Ever since the S650 was released back in late 2022, the Dark Horse struck our interest. Once the order banks opened, we quickly submitted what we wanted: 600A, Recaros, and the handling package. These kind of options have been standard issue for any car we order.
Well, the 2024 Dark Horse Mustang took forever to get built which took a little bit of wind out of the sails. Fast forward over a year, the car arrived and it just didn't knock our socks off. By no means were we expecting this to be the "best Mustang", but there was some optimism.
After the "new" wore off, which didn't take long, the car got stuffed in the corner with the rest of our collection. Pretty much awaiting the next step. All along the way, the money just didn't sit right with us for what we got. In order to chase a better dollar per horsepower, the car needed a supercharger. To us, this is how it should have came from the factory; with the Gen 6 Whipple Supercharger.
Boost has a magical way of solving naturally aspirated anemia. It all depends on who you ask, but we "fixed" our Dark Horse by adding the Ford Performance Whipple supercharger. It shouldn't have took this, but with no tuning (at the time of this article), what better way for Ford to upsell a power adder.
2024 Dark Horse Supercharger Dealer Install Process
With a few different 2024-25 Mustang superchargers to pick from, we decided to go with a Ford Performance Whipple Supercharger for the simple fact that we could have it installed by a licensed ASE-certified technician and get a 3-year, 36,000-mile warranty with it. It just so happens that we have a trusted Ford dealership, Bird Kultgen Ford, right down the road from us.
We have dealt with this dealership for many years now and they are always lending a hand when we need it. So who better to install the new supercharger on our Dark Horse Mustang?
Whether you are purchasing your car and want to get a supercharger installed before you take delivery, or you already have a car and want to add a supercharger, a Ford Dealership with ASE-certified technicians can get the job done.
As far as the warranty goes, most Ford dealerships will handle submitting the paperwork to Ford Performance, but this is something you will want to discuss with your shop before having the work completed.
Taking Care Of Preventative Maintenance With An Oil Separator
With the Dark Horse back at LMR, we decided to do a little preventative maintenance and install a
J&L oil separator. This is going to ensure that we keep our engine and supercharger clean for years to come.
An
oil separator, also known as a catch can, prevents engine issues by capturing excess oil before it reaches critical components like the intake valves or air intake. It works by separating oil mist from the air that passes through the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system, storing the oil in a canister while allowing clean air to flow back into the system. Without an oil separator, blow-by—a natural occurrence in all internal combustion engines—causes small amounts of oil to push past the piston rings and recirculate through the PCV system.
As the oil mist condenses into liquid in the intake tract, it can lead to oil and carbon deposits in the intake manifold, throttle body, or even superchargers. This buildup can cause carbon accumulation on valves, an oily mess in the intake system, and reduced fuel economy over time. An oil separator helps eliminate these problems and keeps the engine running cleaner and more efficiently.
Checking Out The Dyno Numbers
While the butt-dyno was registering off the charts, we knew we had to get it back to the shop to get some real-world numbers. Before we took the Dark Horse to get the supercharger installed, we ran it on the dyno for some baseline numbers.
Stock 2024 Dark Horse Dyno Results:
(SAE CORRECTED)
- 435 Horsepower
- 383 lb-ft Torque
Whipple Supercharged 2024 Dark Horse Dyno Results:
(SAE CORRECTED)
- 694 Horsepower
- 558 lb-ft Torque
Stock Vs Supercharged 2024 Dark Horse Dyno Results:
(SAE CORRECTED)
- +259 Horsepower
- +195 lb-ft Torque
