ESS Supercharger DIY Installation
#52
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#53
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Thanks! This is the first modification to the car, even the air cleaners were factory prior to the supercharger. All I can get in AZ is 91 octane gas so I am running the low boost pulley and the tune from ESS is for that setup. EES says it should still be over 550 HP and maybe 570 with that setup. The bearings for the main roller of the ESS dyno went out so they have it apart and won't be able to test the car until it gets repaired. Another shop a few miles away has a similar dyno so I might check them out for my "after" testing. Tomorrow it will have the 200 miles so will be able to get on it to see how it feels. The local tracks are closed because of heat so won't be able to see how the 1/4 mile times are until things cool down again in Phoenix.
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cls55 (06-28-2018)
#54
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The factory PVC after removing the hose
ESC catch can
Inside filter and dip stick for can
PVC and hose before mounting SC
PVC hose on supercharger
I had to use my engine hoist to install the SC as my old back just wasn't strong enough
Finally settled in place! Now I can hook of the wiring and hoses and put things back together before I remove the front bumper to install the intercooler radiator
Made some good progress yesterday and got the unit on the engine! Took me some extra time to figure out where to put the catch can. Will place it on the right side next to the new coolant tank. I purchase an ESC can that appears to be very high quality and similar to the Weistec. I used 3/4 ID hose as that is the closest fit to our PCV valve fittings. I am working on it again today so will have more pictures.
!
Im really struggling to find a catch can with fittings that large, because I dont want to have adapters etc to make others fit >.<
Thank you!
#55
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The hoses for the catch can are 3/4" ID. That is the closest fit to go on the factory PCV valve. I ordered the 3/4" fittings for the Catch Can from ECS. The can did not come with fittings. I also ordered the mounting brackets for the can from ECS. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out where to mount the catch can and was almost ready to give up when I found the area next to the new intercooler tank. I wanted a spot with enough room to unscrew the bottom of the can without removing the whole can mount. What I really like about this can is the dip stick so you don't have to keep unscrewing the bottom of the can to see how much is in there. You can just unscrew the dip stick and check it out! All the fittings have O-rings so no leaks!
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Honro (06-28-2018)
#56
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Well, I did some higher revs today and then got into the throttle and for the first time I can say that I now have a car that can scare me on the street. Letting it go on a freeway entrance ramp with no traffic was an experience I have only felt in my friends 599 Ferrari. But I guess the power to weight ratio is now about the same as the Ferrari. I am very thankful that if driven "normally" in traffic it is unchanged from its pre-supercharger days or it would really be a handful and not very pleasant. When it cools down in Phoenix I am sure it will be a blast on the track for 1/4 mile runs and I will get it dyno tested as soon as ESS gets theirs fixed or the other shop can accommodate me. I will definitely post updates when I get those numbers. But otherwise the DIY installation of the SC and the Catch Can were both a success!
#57
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Wow, that's really impressive! I wonder how long you'll be satisfied with this current level of power before the thirst for even more hits. Can't wait to see the dyno numbers!!
#59
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you posted the threads of the intake spacers and the flex fuel kits. I would think that a good catch can setup would have at least as many, if not more people interested. Just make a thread for them!
#61
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#62
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Driving update!
For the first time I can say that I would not want more power in a car I drive on the street. I was able to put some miles on the car today and the torque and acceleration is phenomenal. You would never know it by driving normally but when you dip deeply into the throttle at any rpm the surge of torque and speed is amazing. I have never been on a road racing track so maybe you could tell if you added another 50 hp but for the street I don't think any additional power would ever be noticed or usable. The rest of my car is bone stock, so it appears to me that if you want to do one definitive modification for the street and occasional strip use, you should consider adding a supercharger. It basically involves just replacing the intake manifold and doesn't modify the exhaust system. It also has not changed the way the car drives or sounds when your are driving normally in traffic. Also as a side note the gas mileage seems to be the same, but I am more concerned now with the smiles per gallon than miles per gallon. It was still 109 degrees today but I am going to do the final dyno testing as soon as it cools off a little, and I will do some 1/4 mile runs when the local track is back open in mid September. I will post these objective numbers as soon as I can do the testing! I want to thank everyone for their encouragement and comments!
