Has anyone installed the factory supercharger?

[Green Rat]

Originally Posted by skottoman

Any updates on how you're enjoying this? Are you used to the extra power and wanting more already?
Cheers,
Skottoman

I'm really lovin' it! The extra power and torque are addictive, but i dont think I will need any more...at least not yet!

However, I haven't driven it at all this week .

I was coming home from work and hit the gas coming out of a turn and the back end started kicking out. It had never done that before and I though it might be due to the extra power from the supercharger. Turns out the passenger rear tire had picked up a nail. So I bring the tire to my local shop for a patch. When I come back to pick it up the owner comes out and tells me they "had a hard time getting it off because of the low profile and the stiff side walls." He shows me the wheel and it is all scratched up with 2 dime sized chunks of paint gone. On the bright side, I found a great mobile wheel repair service who made the wheel look good as new.

I'm looking forward to a nice long drive tomorrow morning.

[m_beale1]

I installed my kit last weekend. The instructions that come with the kit are excellent--lots of color pictures and detailed descriptions. The installation is pretty involved. I spent the entire weekend working on the car and also spent a significant amount of time working on it on Friday and Monday evening.

The kit comes with the supercharger, a new ECU, new injectors, and a new belt. It also comes with a new motor mount and new plumbing for the charcoal canister. These last two items are the ones that end up taking a lot of time to install.

The new motor mount provides attachment points for the nose support bracket for the supercharger. To install the mount, the exhaust manifold (header) must be removed.

New plumbing is required for the charcoal canister, because it is relocated to the right rear fender area. This allows the alternator to be swung forward on its lower mount to make room for the supercharger drive. As mentioned in previous posts, the gas tank must be dropped to install the new charcoal canister line.

I did the installation with the clam in place. Removing the clam would make removing the exhaust manifold significantly easier, but the rest of installation wouldn't be all the different in terms of difficulty. Overall, I don't think removing the clam would be worth the trouble.

I did all of the work by myself, except that I did recruit a friend to help place the supercharger on the engine. It is heavy enough and awkward enough that I didn't want to risk damaging something by trying to mount it myself. Overall I would not say that the installation was difficult, but it did take time and there were a few difficult to reach fasteners here and there.

Once everything was back together the car started right up and if anything the car has be idling and running more smoothly then ever. (Part of this might be related to the fact that I cleaned the throttle body while I had it out.)

It terms of power, there is more torque everywhere. Below 4000 rpm the improvement is very noticeable, but I wouldn't call it spectacular. Above 4000 rpm when the cam switchover happens there is a lot more power than stock. Basically the car pulls harder at 4200 rpm than it did at 6500 rpm before the supercharger. You feel the torque build from 4200 to 5000 and the car keeps pulling all the way to 8000.

In my car which is a base model (no touring package) the supercharger whine is very apparent, bordering on loud, when you start to get on the gas. When just cruising you don't hear it at all. When the car is just above idle, like when creeping though a parking lot there is slight low pitched whistle (which I think sounds kind of cool).

Tip-in throttle response seems as good or better than ever (whether blipping the throttle at idle or for downshifts). Cruising of the freeway seems more effortless before, there is enough passing power it sixth now that you don't feel like you have to downshift all the time.

I haven't gotten to drive the car as much as I would like this week. I did a brief test drive on Monday night after I got it running, and have driven it to work a couple of times now. I'm hoping to head out to the backroads this weekend and give the car a real test.

[Green Rat]

Mike,

Congrats! I was going to PM you to see how you were making out. I'm glad the install went so well for you.

Originally Posted by m_beale1

Once everything was back together the car started right up and if anything the car has be idling and running more smoothly then ever. (Part of this might be related to the fact that I cleaned the throttle body while I had it out.)

The same goes for my car. It has never felt more smooth, especially at idle. I'm not sure if its the new injectors, the new ECU or a combination of the two. As I didn't do the install myself I can't comment on whether or not my throttle body was cleaned at the time.

Have fun on the twisties this weekend!

Peace,

[m_beale1]

I had my car dynoed before the supercharger installation and this morning we ran it again with the supercharger (Except for the supercharger, everything is stock). These are the results:



At 3200 RPM the car now has more torque than the max torque it made when it was NA, and from 4200 RPM up, the just is no comparison between the amount of torque it has now vs before.

[Green Rat]

Originally Posted by m_beale1

At 3200 RPM the car now has more torque than the max torque it made when it was NA, and from 4200 RPM up, the just is no comparison between the amount of torque it has now vs before.

Thanks for giving us some hard numbers, Mike. It's nice to know that my "seat of my pants" impression is pretty darn close to the dyno readings. It's also nice to have some hard before and after numbers to know exactly how much improvement the kit is over stock. Wish I would have thought of it.
Thanks again,

[cutters68]

Just got mine back today from FVMC in Chicago. Drove it for a short time before heading back to work. I am impressed with the difference. The new Stage II Oval tip exhaust sounds so much better. Love the mid range torque. Can't wait to get more seat time with it. Such a different car now. Will post more later.

[mhouston23]

So you did it, congrats!

Originally Posted by cutters68

Just got mine back today from FVMC in Chicago. Drove it for a short time before heading back to work. I am impressed with the difference. The new Stage II Oval tip exhaust sounds so much better. Love the mid range torque. Can't wait to get more seat time with it. Such a different car now. Will post more later.

