Oz-ATL

And the TPC supercharger with custom intercooler and SC intake mods.

Juha G

Thanks for the info!

I will see if I can keep the IATs in check with the current setup first (TPC cooler and pump).
I will install a temperature sensor in the cooling water circuit and connect it to the Motec so I can log the temperature of the coolant going into the heat exchanger.
This way I can define if a larger coolant pump or a bigger cooler up front would help.

haygeebaby

If I could go back to when I began my project I would have made certain that I had the bigger water pump installed. Taking the charge cooler system apart and draining the fluid is a pain in the ****. Especially the location in which the unit is installed in the engine bay. The bigger water pump is cheap, pumps more water throught the system, and you will probably end up going to the large pump sooner or later.

Another thing I would have done was to install the 2.4" pulley instead of fitting the 2.6" unit. Getting the 2.6" unit off is also a pain in the ****.

I would have also installed the meth kit during installation of the TPC unit, as it is a pain in the **** taking the heat exchange apart and getting the meth injector nozzle installed. It is also easier to snake the electrical cables around when there is space in the engine bay.

I would also grind some of the fan housing away as well. You will probably see that the pulley wheel will be very close or making contact - like mine did before I took a chunk out of the fan housing.

Re-route the spark plug cables. I took the brackets off and just snaked the cables around the intake manifold. I changed my spark plug cables after I did the TPC install. If I could go back I would have changed the cables when I did the install of the intake manifold unit. A real PITA to do afterwards.

I installed a 4.5psi FPR. This is easy to do afterwards. Don't know if you will need to do this. But if you decide to go adjustable FPR - install it now at the beggining. There is no room for doing it after the install. You will probably have to take the manfold off to install it later.

You will find that the frame for the coils will make contact with the rear metal of the chasis. I took a grinder and took the right angle off the coil frame so it does not make contact.

If you have the stock engine lid - do not close the engine lid once you have the SC unit installed. It will make contact with the engine lid. You have to cut the sheet metal to make things fit. TPC instructions do not mention this and a lot of other things. But I think you have a fixed spoiler so it should fit fine.

Don't waste time and just use a rattle gun to get the engine crank pulley off.

If your timing chain covers are leaking - now is a good time to change the timing chain cover gaskets and the screws. I had my gaskets sitting for ages in the garage and when I did the TPC install it was the perfect time to kill two birds with one stone.

Fabricate a cold air box as mentioned by Mark MPB993. Do it after install. Tedious to do but should provide good cooling.

If you are using the stock throttle body then you may notice that it is difficult to attached the TB to the SC unit becuase the TB sensor is in the way. I took the small black TB sensor off, installed the TB, and then screwed the sensor back on.

The modification to the throttle cable is confusing. You get this L shaped piece of metal and its hard to figure out how to mount it. Not very good instructions. Let us know how you go with that and the gang can try to talk you through if you cant figure it out. Same with the connection of the oil pipes and other pipes.

Apply some oil to the top engine cover bolts that the manifold brackets will be tighed to. I got one off with ease but the other bolt snapped a head.

Juha G

Thanks for the advice, really really appreciated!!

So purchase list continues:

Bigger injectors - Done 550cc Bosch EV14
Larger throttle valve 70-75mm
Adjustable Fuel pressure regulator
2.4" pulley
New spark plugs
New plug wiring
Nozzle for meth injection + 2m of hose (to be coiled and plugged until I install a kit)
Bigger capacity coolant pump
Valve cover gaskets and screws

I have a 3.8RS tail so shouldn't have much fitment issues:

haygeebaby

2m of hose for meth kit was not long enough for my install. I had to purchase more and I believe I got 5 meters and had about 30cm left over. I ran the line from the front engine trunk, down the left wheel well, along the AC hoses, and back up into the engine.

Also, we have 3 oil lines - you get 1 small filter with the kit. I bought another one for the other oil pipe line. Otherwise you will run the line back into the plastic elbow of the air intake. If you don't do this and do what I did - terminate the two small oil lines with small air filters, then you will need a metal plug to cover that hole on the intake elbow.

Where will you be installing your meth nozzle Juha? Pre TB or after chargecooler?

