Whipple Offers PCM Upgrades for Mercury 8.2 Engines

For the last several months, Whipple Superchargers has been testing and fine-tuning its latest upgrade package, a PCM (powertrain control module) upgrade for Mercury Marine‘s 8.2L-based engine family, and is ready to bring it to market. Available for the MerCruiser engines—the 380-hp 8.2 Mag and the 430-hp 8.2 Mag H.O.—Whipple’s easy-to-install package essentially swaps out the stock PCM for one from the Fresno, Calif., company that has specialized in automotive and marine supercharging and calibration development for more than 25 years.

Whipple Superchargers, which recently released its PCM upgrade kits for the MerCruiser 8.2 Mag and 8.2 Mag H.O. engines, tests and tunes per cylinder.
Whipple Superchargers, which recently released its PCM upgrade kits for the MerCruiser 8.2 Mag and 8.2 Mag H.O. engines, tests and tunes per cylinder.

Providing increased rpm limits, which allow for more propeller options, as well as increased fuel and spark curve for significant power gains throughout the rpm range, the upgrade packages are available for both cable-based and digital-throttle-equipped engines. Each package also is offered with calibrations for stock exhaust manifolds, stock catalytic converters and aftermarket headers.

According to Dustin Whipple, the company provides two options, both of which have a flat torque curve for excellent midrange punch. The Stage 1 kit ($795) features gains of more than 55 hp and 15 ft./lb. of torque over the base 8.2 Mag model and is compatible with 89-octane fuel. The Stage 2 kit ($995), which is 91-octane compatible, provides a more aggressive spark curve for far greater torque and significant acceleration improvements. The performance gains, according to testing done at Whipple Superchargers (see the charts below), are more than 85 hp and 50 ft./lb. of torque over the base model.

“The demand has been steadily increasing over the past year for increased performance on the 8.2L lineup,” Whipple said. “Mercury Marine built a tremendous platform with the latest big block, going back to the traditional bolt patterns and design, meaning many pre-existing components already fit.

“Our stage 1 and 2 kits are officially released and we are now working on some other simple bolt-on components to further enhance the power,” he continued. “We’re very excited to also be working on the stage 3 upgrade, which is a cam and valvetrain upgrade that reaches even higher power levels. Our biggest offering, which will be available in April, is our 3.3-liter-based supercharger package that works with digital throttle or mechanical controls and will produce more than 650 hp on the stock engines.”

Click images to enlarge

8.2 Mag and Stage 1 kit 8.2 Mag and Stage 2 kit
8.2 Mag H.O. and Stage 1 kit 8.2 Mag H.O. and Stage 2 kit

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