Vortech Supercharger

[90 L98 TransAm]

Have any of you installed a Vortech supercharger on your GTAs?

The install looks pretty straightforward (except for punching a hole in the oil pan for the SC drain line).

Vortech has a $250 rebate on systems through the end of January.

[FearThisGTA]

Yes,, they make one or at least they used to. As far as the install, cant help ya there. Sorry. Good luck and post some install pics for us.

[strc09]

Good luck with that.

[90 L98 TransAm]

Well a guy on thirdgen confirmed that punching your drain pan can be problematic. He punched his hole a little too big and had to seal it up with JB Weld and extra silicone - I don't want to go there.

The Vortech manual for LS-1 cars says to use a Rotabroach (supplied with the SC kit) to drill a hole which sounds like a cleaner method to me.

A Vortech vendor said they might be able to substitute a V-3 supercharger for the V-2 that comes in an '88 - '92 kit. The V-3 has a self contained oiling system - no need to punch the pan.

The Vortech site says the V-3 will fit the bracket for the V-2 but the only V-3 kits they sell are for Corvettes and Mustangs so there may be some other problem.

Anyway, I'll find out more tomorrow.

[90 L98 TransAm]

Here is a new system superchargersonline just put together for '88 - '92 F bodies:

http://www.superchargersonline.com/p...r=V4GF218-060L

It uses the Vortech V-3 head unit which is self-lubricated and therefore doesn't require tapping into the car's oil system.

I'm trying to verify if this system is plug and play with '90 up cars with speed density monitoring (instead of MAF used on earlier cars).

[90 L98 TransAm]

i took the plunge and ordered the supercharger kit from superchargersonline after they assured me (in writing) that it will work plug and play with speed density cars. it should get here by the end of the week.

started doing the prep stuff which consists of moving the battery to the passenger side, removing the windshield wiper fluid reservoir (Vortech supplies one with the kit), and relocating the charcoal cannister to a "position behind the splash panel in front of the passenger side wheel". best i can tell, the cannister goes in the space below the passenger side headlight - the Vortech sketch for canister relocation is pretty generic.

when i removed my coolant reservoir (to get more room for spark plug replacement) i found a 1" long split in the plastic starting at the bolt that secures it through the fender. patched that up with some silicone. you might want to check yours.

hadn't changed my spark plugs in 14 years (30,000 miles). passenger side ones were pretty easy - got the front three from the top and the back one from the bottom. on the driver's side i had to remove the AIR tubes to get the second one from the firewall.

the Vortech manual doesn't say anything about relocating the cruise control servo but it's right next to the windshield wiper fluid reservoir so i think it has to go also.

got a question for those of you who have removed/reinstalled your power steering pulley: what brand tool(s) did you use? Vortech specifies SnapOn but they are $180 new and over $120 used on eBay. not sure if the loaner pulley puller from Autozone will work on our cars.

[MunsonGTA]

loaner from the part store, same thing as the expensive tools

[90 L98 TransAm]

the vortech kit arrived today. the MSD ignition/boost controller was missing along with a couple of screws and spade connectors. the kit includes a Walbro auxillary fuel pump which gets mounted in the engine compartment. the SC is a self-lubricated V-3 so i won't have to install the oil feed and drain hoses or punch a hole in my oil pan.

i used this eBay special to remove my power steering pulley:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=160307622365

did all the prep stuff already including spark plug change.

<a href="http://s150.photobucket.com/albums/s108/npalke/kial98/?action=view&current=VortechKit.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s108/npalke/kial98/VortechKit.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[FearThisGTA]

It dont look like a whole lotta stuff. I am curious as to how hard its gonna be to install. Hmmmmmmmm.......

[90 L98 TransAm]

yeah, me too. lol!!!

we'll find out over the next few weeks (depends on the weather). will probably be asking some questions of those who have torn into their engine bays before. sounds like i'll need to bend some fuel and PS lines - hopefully not too much. tap into and extend some wiring also.

had to buy the PS pulley remover/installer, a thin pattern 19mm open end wrench (i actually got a 3/4" SnapOn which is 19.05mm, and a tubing bender.

3rd gen cars are easier than LT-1 or LS-1. only 8-10 hours for install on ours compared to 20 - 30 for other GM cars.

a lot of the cost is in the head unit. it's made to or better than aircraft specs and the blades spin up to 70,000 rpm.

[90 L98 TransAm]

my car. pretty much factory stock prior to molestation:

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...e/000_0204.jpg



here's the engine compartment with battery, washer reservoir, alternator, and crank and PS pulleys out of the way. had to extend the wiring between the engine harness connector on the driver's side and the positive batter cable connector which is now on the passenger side. the factory negative battery terminal is too short to reach the original connection point at the bottom of the PS pump. need to either find a spot on the block within reach or use a longer negative battery cable. also had to extend the alternator wiring.

