must be an answer to this rather than the glazed over response they provided you. If there would be a compromised seal between the two areas this could lead to oil migrating into the impeller area when not under boost. And at higher boost levels this could become way more critical than those of us running under 15psi IMHO. I used to work on laser systems the used a massive roots style blower unit and when we started getting large pressure levels in the gear case the oil would migrate into the cavity when the unit was off and eventually get into the glassware contaminating the gas medium used to create the light wavelength the laser produced to cut with. Eventually the impellers would make contact as well and then the unit would be cooked. Not trying to create an overly suspect situation, but I would not rule it out and would get Whipple more deeply involved than a simple email response to the resolve. There should be little to no pressure in the gear case area at all.

Sorry I missed this earlier on.

I had a post on Facebook about this and Dustin whipple replied to just plug it with regular bolt said it won't hurt anything.

My car has been sitting for a few months now because i cant find the bolt or an answer to the size so i can order it. Admittedly this delay is partly my fault. The local bolt stores arent open on the weekends and i have very long 630a to 8p days between work, grad school and raising my two young kids.

I havent been able to call because im on east coast whipple is on west coast. Im a network engineer and by mid day when whipple is open my brain is mush from thinking i forget to step aside and call. I did email mike malicoat 2x with no response.

 

[ugstang17]

Does that plug have a washer seal under it? It also looks to be made of brass?

 

[doodguy]

Does that plug have a washer seal under it? It also looks to be made of brass?

Yes, it does have a little washer. I asked Dustin via private message if i should just plug this why is a special vented screw there in the first place and didn't get a reply on that. I don't know why this was ever put there if it spews oil under high boost

Caught my eye because i recently sleeved my motor and had an oil leak at crank seal. Fixed that kept seeing oil and tracked this down.

 

[ugstang17]

I had a post on Facebook about this and Dustin whipple replied to just plug it with regular bolt said it won't hurt anything.

My car has been sitting for a few months now because i cant find the bolt or an answer to the size so i can order it. Admittedly this delay is partly my fault. The local bolt stores arent open on the weekends and i have very long 630a to 8p days between work, grad school and raising my two young kids.

I havent been able to call because im on east coast whipple is on west coast. Im a network engineer and by mid day when whipple is open my brain is mush from thinking i forget to step aside and call. I did email mike malicoat 2x with no response.

Dag! I got into the wrong trade. Impressed you can afford marriage, kids, additional schooling...and a Mustang......with blower mods. Giving you praise for your devotion and dedication.

You may try calling Palm Beach Dyno and ask them if they know the thread type. Sometimes speed shops will help out on easy questions like this in hopes to get you as a customer down the road. They area Whipple dealer and do lots of big power setups running big boost numbers like yours.

 

[ugstang17]

That's def a tapered thread. I know this may sound like cheating -- though pipe fitters where I work say its standard practice -- consider obtaining some loktite PIPE DOPE (not teflon tape) and very sparingly apply some to the threads and reseat in the hole. that may be enough to seal the threads. I would not get it near the lower portion of the bolt. Just apply it up higher if you wish to try it. My only concern would be migration of the product though very minimal getting into the gear case oil when the unit goes into a vacuum to static state when not in boost. But I personally think getting the proper thread size and doing as Whipple is indicating will resolve the issue.

I just sent a text to a friend who used to run the 2.9L or 3.6L whipple on his 1000RWHP setup to see if he knows the thread size in the event he ran across this on his S550. If I get a reply back I will provide you the thread size. With winter most of us here are in hibernation plotting for the next season. LOL!

 

[ugstang17]

Just got this back from the go to guy running whipples in my area. That bolt is designed to vent above 15psi boost. As another mentioned you will need to install a catch can system on that...and not just plug it. He warns against plugging it. Said it will pop the unit if you do. He described the bolt exactly in the location, and color right down to the seal you show in the picture. So DON'T plug it as you are being told. Contact PBD (this guy uses them) and see what they have in a catch can kit to fit this. This guy is very sharp on PD setups. He doesn't even play with his street car at my lower level. He is running big boost at your level and apparently getting ready to do something "really big". He spun the guts out of his Whipple gear box last year...that's how hard he is pushing his setup. I know this is second hand 411, but it's reliable and from a very competent guy. Hope it helps you out.

Sponsored