Another thing - that dome lid made out of fibre glass for the top of the fan housing - it doesn't fit too well. Try your best but there will be gaps.

Juha G

I will not use the stock throttle body but will purchase a 70 - 75mm TB instead.
I happen to have good access to aluminum materials and skillfull welders so I can fab my own intake piping (from air filter to SC).

haygeebaby

Yeah - that 70-75mm TB will give you more PSI than what we stock TB guys have - as you have mentioned with the restriction. 2.6" pulley should make around 10psi I hear. So if that is the case then no need to run the 2.4" unit.

It will be interesting to see the power output of your build. Every time someone does this project it gets even better.

Juha G

What do you mean with the oil lines? The smog pump re-location?

The meth nozzle (in my opinion) should be located after the chargecooler to get best effect out of both (chargecooling and meth cooling).
Or, between the SC and the chargecooler, depending on the effieciency of the charge cooling system...
I think proper sensoring&data logging (+ time) will tell us what the optimum placement is.
But definately not before the SC as that is where the heat is generated.

Ok, so definately not a good idea to use the smaller pulley. I think 10psi is absolutely maximum. That is already pushing it with the high cr...

trophy

The larger TB will not increase the PSI of the system, if anything it will reduce the PSI...

Think of a garden hose, reduce the aperture the pressure increases, (harder spray), increase it and the volume goes up but pressure goes down.

Juha G

Not entirely correct.
In your garden hose example you are increasing the pressure between the pump and the outlet, but after the restriction the pressure drops back again. So you are not increasing the overall pressure at all.

In this TPC setup, the TB is before the supercharger so it restricts the air flowing into the SC. And when restricted, the SC has to do more work to suck the same amount of air in.
If the TB was on the pressure side of the SC, then the size of the throttle valve would not make that big of a difference.
i.e. reducing flow area on the pressure side will cause a little pressure drop but the speed of the flow will increase. (and vice versa).

trophy

Ah, didn't realize the TB is on the low pressure side... The bigger TB will help with the efficiency of the SC, I would be interested in seeing exactly how the boost would be effected.....

Keep the updates coming.

Juha G

One other thing to keep in mind is that the TB is actually a butterfly valve and the problem with butterfly valves is that valve angle vs. flow area is not linear. In the beginning you get a lot of opening with very little valve angle. With a bigger throttle body partial throttle mapping gets trickier. (car is harder to drive smoothly).

I think the 70mm TB might be a good compromise...

Juha G

Today I modified to cooler and after that it fit perfectly. I was even able to use the old bracket. Now I will just need to install some cell foam insulation (armaflex) around the perimeter and on the bottom of the cooler to make sure there is no metal to metal contact and to make the perimeter air tight to guarantee optimal air flow trough the cooler.
The best part about installing the cooler like this is that I will be able to properly get the air out of there. I can't understand how it is done if the cooler is installed upside down like on the TPC instructions...?

I also routed the hoses to the back of the car. Next step is to pull them up into the engine bay and start taking apart the original intake system.

I installed one of my track wheels (9x18" with 245 wide Hoosier on it) to make sure the tire does not get too close to the hoses (it didn't).
I will secure the hoses with some proper hose clamps later on.

Some photos (I know, I need to wash the undercarriage...):

Juha G

I received the injectors along with the adapter plugs:



And I also bought a 996 throttle body from Ebay for $100. It has the idle valve integrated on it and comes with the original position sensor. The diameter is 74mm which is a big improvement over the non-vr 65mm valve...



Tomorrow I will start taking apart the intake etc.

Juha G

Ok, started tearing into the engine bay. Removed the airfilter box, heating system and ducting, a gazillion vacuum hoses, some electrical connectors. Then loosened the cruise control and throttle cables and last the VR intake. Dear god that's one heavy son of a b*tch!!

It took me about 2hrs total to remove everything and label the hoses and wires.
I'd imagine it would take me triple time to get everything back, if I had to. There is really no room in there.

I think I am at line two on first page in the 5 page TPC instruction manual. They make it sound so easy...just couple of words and for me it means several hours of work...lol!

Tomorrow I will do a little cleaning up and then off comes the injectors and in goes the new 550cc state of the art Bosch EV14 injectors.

pics or it didn't happen: