Vision Function Supercharger Install Thread

[LordZ]

Ah. The bearings slide through the manifold, I don't really think they hold the sc any direction other than up and down.

In my setup the sc is touching the im bracket and the bracket is limiting the sc from going any further towards the passenger side of the car. There is a very slight space between my sc nose bracket and the sc itself. But mine doesn't rub either so I guess it's all good.

All in all I don't like the design because there is nothing stopping the sc from moving towards the driver side other than the sc nose bracket which just clamps around the nose. The bearings slide completely through the im ears if there is enough force, the bolt and washer isn't large enough to stop the movement.

I can take a pic of mine tonight if you want. The clam is up and everything is exposed, so it's no trouble.

[Westrock]

Haha....[pause].....ya I recommend this kit

Its not for the beginners, but if you've got some previous experience with this type of stuff and have a good selection of tools (and dremel accesories), then I say go for it. It is wild. Its a more complicated kit then BWR or Katana and as such the install is going to be more complicated (more parts to match up).

I have not put in the fuel pump yet so I'm not even going about 5-6K and I'm only going about 60% throttle and I feel it already out accellerates an NA Exige. The magic word is always just "accellerate", downshift no longer required. In fact, in daily driving, I dont think I would ever need to go past 6K RPM anymore....even passing in 6th gear is as easy as just giving it some gas.

And the supercharger whine is extremely noticable. Which is what I wanted in a sick car guy kind of way.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Now back on track. I tried it with the pulley turned around and once I got it tightened down it did start to grind again. So I took a 2.5mm thick washer and ground out the inside to match the shape of the pulley (had to notch the inside) and used that as a spacer and the pulley lined up with the other pullies just lovely. Tightened her up, could still hand spin and put everything on. Car started up real nice and didnt sound like hell. And I didnt get a burning smell this time.


Those 2 tie rods also limit the movement of the supercharger. They wont help much in sheering forces, but they will stop movement in compression and suspension directions.

[antinym]

yeah, sounds like you had the pulley backwards.
My setup sound to have the same issue as LordZ's. There is that brace with the heim joints that keep the SC from moving towards the drivers side, though.

[Westrock]

Oh just to make sure, you guys do have like a slight "tumbeling" sound from the supercharger at idle.....like the sound you hear when you just spin freely but just louder. Not overly loud but noticable at idle. Its hard to explain, I want to say like rocks in a can being rolled, but not that harsh, more like the steady state sound of a wet grinder.

[fpitas]

Originally Posted by Westrock

Oh just to make sure, you guys do have like a slight "tumbeling" sound from the supercharger at idle.....like the sound you hear when you just spin freely but just louder. Not overly loud but noticable at idle. Its hard to explain, I want to say like rocks in a can being rolled, but not that harsh, more like the steady state sound of a wet grinder.

I do now. I guess the airbox muffled it before, when it was just the Katana. And now the supercharger screams at WOT.

[stinkyonion]

Finished the Manly engine mounts today. Worked on the supercharger after that. Got the manifold on in about 2 hours (damn that middle bolt) just to find that it is hitting the VVT casing and needs to be removed and ground. As long as Im removing it will buy some studs because the allen wrench bolts are crap, you just cant get an allen wrench into those manifold recesses.

Also, measured the dipstick. My VF dipstick is 1" SHORTER than stock, with an obvious weld where they took a section out of the middle of the tube. Its okay though, I will just make sure oil is an inch higher than the marks.

Couldnt figure out how to run the PCV hose, in the end I put it over the radiator hose instead of under it like they did in the instructions. Also had to mount the dipstick before attaching the PCV hose (reverse of the instructions).

At least the pulley lined up perfectly when I was done.

So far 18 hours invested but 1/2 SC installed, 3/4 clam hinge installed, 100% engine mount replacement, 100% gas pump upgrade, 100% HID headlights, new exhaust, 0% RTC brace and 0% sector111 stickshift stabilizer kit. Im gonna let FVMC do the new clutch. All I have ever done before on a car is change the oil once in college and swore I would never do it again.

[Westrock]

For the middle bolt I ended up using one of the original intake manifold bolts and cut off the captive washer. That gave me a bolt with a head small enough to get a wrench in there and it didnt hit the intake runner right next to it.

The PCV did take some thinking. Its not only big, but it is stubborn. I ended up not having to remove that bypass loop, but I did have to move it around.