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...e/100_1372.jpg



19 year old water pump out:

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...e/100_1388.jpg
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...e/100_1387.jpg



new Stewart Components water pump ready to go in:

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...e/100_1389.jpg



here is the space under the passenger side headlight where I moved the emissions cannister to. the cannister install is not pretty to look at but the cannister is secure and no one sees it after the splash shield is back in place:

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...e/100_1373.jpg
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...e/100_1377.jpg



auxillary Vortech/Walbro fuel pump in the supply line and fuel management unit (regulates fuel depending on the boost) in the return line. if Vortech had made their prefab fuel line assemblies about 3" longer they could have avoided the need to splice into the factory fuel return line.

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...e/100_1378.jpg



Vortech/MSD timing master controller (retards timing with boost to avoid detonation). Includes a boost controller that allows you to adjust the ignition retard from the cabin. hooking it up was easier than i expected. you just splice into the two wires between the distributor cap and the coil.

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...e/100_1379.jpg



I labeled the multiple bolt holes in the SC mounting plate to make install of the 16 bolts a little easier.

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...e/100_1371.jpg


now i need to reinstall the new water pump (the Stewart Comp bolt heads are double hex so it looks like i need a small 12 pt socket for them) and the crank pulley/spacer/SC pulley assembly. then the PS bracket gets replaced with SC bracket and the SC mounting plate goes on. will need a couple extra hands to do the final mechanical install.

[FearThisGTA]

Looks like some real good progress, are you gonna paint the timin cover and new wp before you put the new wp back on? Imo, I would. Anywho, its all lookin like its comin together real good. Cant wait to see it finished. You definitely need to post up a vid of the finish product, while its runnin.

[90 L98 TransAm]

Originally Posted by FearThisGTA

Looks like some real good progress, are you gonna paint the timin cover and new wp before you put the new wp back on? Imo, I would. Anywho, its all lookin like its comin together real good. Cant wait to see it finished. You definitely need to post up a vid of the finish product, while its runnin.

i wasn't planning to paint the timing cover or pump but tell me more about it - type of paint, etc.. for corrosion control? might be a good idea.

i was surprised i needed to file some flashing off the pump inlet. thought they would have done that at assembly.

ordered an autometer boost gauge yesterday.

[FearThisGTA]

I would just take some 3m rust conversion and coat it with that and then after it dries paint it as usual, or you could just remove it, sand it down, paint it and re-install it, OR even get a new one and install it. It just depends on what you want to do. Any of the above should work just fine. hth, oh and btw, piantin the wtr pump with regular engine paint should do the trick on it. hth

[merc3065]

Thats what I did with mine (water pump painting) used the high temp gloss black engine paint. Cant tell that it's a replacement either.

[90 L98 TransAm]

here's the pump after three coats of engine paint and a pipe plug from NAPA:

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...e/100_1391.jpg



and the timing cover primed/painted in place with rustoleum and engine paint:

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...e/100_1390.jpg

thanks for the suggestion FearThis. also, the Vortech V-3 SC is only rated for 53,000 rpm not the 70,000 i stated above.



progress on the SC install has been brought to a standstill by a leaking heater core in my honda. got to tear the whole front interior out of that car the past few days.

the inlet side of my evaporator was pretty grundgy. does anyone know a good way to clean a 16 year old evaporator core (other than blowing and vacuuming with a shop vac)??????

[90 L98 TransAm]

routed the wiring for the aux fuel pump, MSD ignition retard box remote, and Autometer boost gauge through the firewall in driver's footwell:

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...e/100_1399.jpg


new water pump and crank pulley/spacer/supercharger pulley installed:

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...e/100_1398.jpg


placement of supercharger main bracket:

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...e/100_1400.jpg


looks like i need to get a female Torx socket to remove two studs that retain the factory power steering pump bracket. hoping to install the vortech main bracket, power steering pump, alternator, supercharger mounting plate, and supercharger tomorrow.

[FearThisGTA]

Lookin good.

[90 L98 TransAm]

well, this ain't gonna work!!!

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...e/100_1403.jpg


supposed to discharge almost horizontally toward the throttle body not straight up! might have to use a V-2 head unit unless this V-3 can be re-oriented.

[90 L98 TransAm]

hopefully the vendor/Vortech will let me re-clock this without voiding
the warranty.

had a clearance problem between the supercharger body and the power steering lines. the install manual says to leave the lines connected and just bend
them but i'm not sure that's practical. a photo of how they bent and routed the ps lines around the SC bracket would have been real helpful.

how much of a hassle is it to flush/refill/bleed the power steering system? i probably should get some new fluid in there anyway.

oh well, won't be able to finish it now anyway until Vortech sends me the pulley for the supercharger shaft.