[twaszak1]

John i am glad you finally got it back and had some seat time. Hope you like it, i look forward to getting an e-mail from you with your full impressions, good or bad please give me some feedback when you feel you have experienced all the new goodies!!

thanks,
T.J.

[chris heath]

Well i hope you all are happy with yourselves. Because of this thread i will be getting divorced...again. lol I must have this and i know the wife will kick me out if i spend $6000, but i dont care. This sounds great. I love the OEM factor of it. Time to start saving the pennies. for the kit and a new place to live. Thank you for all the information.

[09EliseMW]

well i surely hope you didnt get divcored over this.

luckily for me, im single and dont have to worry about moving out. i think ill get this factory sc kit from durham the following week.

how long did the install take? and they had to order the kit and wait for it to come it right? i doubt dealers stock these items in their facilities.

[Green Rat]

Originally Posted by 09EliseMW

well i surely hope you didnt get divcored over this.

luckily for me, im single and dont have to worry about moving out. i think ill get this factory sc kit from durham the following week.

how long did the install take? and they had to order the kit and wait for it to come it right? i doubt dealers stock these items in their facilities.

It took 3.5 days for the install, but I was the first one to have it done at my dealer. If the shop has done a few and they aren't too busy with other projects I would think 2-3 days. Symbolic was keeping one '05 and '06 kit in stock initially but I don't know of they still are or whether other dealers are doing the same. Lotus of Durham should be able to give you the specifics. Let us know how you like it when you get it back.

Peace,

[The_Drakes_Den]

Originally Posted by 09EliseMW

well i surely hope you didnt get divcored over this.

luckily for me, im single and dont have to worry about moving out. i think ill get this factory sc kit from durham the following week.

how long did the install take? and they had to order the kit and wait for it to come it right? i doubt dealers stock these items in their facilities.

Docjay was the first one to have his installed at Lotus of Durham. Just got Factory Supercharged car back...

Good luck. I think I'm going to wait for the warranty to expire and then go with the VF. It is hard to be patient though.

[09EliseMW]

i want to get the VF kit but the whole warranty issue and i just bought my car. i dont think i can wait 3 years. such a long ways away from now.

one question though. will the 06 factory kit work on the 09 elise? i dont know if anythings changed between 06' and 09' mechanically or not. i just want to be sure that i wont be running into any issues when they go to install the kit.

[The_Drakes_Den]

Originally Posted by 09EliseMW

i want to get the VF kit but the whole warranty issue and i just bought my car. i dont think i can wait 3 years. such a long ways away from now.

one question though. will the 06 factory kit work on the 09 elise? i dont know if anythings changed between 06' and 09' mechanically or not. i just want to be sure that i wont be running into any issues when they go to install the kit.

I understand. I have less than 2 years on my warranty. I think you'll be fine using the factory kit. I don't believe there is any difference in the engine, but I'm no expert. Even if there is, the dealership won't install the wrong SC kit on an 09'. At least I would hope not.

I've seen you post early on about the engines being bullet proof, but there have been some cam failures Code 1302 & 1301 years and miles. How widespread it is, who knows? I read one theory that suggested the oil temperature wasn't high enough before getting on the second cam. Since we don't have oil temperature gauges in our cars (just water temperature) their recommendation was to let the water temperature get into the 180's before hitting it. The good news is I don't believe anyone with an 07' or later has yet to report cam failure. I have an 07' but I haven't had the valve covers removed yet. I probably will at the next service which will be around 15,000 miles for me.

You'll have to tell us what you think of the factory SC and if you think it is worth the money, since WE don't live in California.

[TimMullen]

For anyone that has had the kit installed...

Part of the install is to pull out one of the pin/connectors in the fuse block and replace the wiring with any new one. The kit is supposed to come with a tool and instructions for doing this. I have removed the wires from fuse block on many other cars, but was unable to easily figure out how to do it on my Elise, so... For anyone that has had this done or even better has the instructions on hoe to remove/replace the wiring, how is it done? Detailed instructions would be greatly appreciated (I need to do this for another project).

[09EliseMW]

so i pulled the trigger on the kit today.

billy, the lotus tech in durham, is going on vacation next week so i wont be able to get it installed till the 12th. =( oh well. i can wait a week. im so excited.

its nice knowing that everything will still be covered under warranty and i get the performance of the elise sc, maybe a little better? the dyno graph above seems to make more tq then what is advertised for the elise sc. maybe they do something to get that extra boost of power? i dont know. i am definately looking forward this supercharger. ill let you all know how it goes in about 2 weeks.

[09EliseMW]

dropped the car off at the hosipital (durham) for surgery. im excited. ill tell you all how it goes by the end of next week, hopefully. =).

[vincesf]

Could those who have had installed the Lotus SC kit on their Lotus PM me, so that we can talk?

Thanks,
vincesf

[vincesf]

Okay, today I drove a car with the Lotus Supercharger kit installed and stage 2 exhaust. Let me just simply say that I am sold. I appreciate all the members who wrote back to me, and I must say that there is no substitute for trying it first hand. Hopefully I will have it installed in November.

Thanks,
vincesf

[09EliseMW]

Let's us know when you get it. And tell us your experiance.

My car is done with the install. The dealer wants to test drive it first and make sure everything is good to go but it was raining all day today and suppose to rain again all day tomorrow. They say everything works. It starts up. Idles fine and everything else. Just haven't had the chance of a test drive. what do I do? Trust them and pick up the car tomorrow or wait it out till the rain stops and possibly not get my car back till Friday or even Saturday?

I miss her so much! I don't think I can wait much longer.