Still loving it....the car is seriously fast now. And Charlie's ECU seems to be running perfect. Car does use alot more gas now

[stinkyonion]

When I install the manifold the second time around should I put Loctite on the bolts? Ive been putting the red stuff pretty much everywhere but a car friend said it was unnecessary here.

Also, any update as to when a ECU upgrade to reduce stalls may be available ? I still have time to mail it back again (doh).

[antinym]

I found my gas mileage in the city didn't go down at all.. (except for the first two tanks, but that was expected) My highway mpg went from 28 to 25 though. Still damn good for this kind of performance.

I didn't loctite anything except the motormounts.

[Viggen]

why is 25mpg good with this kind of performance? I would of thought these cars should get mid 30's in the mpg area since it's such a small car & small engine? Or are supercharges just not nearly as effecient as a turbo?

[LordZ]

I've never had mid 35's. Even when NA...

[Westrock]

Originally Posted by stinkyonion

When I install the manifold the second time around should I put Loctite on the bolts? Ive been putting the red stuff pretty much everywhere but a car friend said it was unnecessary here.

Also, any update as to when a ECU upgrade to reduce stalls may be available ? I still have time to mail it back again (doh).

Loctite red is usually overkill for shade tree mechanic stuff, plus it can actually be a problem down the road if it bonds too hard. I just use Loctite Blue. While you dont really need it, Loctite allows you to be a little more sloppy with your torque settings and stuff. You can just tighten it using your hand as a torque guage the Loctite will keep it in place. It generally depends on the application, but the manifold is a good place to use, since you've got some weight hanging on those threads, and backing out can cause hard to diagnose vacuum problems.


I've got 200 miles so far and the ECU has been great. But of course thats not too long. The car does idle a little higher, like around 1000-1200, so I dont know if that was one way to help with stalling. And its not a wandering 1000-1200, its a spot on idle.

[antinym]

you can probably tune the car to get 35-45 MPG. The Tata Nano gets 60mpg and is 1900 lbs. it also has 35 hp and does 0-60 in 17 seconds, top speed 65.

Why buy a $30-70k car and worry about saving $300 a year on gas? oh yeah, this has nothing to do with a VF supercharger install.

[ZAMMY1]

NA fuel mileage in my elise's lifetime is 31.17724 mpg.
i drive (mostly) like a 75 YO fart. (which i am)
if you want mileage, buy an echo. (which i have)
my corolla XRS gets just about the same mileage but doesn't get the smiles per gallon. (same powertrain)
sam

[Viggen]

I'm just saying.... I would of thought 30+mpg would of been what these cars get. Yea, it's definantly a car that people do not really worry about MPG but it does use a toyota engine (a small torque-less one at that) so I thought it would of been better.

I definantly will not buy a echo or any other econobox I get 32-34mpg highway & have over 265wtq (soon to be 300+wtq) in a 2950lb car. But dam FWD SUCKS at a track.... hopefully 18 months & an exige S will be in my garage

[ZAMMY1]

we're hoping you get one, too.
they're great!
sam

[fpitas]

Originally Posted by Westrock

Loctite red is usually overkill for shade tree mechanic stuff, plus it can actually be a problem down the road if it bonds too hard. I just use Loctite Blue. While you dont really need it, Loctite allows you to be a little more sloppy with your torque settings and stuff. You can just tighten it using your hand as a torque guage the Loctite will keep it in place. It generally depends on the application, but the manifold is a good place to use, since you've got some weight hanging on those threads, and backing out can cause hard to diagnose vacuum problems.


I've got 200 miles so far and the ECU has been great. But of course thats not too long. The car does idle a little higher, like around 1000-1200, so I dont know if that was one way to help with stalling. And its not a wandering 1000-1200, its a spot on idle.

Mine idles about there, too. I also guessed that's part of the fix for the stalling.

[Viggen]

Originally Posted by ZAMMY1

we're hoping you get one, too.
they're great!
sam

sucks taking a 5dr family hauler to the local roadcoarse .... UNDERSTEER BABY

divorces suck!!!

[stinkyonion]

I got those moronic allen wrench bolts out of the intake manifold with locking pliers, then ground the the intake manifold to make clearancefor the VVT thingy. Then, had 20 minutes before ACE hardware closed to buy some hex bolts for the intake manifold. Found there last 5 at $1.10 each, and NO WALLET. I dug up enough prehistoric change with hair and coke syrup and crumbs stuck to it so they gave them to me anyway (short like 50 cents). Now I get to put it all back together...

[Westrock]

haha, enjoy!