Vortech supercharger install...*PIC HEAVY*

[milgt]

Alright, to start off I didn't get as many pictures as I would've liked because I kept getting caught up in the installation and kept forgetting that I needed pictures of everything so if I don't have a particular picture of something, sorry.

Alright, to begin with, the install is really straight forward after you dig into it. You may feel a little overwhelmed if you just skim the instructions but that quickly goes away once you start the install. First things first, Removal of the bumper cover and engine parts (intake and coolant reservoir). Drain your coolant and place your reservoir out of the way since it isn't reused. Take your upper radiator hose off and place it off to the side for future modification. Remove your throttle body as well and place it to the side for installation later. Loosen the bolts on your water pump pulley before you remove the belt as well.



You're gonna wanna take the large wiring harness on front of the engine on the passenger side and free it of the two tie downs. Be careful with the one closer to the center of the engine because you'll use the threaded location later on in the installation. Refer to the last pic above to see the wiring harness.
The install calls for you to cut the stock hose clamp at the radiator Y where you removed the upper radiator hose and replace it with a worm drive hose clamp. I didn't understand the need in this because you don't mess with that upper hose at all other than this so take that for what it's worth.
Next, there is a wire connection that needs to be moved out of the way. The location is next to the PCM(?). Looking into the engine bay you'll see the wire connection to the right of the PCM and all you do is basically pull it up and dislodge and then move it. The bracket that the wiring connection was attached to needs to be bent and broken off.

Now you'll wanna grab the upper radiator hose and cut 2" from the 90* bend and also replace the stock hose clamp with one of the worm gear clamps and rotate the hose as needed. There are two small aluminum pieces in the kit and the 90* bend one goes on the side that connects to the radiator the other will go in to the other side. All you're doing with this radiator hose is rerouting it to get the supercharger and piping a place to go.

Moving on now to the new coolant reservoir. you'll have your new brackets and all to secure to the new tank, do so now. You'll be securing this tank to the inside 2 studs of the passenger side strut tower. you need to bend the A/C lines out of the way of course with care lol. You'll be cutting and extended the smaller coolant hoses and connecting them to the T on the new coolant reservoir.

You'll now need to remove the 3/4" hose from the driver's side heater tube and grab the new hose included in the kit and route it to the bottom connection on the new reservoir tank.
Next step will be to modify your fan shroud to fit the piping route for the intercooler.
Stock:

Modified:


You'll also be modifying the bracket holding the fan wiring. Basically, your moving the wiring further into the fan shroud to allow for more clearance for the supercharger. You'll also need to do a little trimming of the top to fit the new intake piping.


Now you move on to installing the supercharger bracket and also flipping the throttle body as well as installing the spacer in between the throttle body and intake manifold. You'll want to secure the blower as well.






If you are using your stock pass. side PCV and also have the stock intake manifold you'll want to do the modification that is included in the kit. I didn't have to worry about modifying mine.
To prep for installation of the intercooler and piping you'll need to relocate your horns located on the driver's side. All you do with the horns is flip the bracket they are secured to and reinstall. It will move the horns further up and out of the way of the piping.




Manual cars will need to cut the brake booster line near the firewall right behind the fuel rail and insert the T fitting included for the bypass valve.
Manual car again, take the driver's side Pcv off and carefully cut out the 90* fitting going to the nipple you'll insert this piece into the included tubing for the new intake going to the supercharger.
Now you need to trim and cut the bumper pieces so that they will accomodate the new intercooler and piping.
driver's side intake piece:


passenger's side piece:


Installed on the car:


Bottom piece:


and the front bumper:

[milgt]

and here is a video as well.

[DDTCM]

Nice! Looks like you knocked it out quickly and outside too. Thanks for the write up.

[milgt]

Originally Posted by DDTCM

Nice! Looks like you knocked it out quickly and outside too. Thanks for the write up.

Thanks man! Yea my friend and I did it over two days (roughly 10hrs) and took our time making sure we were getting it all right. We really could've knocked it out a lot quicker had we had prior knowledge of the install. Its really not hard at all. Some places are really tight to get to but other than that, simple.

[DDTCM]

Originally Posted by milgt

Thanks man! Yea my friend and I did it over two days (roughly 10hrs) and took our time making sure we were getting it all right. We really could've knocked it out a lot quicker had we had prior knowledge of the install. Its really not hard at all. Some places are really tight to get to but other than that, simple.

Looking forward to seeing your #s since we almost have the same mods (minus LTs on your side) Are you using the tune that came with it or going to dyno tune?

