kenne bell boost a pump/boost a spark

22lbsofboost

Registered User
ive seen these used with great success on other cars. i know ill be going with a boost a pump, i read a little about the boost a spark, im wondering if anyones using it with our wacky dis system and if so have there been any problems
here's some info on the boost a pump in case anyone is curious


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• Doesn't heat up fuel like larger inline or intank pumps.
• No octane loss (gas will begin to boil at 95 degrees).
• Used with all Kenne Bell Supercharger Kits.
• Increases existing fuel pump capacity up to 50%.
• Easily installed. Uses stock wiring. No fuel line modifications.
• Adjustable from 1% to 50% - ON DEMAND from driver's seat.
• Variable Output Cockpit Controller mounts under dash.
• No batteries to run down, replace or let you down.
• Eliminates expensive and time consuming fuel tank removal.
• Works with any pump full or part-time.
• Activation vacuum or pressure switch included in kit.
• Compensates for reduced voltage (lower pump output) when lights or other accessories are on.
• Maintains consistent pump output regardless of battery
voltage (down to 10 volts).
• Optimizes Air/Fuel Ratio and horsepower by matching
the engine fuel requirements.
• Quiet operation. Not NOISY like in line pumps.
• Improves gas mileage if vehicle now running on high idle fuel
pressure.
• Maintains stock fuel pressure at idle and part throttle.
• Controls WOT fuel pressure with return line shut off valves
(FMU,FSB).
• Maintains constant output voltage to pump within 1% from
10 to 12.5 battery voltage.
• Doesn't affect pump life.
• Ideal for any Nitrous System.
• Anodized red aluminum.
• Fused circuit protection.
• Works on any car, truck, or boat with 12V electric fuel pump.
• Compact size, lightweight (less than 2 lbs.).
• Guaranteed.
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heres the boost a spark





• Adjustable from 0-50% (13.5 - 20 volts).
• Increases spark energy - ALL 12 VOLT IGNITION SYSTEMS. Highest voltage of any ignition system concept.
• New Kenne Bell "Long Spark" Technology increases AND regulates voltage. NOT a CD with an inherently "short spark."
• More energy than CD systems. Over 2 amps at the plug (10 times more than OEM and 4 times more than other aftermarket ignition systems).
• Eliminates engine misfire under boost or high load.
• Ideal for supercharged, turbocharged and nitrous applications.
• Will fire spark plugs with up to .100" gap and 30 psi boost. 2500 microseconds vs. 200 for CD's.
• Regulates ignition voltage within .1 volt, regardless of battery voltage.
• Allows wider plug gaps for MORE POWER. Other ignition systems must run closer plug gaps.
• Automatically adjusts spark energy to meet engine requirements i.e. rich, lean, supercharged, high compression etc.
•Two (2) models. Supercharged / Turbocharged or Normally Aspirated. Pressure or vacuum switch included.
• Attractive red anodized extruded aluminum weatherproof case.
• Developed on the Kenne Bell Dyno.
• Easy to install. Just connect to primary coil wire.
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Forget the rhetoric and magazine ads and let's tell it like it really is. Never buy an ignition system for your late model "coil" vehicle because you think it will make more HP, help start ups, increase throttle response or improve fuel economy. It will not. You add an ignition system to guarantee it wll fire at higher rpm or boost levels. The Cobra's ignition (see below) was not igniting all the fuel mixture at 8 psi above 2500 rpm. We activated the BOOST-A-SPARK™ at 3 psi and made 50HP.
 
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I have the KB boost-a-pump on my 91, but I only use it with the nitrous. Rest of the time it's set to 0% increase. So far, the stock ignition seems to be doing fine.

David
 
I had a boost a spark in my stang with a kenne bell kit..Dont know if it made a difference or not but i didnt get any high boost rpm misses
 
Stuff was junk back when Barry Grant stoped making it because of all the problems it caused. Its just like meth injection. Works, sometimes, but when it fails (and it will) the mess it is going to make of your wallet outweighs doing it right instead of the fad patch. Anyone remember Mafterburners? When they came out they were the cat's meow, now people look down on them as garbage. Meth injection was out in the 70's, got a bad name then went away. Now its back and the best thing ever. Boost a pump ... its had it chance, failed and its back again.

Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it.
 
i belieive that water injection lost steam (no pun intended) because of the FI revolution. it was used on carb'd cars during the smog era because we had NO high octane gas. it did what it had when it had to, and when we got good fuel back and fuel injection took over, we just didnt need it any more.rarely did they use methanol. it was water. i can post several ads and how-to's of 70's vintage to prove this

i have over 500 hot rod and car craft magazines from the 60's and 70's and have never seen mafterburners. have no idea what this is

the boost a pump is not new. ive seen these used on cars for a while. and ac cording to all the research, its actually better for your fuel, your pump, and your car than using a larger pump which can heat your fuel up, causing octane loss.

if you have some PROOF that this product sucks please share. i cant find any.
 
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Old aluminum block buicks I believe they were back in the 60's ran alcohol injection from the factory. Its a great idea that failed due to failures...Failures = blown up motors.

The technology is definitely here today to make these ideas work however the question comes to mind how good is the quality of these parts. Failures can =costly problems.

Redundant safety precautions are key. Kind of like a low fuel pressure cutoff for a nitrous setup...

Eventually technology fixes these issues but there are always many guini pigs on the way.

As far as the boost a pump is concerned what isnt such a great idea is taking that stock pump and straining it.....I'd much rather have a larger pumpthat I can step down..Thats what I did with my turbo car using an Aeromotive pump and controller http://www.aeromotiveinc.com/pdetail.php?prod=31

I do it for pump life however
 
Old aluminum block buicks I believe they were back in the 60's ran alcohol injection from the factory. Its a great idea that failed due to failures...Failures = blown up motors.

The technology is definitely here today to make these ideas work however the question comes to mind how good is the quality of these parts. Failures can =costly problems.

Redundant safety precautions are key. Kind of like a low fuel pressure cutoff for a nitrous setup...

Eventually technology fixes these issues but there are always many guini pigs on the way.

As far as the boost a pump is concerned what isnt such a great idea is taking that stock pump and straining it.....I'd much rather have a larger pumpthat I can step down..Thats what I did with my turbo car using an Aeromotive pump and controller http://www.aeromotiveinc.com/pdetail.php?prod=31

I do it for pump life however

Since I only use mine for about one minute a year...I doubt it will reduce the pump life very much.

David
 
ok, so kenne bell just out and lies about his boost a pump? its clearly stated
Doesn't heat up fuel like larger inline or intank pumps.
• No octane loss (gas will begin to boil at 95 degrees).
Doesn't affect pump life.

so these a lies and kenne bell is a false advertiser?
 
Kenne Bell is a promotor and a sales person first, blower kit producer second. Take what he says for what it's worth.

But, with that out of the way it is always better to spend huge sums of money on all the "best parts" and then let them sit in your driveway for years on end rather than drive them. Yes, I went there. :p

As often as the pump would be under the strain of increased voltage is minimal over the life of the car, BUT if you plan to use it a lot then most likely a better pump would be the best choice. For us running the 255lph FI pump with relayed full battery power instead of the crappy stock wiring is probably the best way to go up to 450rwhp. Beyond that you'll have to decide what you want to do.

I can't see any drawback to the boost-a-spark other than it may be hard on the coil pack and plug wires. It certainly can't blow up your motor if it fails and I can't see it being any worse than an MSD.
 
Kenne Bell is correct. If you use smaller pump there will be less heat. Large pump equals large return to tank when not needed which equals heated fuel to an extent. You can go larg epump as I did with a controller to reduce speed when not needed or go smaller and increase speed when not needed. Nothing he said is incorrect its just a matter of how much will you need it and how does it strain your pump on a regular basis..And if the unit fails you can have issues if tuned with it
 
boost a spark

I was having tremendous spark blowout problmes with my aed. I added the boost a spark and it solved the blow out problems. I have mine set to activat under boost only. It is set for a 20 percent increase. I run my spark gaps at .040. The main way the boost a spark works is in not really from raising voltage to the coils. It is because the higher voltage allows the the coils to charge quicker and fully to deliver full voltage to the plugs.
 