For the first time I can say that I would not want more power in a car I drive on the street. I was able to put some miles on the car today and the torque and acceleration is phenomenal. You would never know it by driving normally but when you dip deeply into the throttle at any rpm the surge of torque and speed is amazing. I have never been on a road racing track so maybe you could tell if you added another 50 hp but for the street I don't think any additional power would ever be noticed or usable. The rest of my car is bone stock, so it appears to me that if you want to do one definitive modification for the street and occasional strip use, you should consider adding a supercharger. It basically involves just replacing the intake manifold and doesn't modify the exhaust system. It also has not changed the way the car drives or sounds when your are driving normally in traffic. Also as a side note the gas mileage seems to be the same, but I am more concerned now with the smiles per gallon than miles per gallon. It was still 109 degrees today but I am going to do the final dyno testing as soon as it cools off a little, and I will do some 1/4 mile runs when the local track is back open in mid September. I will post these objective numbers as soon as I can do the testing! I want to thank everyone for their encouragement and comments!
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Homer Oz (12-26-2020)
#65
Congrats mate
#66
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Just wanted to post an update. Car is still running strong with no issues! I made an appointment for a dyno test on Friday with the same machine and operator as my pre SC test so I can’t wait to see what the gain will be with the gen 3 blower, low boost pulley and 91 octane fuel for an otherwise factory stock car. Will post the results when available!
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CyanideRide (08-28-2018)
#67
Another car made 391rwkW on 98ron with the ESS supercharger install up from 255kW stock. This is only the supercharger with 6psi pulley, factory injectors, factory headers, factory exhaust. Been on the car for 3 months without any problems whatsoever, drive-ability of the car is better as it is pokier, but feels slightly heavier up front.
#68
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Post Dyno Testing
I did my dyno test today and unfortunately the dyno wasn't working properly and kept loosing the spark sensor for the RPM so the X axis is shown in MPH. It also got hot again in Phoenix and was 102 degrees today while testing. I was going to skip posting the results because of the poor quality but decided to post it as it may be a couple of weeks before I will have time to get it re-tested when the machine is working properly and hopefully it is a little cooler in AZ! The large fat torque curve sure confirms the way it feels while driving! It pulls like a large diesel right off idle.
As a reminder my car is completely stock other than the supercharger. It is running 91 octane fuel and I installed the low boost pulley on the supercharger. I will repost the original test so you won't have to scroll back and forth.
Pre Supercharger
Poor quality Post Supercharger test
As a reminder my car is completely stock other than the supercharger. It is running 91 octane fuel and I installed the low boost pulley on the supercharger. I will repost the original test so you won't have to scroll back and forth.
Pre Supercharger
Poor quality Post Supercharger test
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CyanideRide (09-02-2018),
Homer Oz (12-26-2020)
#69
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Pre and Post Supercharger HP
I got a better quality graph of the pre and post supercharger horsepower but couldn't get the supercharger torque on the graph. I am going to stop by ESS next week and see what they think of the graph. They thought it should be about 550 wheel HP and their test car graph doesn't flatten out before redline. I am still very impressed with the new power and the great drivability and no CELs!
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Homer Oz (12-26-2020)
#70
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Final Dyno Run at ESS
I finally got my car over to ESS after they got their dyno repaired and it cooled off in AZ. Again, my car is 100% stock other than the supercharger, and I installed the low power pulley and burn 91 octane fuel. As you can see the torque is incredible and is over 400# right from above idle. That is most likely why it is now so incredible to drive! The interesting finding was the max HP which was lower than EES expected. The HP essentially flatten out after about 6000 RPM. They developed the SC on a 2009 test car that was a European model and the only differences should be the ROW air boxes and 2009 had different cats. I will post their 2009 dyno for comparison and you can see at lower RPMs my 2012 which is a Gen 3 Whipple seems better but at over 6000 RPMs the 2009 takes over. So the question is which is choking out the 2012 at high RPMs, the air boxes, the different 2012 cats, or both?? For the last dyno run we lifted the lids on my air boxes and it made zero difference on the dyno result.
Oh well, I will never use the performance over 6000 rpms except for an occasional run at the drag strip, and the car now runs so great and is so powerful I will most likely not spend the money or effort to see where my last 40 hp is hiding over 6000 rpms, but EES is sure curious and will re-dyno my car if I make any changes. My guess is that the Cats are the main offenders but I don't want to make the car any louder than it is now and also that is the much more expensive route to go.
I want to thank everyone for your help and comments during my installation project, and feel free to ask me any questions as I am more than willing to help others who may be doing their own installation
Jim
My 2012 with low boost pulley and 91 octane
EES 2009 Euro spec with low boost pulley and 91 octane
Oh well, I will never use the performance over 6000 rpms except for an occasional run at the drag strip, and the car now runs so great and is so powerful I will most likely not spend the money or effort to see where my last 40 hp is hiding over 6000 rpms, but EES is sure curious and will re-dyno my car if I make any changes. My guess is that the Cats are the main offenders but I don't want to make the car any louder than it is now and also that is the much more expensive route to go.
I want to thank everyone for your help and comments during my installation project, and feel free to ask me any questions as I am more than willing to help others who may be doing their own installation
Jim
My 2012 with low boost pulley and 91 octane
EES 2009 Euro spec with low boost pulley and 91 octane
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Homer Oz (12-26-2020)
#71
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2012 P31 C63 Coupe Trackrat, 2019 GLE63S Coupe Beast
“Lifted lids”? Please tell me that this is definitive proof that so-called “airbox spacers” don’t work so we can put that farce to rest.
Nice results. I wouldn’t sweat the difference. Different car, different day, different conditions, different dyno operator, different gas, different whatever. Take that hp to the bank.
Well..... looking at it again, your AFR curve starts out nice but is creeping lean towards the end of the run. Maybe new injectors if yours have a lot of miles on them.
Nice results. I wouldn’t sweat the difference. Different car, different day, different conditions, different dyno operator, different gas, different whatever. Take that hp to the bank.
Well..... looking at it again, your AFR curve starts out nice but is creeping lean towards the end of the run. Maybe new injectors if yours have a lot of miles on them.
Last edited by BLKROKT; 10-27-2018 at 02:29 PM.
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SaidAA (09-20-2021)
#72
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Thank you for your comments. I am not sure what the spacers do but AJ (who does all the software development and testing for ESS) was really surprised at the difference between the 2012 and the 2009 and thought maybe there might be an intake restriction so we unbolted the top of each box and lifted them up and did a dyno pull within 10 minutes of the previous one. The were exactly the same! My car has the new 550 cc injectors that come with the kit. AJ said he thought the AFR was perfect and that he likes to see it be a gentle curve that is the inverse of the torque curve and ends about 12. I am not familiar with what the AFRs should be but he actually commented on the AFR when he was analyzing the dyno graph.
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Bookham16 (03-29-2022)
#74
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Had some good news today...I had to take the car in for the AZ emissions testing and it passed inspection with no problems!! AZ tests most cars every 2 years by using the OBD plug and reading the computer looking for readiness and any error codes. I was very pleased that there were no issues as I have read about people not being able to register their cars and needing to return everything to stock to pass emissions. I haven't had the car over to the local drag strip but should in the next month or so. Still running great!
Jim
Jim
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SuckaGDog (11-27-2018)
#75
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Had some good news today...I had to take the car in for the AZ emissions testing and it passed inspection with no problems!! AZ tests most cars every 2 years by using the OBD plug and reading the computer looking for readiness and any error codes. I was very pleased that there were no issues as I have read about people not being able to register their cars and needing to return everything to stock to pass emissions. I haven't had the car over to the local drag strip but should in the next month or so. Still running great!
Jim
Jim
I know on the E60 M5 side, the ESS supercharger setup resulted in a few monitors being disabled meaning some couldn’t pass emissions.