[milgt]

Originally Posted by DDTCM

Looking forward to seeing your #s since we almost have the same mods (minus LTs on your side) Are you using the tune that came with it or going to dyno tune?

No can tune for me, I have a local tuner that's gonna dyno tune my car soon and he's got me a tune to use till then.

[nosympathy]

Looking good man! looks like the install must have been a lot of fun. Thanks for providing all the pictures!

[milgt]

Originally Posted by nosympathy

Looking good man! looks like the install must have been a lot of fun. Thanks for providing all the pictures!

Install actually wasn't too bad but trying to get all the piping tightened was tricky and I have plenty of cuts to prove it lol. Once that fan shroud goes back in you can forget it. I wish i would've had more pics but just didn't remember.

[Am3gross]

Looking at that is very intimidating, just wandering and I mean no offense here but what would you say your skill level is, say 10 being an ase certified mechanic and a 1 being the sack boy at a supermarket? The reason I ask is this... I want to install one, just don't have the nerve to actually pull the trigger to make the purchase just for it to sit on the shelf... I would say that I am at the 6-7 level myself.. I work on helicopters as a mechanic, so shouldn't be out of my skill set...

Thanks and when you get those numbers post em up...would be very interested to see what you get..

[milgt]

Originally Posted by Am3gross

Looking at that is very intimidating, just wandering and I mean no offense here but what would you say your skill level is, say 10 being an ase certified mechanic and a 1 being the sack boy at a supermarket? The reason I ask is this... I want to install one, just don't have the nerve to actually pull the trigger to make the purchase just for it to sit on the shelf... I would say that I am at the 6-7 level myself.. I work on helicopters as a mechanic, so shouldn't be out of my skill set...

Thanks and when you get those numbers post em up...would be very interested to see what you get..

Man listen, If you are a mechanic then you'll have zero issues with this install. Idk where I would rate my skill level honestly...um...maybe a 6? Like I said I'm not sure on the self evaluation lol. Also, this does come with instructions so you're not in the dark on the install.

[emery2483]

Originally Posted by Am3gross

Looking at that is very intimidating, just wandering and I mean no offense here but what would you say your skill level is, say 10 being an ase certified mechanic and a 1 being the sack boy at a supermarket? The reason I ask is this... I want to install one, just don't have the nerve to actually pull the trigger to make the purchase just for it to sit on the shelf... I would say that I am at the 6-7 level myself.. I work on helicopters as a mechanic, so shouldn't be out of my skill set...

Thanks and when you get those numbers post em up...would be very interested to see what you get..

I'm a sack boy at Kroger lowblow.. lol jk man

[milgt]

Originally Posted by emery2483

I'm a sack boy at Kroger lowblow.. lol jk man

Lol! You should've saved the just joking part for after his response to the first part haha.

[Azure]

Nice write-up!

[McQueen]

Perfect vehicle to haul MOONSHINE! Lol

Post a video, the whole process looks scary lol

[GrabberBlue5.0]

Nice write up! Good job on the install, gonna get it dyno tuned?

[nosympathy]

Originally Posted by GrabberBlue5.0

Nice write up! Good job on the install, gonna get it dyno tuned?

He already answered this with a yes up above.

[GrabberBlue5.0]

Originally Posted by nosympathy

He already answered this with a yes up above.

Ah I must have missed that thanks!

[milgt]

Thanks guys!

Did the video I posted not work?

[nosympathy]

Originally Posted by milgt

Thanks guys!

Did the video I posted not work?

It works. Not on the mobile app. Did k. The comp tho.

[milgt]

Originally Posted by nosympathy

It works. Not on the mobile app. Did k. The comp tho.

oh ok cool, thanks for letting me know.

[mtrsprt]

I am a Vortech guy by heart, but my Procharger install was so much easier than this, and required ZERO cutting of any factory trim etc..... 8-rib dedicated compressor belt too.

[m_tyler_r]

great post man!

[milgt]

Originally Posted by mtrsprt

I am a Vortech guy by heart, but my Procharger install was so much easier than this, and required ZERO cutting of any factory trim etc..... 8-rib dedicated compressor belt too.

Ehh, I don't mind it at all but I can understand where you're coming from

Originally Posted by m_tyler_r

great post man!

Thanks!!

[nosympathy]

Originally Posted by mtrsprt

I am a Vortech guy by heart, but my Procharger install was so much easier than this, and required ZERO cutting of any factory trim etc..... 8-rib dedicated compressor belt too.

Must be the angle looks like it sticks way out the hood haha.

