ESS Supercharger DIY Installation
#76
Senior Member
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
Great to read, Jim. It’s always nice to see a big mod working out so smooth. Those are very good numbers! Also good to see a different project apart from Weistec’s SCs (nothing against them, BTW). Hopefully you’re having a blast. Try it out on the drag race to let us know how are your tires handling this new setup.
Kind regards,
V.
#77
Member
Thread Starter
Emissions Testing
The sheet I got for passing emissions does not tell which monitors were checked and passed. It just says it passed OBD Readiness, MIL status, bulb check, and malfunction status.
#80
I was also curious to know if OP has added any mods after the SC installation?.
Were you able to recalibrate the ECU after mods or does the "can tune" not allow for it?
Were you able to recalibrate the ECU after mods or does the "can tune" not allow for it?
#81
Member
Thread Starter
intercooler I had to replace
I did have a problem about 3 months ago where I noticed white smoke in my exhaust and the intercooler radiator in the supercharger had developed a pinhole leak. This allowed the antifreeze in the SC system to be blown into the engine. It was a small amount so it didn't do any other damage. You can change the small radiator in the SC by removing the top SC lid, and ESS gave me a new radiator that solved the problem. Otherwise I haven't done any other tunes or modifications as it still scares me when I really get on the throttle during street driving. A new grandchild has taken up a lot of time so I never got it over to the local drag strip before the 110 degree weather started in Phoenix. But I can say it never overheats with the SC during street driving and the AC still gets the car cold. The engine temps stay the same as they were prior to the SC.
The following 4 users liked this post by Big Jimbo:
#83
Member
Thread Starter
The supercharger intercooler system has an independent closed cooling system with a bumper mounted radiator and an electric pump circulating the antifreeze. I used a different colored antifreeze for the supercharger system so that if I ever got a leak I could tell if it was from the engine or from the SC. Glad I did that!!
The following users liked this post:
CyanideRide (07-03-2019)
#84
That is a fantastic idea.
#85
Hey Big Jimbo, have there been any other weird issues or niggly bits that you've come across so far?
I'm currently going down this path as well and this thread has been an invaluable source of information.
I'm currently going down this path as well and this thread has been an invaluable source of information.
#86
Member
Thread Starter
No, so far so good. No belt or pulley or other issues. It has finally cooled off in Phoenix so I am going to take it over to the local drag strip when they have their Friday night run what you brung event and will post the results for my before and after supercharger. I am not the best driver and will be running stock tires on 91 octane fuel but hope to knock at least a second off my previous time. I am going to try it on S1 with the traction control off and see if I can avoid too much wheel spin on my launch. I hope to get several runs to try different settings and get the feel for it. Any suggestions from others using superchargers would be helpful!
The following users liked this post:
CyanideRide (09-30-2019)
#87
No, so far so good. No belt or pulley or other issues. It has finally cooled off in Phoenix so I am going to take it over to the local drag strip when they have their Friday night run what you brung event and will post the results for my before and after supercharger. I am not the best driver and will be running stock tires on 91 octane fuel but hope to knock at least a second off my previous time. I am going to try it on S1 with the traction control off and see if I can avoid too much wheel spin on my launch. I hope to get several runs to try different settings and get the feel for it. Any suggestions from others using superchargers would be helpful!
Can I ask you what you did for the return line on the passenger side of the sc coolant radiator?
According to the instructions, you're supposed to use the long steel reinforced tube to return back to (wherever it goes, I can't remember) but there was no way that hose would go in the desired path or any for that matter. My super awesome mechanic decided to go with a high quality heater hose and it worked, no kinks or bends in the line either.
Also, are you running stock plugs?
The following users liked this post:
CyanideRide (10-02-2019)
#89
Member
Thread Starter
Thank you for your response Big Jimbo.
Can I ask you what you did for the return line on the passenger side of the sc coolant radiator?
According to the instructions, you're supposed to use the long steel reinforced tube to return back to (wherever it goes, I can't remember) but there was no way that hose would go in the desired path or any for that matter. My super awesome mechanic decided to go with a high quality heater hose and it worked, no kinks or bends in the line either.
Also, are you running stock plugs?
Can I ask you what you did for the return line on the passenger side of the sc coolant radiator?
According to the instructions, you're supposed to use the long steel reinforced tube to return back to (wherever it goes, I can't remember) but there was no way that hose would go in the desired path or any for that matter. My super awesome mechanic decided to go with a high quality heater hose and it worked, no kinks or bends in the line either.
Also, are you running stock plugs?
The following users liked this post:
CyanideRide (10-04-2019)
#90
Member
Thread Starter
Hose that came with the kit. Is this the one in question?
This is the hose that came with the SC kit.
The following 2 users liked this post by Big Jimbo:
CyanideRide (10-06-2019),
Homer Oz (12-26-2020)
#91
#92
Member
Thread Starter
ESS has two types of hose. The one that came with my kit was very flexible and was easy to run to from the pump to the intercooler. Then when I installed my catch can I got a piece of the same size hose from ESS that was very stiff and would have been very difficult to run to the intercooler. I heated it up with a heat gun and that helped soften it up and it did tend to retain the shape when it cooled down.
The following users liked this post:
CyanideRide (10-08-2019)
#93
I have a catch can coming from Weistec that should take care of the issue, no removable dipstick though but I guess I'll just change it every three fuel ups.
#94
One of the small pulleys broke, contacted ESS they mailed out a new one same day. Belt is super tight to not slip. Would be good if ESS develop a wider belt pulley design.
Otherwise the blower works. Good luck everyone.
Otherwise the blower works. Good luck everyone.
The following users liked this post:
CyanideRide (10-11-2019)
The following users liked this post:
Homer Oz (12-26-2020)
#96
Member
Thread Starter
What broke on the small pulley, the bearing or the pulley itself? I thought the ESS pulleys looked much better than my factory MB pulleys.
#97
Day two driving impressions:
So far so good. No leaks, below 2k rpm, there really is nothing to indicate that there is anything else going on with the car other than a slight rumble and the whirr of the supercharger.
On the Agency Power headers: above 3k RPM, the headers make themselves known. I would estimate 50% louder than stock. I haven't tried WOT yet because the car is scary. Scary fast, scary loud.
I am considering putting HFC behind the headers and installing the secondary cats back in place as it is a catless setup at the moment. Loud and stinky. Cold starts are nuts.
On the ECE motor mounts: there is a slight vibration that travels through the car, not annoying and it goes away above 1k rpm, other than that, the motor mounts are solid.
I also have a weistec catch can and UPD underdrive pulleys (since the factory plastic ones tend to let go when you start making power)
More on this as I drive it.
So far so good. No leaks, below 2k rpm, there really is nothing to indicate that there is anything else going on with the car other than a slight rumble and the whirr of the supercharger.
On the Agency Power headers: above 3k RPM, the headers make themselves known. I would estimate 50% louder than stock. I haven't tried WOT yet because the car is scary. Scary fast, scary loud.
I am considering putting HFC behind the headers and installing the secondary cats back in place as it is a catless setup at the moment. Loud and stinky. Cold starts are nuts.
On the ECE motor mounts: there is a slight vibration that travels through the car, not annoying and it goes away above 1k rpm, other than that, the motor mounts are solid.
I also have a weistec catch can and UPD underdrive pulleys (since the factory plastic ones tend to let go when you start making power)
More on this as I drive it.
The following users liked this post:
G_Money (10-17-2019)
#98
Interesting issue I had the the other day.
Upon starting the car, check engine light.
Now, it had been sitting for about a week (give or take a day) due to cold weather, and it was a particularly loud start. Look down, engine light.
It was a cylinder misfire (which was easily cleared) I wonder if it was a combination of the old gas and sitting around for awhile?.
Someone suggested using 94 oct gas which has an ethanol blend which I am not sure how it would behave with the S/C? My mechanic suggested perhaps colder plugs might work better too since we're in a colder climate?.
Been driving it for another day and it hasn't been throwing any more codes either (also filled the tank with fresh 91)
Upon starting the car, check engine light.
Now, it had been sitting for about a week (give or take a day) due to cold weather, and it was a particularly loud start. Look down, engine light.
It was a cylinder misfire (which was easily cleared) I wonder if it was a combination of the old gas and sitting around for awhile?.
Someone suggested using 94 oct gas which has an ethanol blend which I am not sure how it would behave with the S/C? My mechanic suggested perhaps colder plugs might work better too since we're in a colder climate?.
Been driving it for another day and it hasn't been throwing any more codes either (also filled the tank with fresh 91)
#99
Member
Thread Starter
Mine sometimes sits a couple of weeks without driving and it doesn't make a difference but the only gas I can get is 91 oct with no ethanol. I wouldn't change the plugs for just normal driving. I looked at mine after a few thousand miles and they looked exactly the same as they did prior to the supercharger, but most of my driving is on the street and not trying to attract too much attention from the local police.
The following users liked this post:
CyanideRide (11-02-2019)
#100
I know this is an older thread but I was wondering if ESS gave you a new belt tensioner with the Supercharger kit. If so, does it go in the stock tensioners location? The reason I am asking is that I have a Weistec stage 2 kit and they supply a stock tensioner with an updated spring in it. I had problems with the first one they gave me and I would rather have a fully new and engineered tensioner. I was curious if the ESS one would fit on my application.
Thanks, Mike
Thanks, Mike