Questions and Discussion on Vortech Supercharging Systems

[2forme]

Originally Posted by Adeets

@2forme can you contact gem and find out if he's completed this yet? Have him throw me a PM.

I'm sending out his email address to you now, though make sure you have your gem filter ready. Some things ahead may be exaggerated....

[hamlet]

I know it's not going to make more power, but can this kit be set up with a turbo-style BOV like the HKS SS? Something about that sound makes me smile..

[Dezoris]

Originally Posted by 2forme

I'm sending out his email address to you now, though make sure you have your gem filter ready. Some things ahead may be exaggerated....

Can you forward me his email address too? I have a few questions for him.

[Xero-Limit]

Originally Posted by Adeets

I think I would rather run the pully to utilize e85, and clip the boost progress with an EBC when running E10 then let the car pull the timing to cope with the extra boost being shoved down its throat.

How hard could this be? And the EBC locate it on the inter cooler, so it does fuck with the throttle body flow?
can you contact gem and find out if he's completed this yet? Have him throw me a PM, also while you had your vortech did you try something like this?

You can run a what some have called a "turbo fuse" to vent the extra flow, but you're then compromising efficiency. Simple to rig with a solenoid and we can do it via ECU control.

The way I see it you can do a few things to maximize output and switch with E85. All involve using a smaller pulley to achieve higher boost:

Use higher water/meth flow in combination with reduced timing when using pump gas.

Use lower water/meth flow (or none) with more timing when using E85. No hardware stuff required. As long as you have a sensible pulley size it will manage. But if you're shooting for 20 psi then forget it. This would work for a combo of ~12 psi IMO, give or take a few. Then on pump you run higher meth, retarded timings, and make less hp for a given boost level. Then fill up with E85, turn the meth/h20 down, switch to higher timing/more fuel map and enjoy the full boost.

Boost itself doesn't kill motors, too much power or knock does. A motor pushing 200hp that knocks will generate 10x+ the force on the rod that the 200hp does. A motor pushing 400hp with no knock generates only double the force of that 200hp. We've proved this with the mx-5 running 20 psi on the stock 10.8:1 cast internals for almost 4 years now, and tons of boosted hi compression cast motors doing the same. But 12.5:1 CR, 20 psi, and pump gas--you're approaching diesel like ignition so no amount of fuel or timing retard can do this properly. But if you planned to do 8 psi on pump, 12 psi on E85, this is very easy to manage with fuel/timing.

[Dezoris]

Here are my questions for owners:

1. What problems or issues have you had post install?
2. Did you make any mistakes or should you have done anything different?
3. How do you feel about the performance, anything strange in terms of noises sounds you hear at low RPM and higher RPM?
4. Where do you mount or hide the stainless steel drain line? Nothing in manual about it.

General Questions:

1. Is there a guide to changing SC oil?
2. What are problems or signs of problems to be looking out for?
3. Extra belts is it Gates Model: K060975? What about using Gates Green Stripe Micro-V Belt
4. Manual mentions you can't drive in temps below 25 degrees is that true, never heard that you cant drive it in winter before?

[Marcoscrdo]

Brian can all the questions that were answered be moved to the first page? That way you dont have to answer the same ones, and others can skip pages in the thread. Just thought of it being a little help for you and everyone else. :happy0180:
Unless thats too much work sorry i wont be lazy

[Foobar]

Originally Posted by Dezoris

Here are my questions for owners:

1. What problems or issues have you had post install?
2. Did you make any mistakes or should you have done anything different?
3. How do you feel about the performance, anything strange in terms of noises sounds you hear at low RPM and higher RPM?
4. Where do you mount or hide the stainless steel drain line? Nothing in manual about it.

1. None so far.
2. Only thing I'd do differently would be to use progressively larger drill bits starting from a small one on the bumper support. I went straight to the required drill bit size and ended up not hitting the desired location with precision.
3. Performance is what I expected out of a centrifugal supercharger. I'm planning to put it on the dyno at some point but the butt dyno is pretty happy. At low RPM I can tell the engine isn't struggling as it did stock, at mid RPM to high RPM I can definitely feel the extra pushing back into my seat. It has no sudden onset of boost like you'd see on a turbo - so that could be a pro or a con depending on what your disposition is. No strange noises that I wasn't expecting.
4. I leave the oil drain hose coiled up in place.