[milgt]

Dyno went alright last night, numbers were there but we were having trouble with the throttle body being weird and shutting at about 6500rpms every run... I have a video of the boost gauge we had hooked up but haven't loaded it yet. Any insight from anybody on what could be the problem? Final #s were 600whp/460tq in 4th gear

[Mweigt07]

I had the same problem at 5800 rpms I did a data log and sent it to bama. They said the fuel trim was off and it was limiting itself

[GrabberBlue5.0]

Originally Posted by milgt

Dyno went alright last night, numbers were there but we were having trouble with the throttle body being weird and shutting at about 6500rpms every run... I have a video of the boost gauge we had hooked up but haven't loaded it yet. Any insight from anybody on what could be the problem? Final #s were 600whp/460tq in 4th gear

Is that auto or manual that you drive? Yea both fuel trims as well as maxed out maf will shut if off. But I can't imagine that you're anywhere close to maxing out the maf, many cars have been built using stock maf pushing over 700 rwhp

[GrabberBlue5.0]

Btw I know manual should be dynoed in 5th, I think auto is the same but don't really remember. Maybe 4th and 5th are same distance from 1:1 gear ratio

[milgt]

Originally Posted by GrabberBlue5.0

Btw I know manual should be dynoed in 5th, I think auto is the same but don't really remember. Maybe 4th and 5th are same distance from 1:1 gear ratio

It's a manual. Yeah, we are supposed to use 5th but we tried dynoing in 5th last time but the 3.31s are just too long on the dyno.

[mtrsprt]

Originally Posted by milgt

Dyno went alright last night, numbers were there but we were having trouble with the throttle body being weird and shutting at about 6500rpms every run...[/IMG]

The new PCM's are insane to custom tune. There's 15 TQ tables!!!!

You should have seen the things we went through to get mine even driveable, and then make a full successful pull on the dyno. It's still not 100% perfect yet...... Well over 8 hours logged so far. (Car is away for winter now anyway)

My PCM will pull timing back 10 times between 4000-7000rpm..... The SCT template is still not right for some of these PCM strategies also.... The TQ management is a bear..........

[GrabberBlue5.0]

Originally Posted by mtrsprt

The new PCM's are insane to custom tune. There's 15 TQ tables!!!!

You should have seen the things we went through to get mine even driveable, and then make a full successful pull on the dyno. It's still not 100% perfect yet...... Well over 8 hours logged so far. (Car is away for winter now anyway)

My PCM will pull timing back 10 times between 4000-7000rpm..... The SCT template is still not right for some of these PCM strategies also.... The TQ management is a bear..........

Is yours an 11-12, or a 13?

[mtrsprt]

Originally Posted by GrabberBlue5.0

Is yours an 11-12, or a 13?

13

[milgt]

Originally Posted by mtrsprt

The new PCM's are insane to custom tune. There's 15 TQ tables!!!!

You should have seen the things we went through to get mine even driveable, and then make a full successful pull on the dyno. It's still not 100% perfect yet...... Well over 8 hours logged so far. (Car is away for winter now anyway)

My PCM will pull timing back 10 times between 4000-7000rpm..... The SCT template is still not right for some of these PCM strategies also.... The TQ management is a bear..........

My tuner actually was doing research for the better part of the morning and into the afternoon to figure out what was needing to be corrected and sent me a revised tune and then within 20mins sent me another telling me that it should be right where we wanted but he wants me to log tonight after work to see.

[2008crna]

So will Bama do a remote tune for a centrifugal supercharger or were they just consulting?

---------- Post added at 05:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:57 PM ----------

Nice write up BTW. I am actually considering this as a budget friendly HP upgrade vs going with the Whipple SC from FRPP. I love the idea of a smooth torque band but after backing off the idea of a twin turbo option due to the insane end cost (about 10k) I am reluctant to put that much into a stock engine at this point. Just curious, what supercharger system are you using and would you so it again or go with another type?

[milgt]

Originally Posted by 2008crna

So will Bama do a remote tune for a centrifugal supercharger or were they just consulting?

---------- Post added at 05:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:57 PM ----------

Nice write up BTW. I am actually considering this as a budget friendly HP upgrade vs going with the Whipple SC from FRPP. I love the idea of a smooth torque band but after backing off the idea of a twin turbo option due to the insane end cost (about 10k) I am reluctant to put that much into a stock engine at this point. Just curious, what supercharger system are you using and would you so it again or go with another type?

I know that if you go through beefcakeracing that you can get a remote tune from Jon Lund.

I would happily stick with the centri type supercharger just better all around in my opinion when you get the self lubricating system. Not as harsh on the block as a roots type blower and not as much maintenance as a turbo. So I'm very happy with it thus far.