The name Whipple sounds a little funny, and you may be unfamiliar with the brand. But in the car world, Whipple is well-known for its incredibly efficient superchargers
—an engine component that, in a nutshell, helps an engine produce more power. But what is a Whipple supercharger? And why is Whipple so well-known for its racing
products? What does a supercharger do?
Before we can understand exactly why Whipple is a first-class supercharger producer, it’s important to know exactly how a supercharger works. As Quarter Mile Addiction
outlines, they’re sort of like modified air compressors—and as you probably have learned, all cars use a unique mixture of air and fuel to run their engines. But the mixture has to be exactly right. To make an engine run more efficiently (and to help it produce more horsepower), carmakers can’t just tune the fuel injectors to apply more fuel—there has to be more air being supplied to the engine, too.
That’s where superchargers come in handy; they ensure that the engine gets a steady, balanced supply of air. Whereas some vehicles use blowers (large metal air intakes that stick above the hood of the car), or nitrous oxide, many modern vehicles simply use a supercharger, instead.
Whipple makes superchargers that are second to none
Whipple has made a strong name for themselves by producing high-quality superchargers, most notably the Whipple Twin-Screw. These engine add-ons help any vehicle improve its horsepower and torque ratings, and can be used for gas-powered or diesel engines.
Whipple’s superchargers are notably quieter than most other designs, but any supercharged engine produces an audible noise. The next time you watch a muscle car or modded-out diesel truck blow past you, listen for a whistling, high-pitched whine—this is the tell-tale noise produced by a supercharged engine being fed with extra air.
Is it worth supercharging your vehicle?
Even though some manufacturers (most notably Dodge and their Hellcat lineup
) produce supercharged vehicles, keep in mind that supercharging a new, stock vehicle will probably void your warranty. This means that you’ll be liable for any mechanical failures that happen to any essential drivetrain parts, which is likely to happen if you don’t make other upgrades. Modifying your vehicle in such a manner is usually best left to those with racing ambitions, plans to sell their vehicle in a specialized market, or who can make (or afford) the repairs that might occur.
Increasing your vehicle’s horsepower and torque sounds like a good thing, but the extra strain on your transmission, axles, and engine isn’t always worthwhile.
Jerry can help you find a supercharged insurance policy within minutes
Have you ever filled out car insurance forms? Then you know how miserable it can be. You probably didn’t know all the answers. You may have called your mom for help. Instead, you can just download the Jerry
app and save yourself some serious time and money. That’s the story of how people end up paying too much for insurance. Who can blame you for thinking that the plan and price would be competitive, accurate and fair after answering all those questions?
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