Originally Posted by Dezoris

General Questions:

1. Is there a guide to changing SC oil?
2. What are problems or signs of problems to be looking out for?
3. Extra belts is it Gates Model: K060975? What about using Gates Green Stripe Micro-V Belt
4. Manual mentions you can't drive in temps below 25 degrees is that true, never heard that you cant drive it in winter before?

1. I think gmookher and possibly one of the Phastek guys posted about the oil change. The takeaway was that you shouldn't use the full bottle of oil as there is still some left in the unit.
2. Until I get really used to this setup, I'm constantly checking my fittings to make sure everything is still plugged in where it should be, I check that the belt isn't rubbing up against anything, I check that the mounts are still secure, and I pay attention to any engine knock.
3. Haven't looked into a belt replacement yet.
4. I think the <25 degree engine start is targeted more towards the SQ series of Vortech superchargers, at least that's what I'm seeing from other forum discussions, but we should get Brian to weigh in on this one to be sure. In the meantime, a heated garage or block heater would be a great thing to have if your winters see temperatures < 25 degrees and those options are available to you.

[Darryljr11]

Originally Posted by Marcoscrdo

Brian can all the questions that were answered be moved to the first page? That way you dont have to answer the same ones, and others can skip pages in the thread. Just thought of it being a little help for you and everyone else. :happy0180:
Unless thats too much work sorry i wont be lazy

Where'd you come from??? lol Are thinking about getting a SC kit?

[2forme]

Gem blew a seal on his, so I would definitely check for compressor leaks. It's a self contained system and with the shipping plug in, it should be bone dry on the outside.

[OrbitalEllipses]

Originally Posted by 2forme

Gem blew a seal

Or did he just have some vanilla ice cream?

[2forme]

Originally Posted by OrbitalEllipses

Or did he just have some vanilla ice cream?

Well, it was a Perrin seal....

[OrbitalEllipses]

Originally Posted by 2forme

Well, it was a Perrin seal....

OH MY GOD. Almost lost my S%&# while on the phone with a customer. Funny man.

[AZFA20]

Originally Posted by 2forme

Gem blew a seal on his, so I would definitely check for compressor leaks. It's a self contained system and with the shipping plug in, it should be bone dry on the outside.

Are you referring to the seal issue that took place when him and I were on the track a couple months ago?

If so he didn't actually blow a seal. The SCer just burped the over filled fluid out from heat expansion caused by over filling it. He just sent it in to Vortech for verification that was all that happened. They did however replace all the seals as a precautionary measure since it was already there and apart.

[draggin_az]

Originally Posted by Dezoris

Here are my questions for owners:

1. What problems or issues have you had post install?
2. Did you make any mistakes or should you have done anything different?
3. How do you feel about the performance, anything strange in terms of noises sounds you hear at low RPM and higher RPM?
4. Where do you mount or hide the stainless steel drain line? Nothing in manual about it.

General Questions:

1. Is there a guide to changing SC oil?
2. What are problems or signs of problems to be looking out for?
3. Extra belts is it Gates Model: K060975? What about using Gates Green Stripe Micro-V Belt
4. Manual mentions you can't drive in temps below 25 degrees is that true, never heard that you cant drive it in winter before?

1. My oil was over filled and it spewed all over the engine through the vented plug. I drained it until it was the proper level. Since said time I drove it hard and even drove it for 12 hours in 2 days with no issues.
2. see #1
3. Performance is on point. At no time does power "kick in" but rather comes on smoothly through all ranges but you really feel it come on at around 4k rpms. I know I said this before but it now drive how it looks. I have a vibration sound that resonates around 4-5k and I'm almost positive its coming from the air filter door where it "locks down". Theres some play in those 2 lock bolts.
4. Zip tied it to the radiator fan support.

1. Unscrew dip stick and pull out slightly, undo nut at the end of drain hose, place water bottle as far down into the engine bay as possible, place drain hose into bottle, and allow to drain. Place nut back on hose, zip tie off somewhere, according to Jamie (tech at Vortech) fill until the oil is in the middle of the "cross grid" on dip stick, screw dip stick back in, and enjoy.
2. normal mechanical signs
3. idk
4. idk