I was having tremendous spark blowout problmes with my aed. I added the boost a spark and it solved the blow out problems. I have mine set to activat under boost only. It is set for a 20 percent increase. I run my spark gaps at .040. The main way the boost a spark works is in not really from raising voltage to the coils. It is because the higher voltage allows the the coils to charge quicker and fully to deliver full voltage to the plugs.

You forgot to mention what happens when you drive coils harder.
 
If you drive the coils harder they get hotter. The good thing about boost a spark is that it has a hobbs swich which only turns on at 3 pounds of boost which turns on the boost a spark uping the voltage to the coils. How long do you really stay into the boost for? I bet it is less than 30 seconds most of the time.
 
You forgot to mention what happens when you drive coils harder.



im not sure what happens but i cn assure you that the coil packs on these cars are NOT a weak point. i have owned 5 or 6 of these cars over the past 10 years and ive had cam sensors go out a lot, knock sensors, etc. but never ever have i had a coil pack fail on me
even had one on my red car that sat out in the weather with right side up for a year or so, worked like a charm
 
im not sure what happens but i cn assure you that the coil packs on these cars are NOT a weak point. i have owned 5 or 6 of these cars over the past 10 years and ive had cam sensors go out a lot, knock sensors, etc. but never ever have i had a coil pack fail on me
even had one on my red car that sat out in the weather with right side up for a year or so, worked like a charm

Its not if the coils are good at a STOCK dwell and voltage, that isn't the issue. The problems come when you start driving coils harder then they were intended to run. Do what you want, how you want. Make no mistake, this is a patch fix that has more drawbacks then positives. Just some people only learn by blowing ~~~~ up, and even then they don't always learn. I can think of several people that fit into that catagory.
 
If you drive the coils harder they get hotter. The good thing about boost a spark is that it has a hobbs swich which only turns on at 3 pounds of boost which turns on the boost a spark uping the voltage to the coils. How long do you really stay into the boost for? I bet it is less than 30 seconds most of the time.

good luck with that.
 
CarlisleLandOwn said:
Boost a pump ... its had it chance, failed and its back again.

Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it.
I love this cliche (use it a lot myself ;) )

Electronic circuit design and the sophisticated parts available today make this device reliable and accurate. The designs from the past were, well, not so good :D . For those who don't know, a "boost-a-pump" is nothing more than a DC to DC voltage converter which is designed to increase output voltage, and maintain voltage regulation.

With regard to voltage regulation, this certainly would benefit any unregulated circuits in a car. Voltage drops from long wire runs and associated large loads (megawatt amplifiers for example) could be compensated for. The idea isn't to boost voltage, but to maintain a specific design voltage. Used in this way it has no downside.

With regard to voltage boost, well, that's a little different. Most components can withstand increased power dissipation, especially if its intermittent. In fact most components are designed to handle more power than rated. The intermittent use of boosting voltage to a fuel pump in drag racing won't harm the pump.

Boosting an ignition system ALL the time is not a good idea though. Of course this will depend heavily on how much of a voltage boost you are using, but at 100% duty cycle you are in greater danger of burning out the driver/primary coil circuits. On early SCs the DIS is already on the ragged edge of burnout.. more voltage isn't going to help :( .

blown96bird said:
The main way the boost a spark works is in not really from raising voltage to the coils. It is because the higher voltage allows the the coils to charge quicker and fully to deliver full voltage to the plugs.
This would only be an issue if you had insufficient time to charge the coils in the first place. On an SC this is never an issue. SC OEM coils require approximately 3 ~ 3.5 milliseconds in order to fully charge. Our engines rarely reach 6,000 RPM and we also have multiple coils, which means more time to charge any given coil between firings. Even at 6,000 RPM, our individual coils still have about 10 milliseconds available to charge up before they fire.

I believe what is happening in your case is you need increased ouput voltage to fire the plug. At 20% increase I don't think you are stressing it too much, but always keep in mind this is hard on the ignition system. IMHO it would be better to reduce the plug gap than boost the voltage.
 
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