A supercharger (or 'blower') is a gas compressor that forces more air into the combustion chamber(s) of an internal combustion engine than is achievable with ambient atmospheric pressure (as seen in a naturally-aspirated engine, see forced induction). The higher mass flow rate together with an increased heat input provided by additional fuel combining with the greater mass of atmospheric oxygen available, increases the specific cycle work and hence power output of the engine.
A supercharger can be powered mechanically by belt, gear and shaft, or chain-drive from the engine's crankshaft.
Contents
1 Eaton MP45
1.1 Tuning
1.2 Pulley Changing
1.3 Methanol Injection
1.4 Porting & Polishing
2 Eaton MP62
3 Electric
Eaton MP45
The Eaton MP45 supercharger kit is the only bolt-on kit currently available for the 2.4L Twin Cam. Add 50 horsepower and 40 ft-lbs of torque with the stock pulley. Designed for 2000-2002 GM vehicles with 2.4L Twin Cam engine, however also can work on the 1999. (How-To: Use MP45 on 1999 Alero)
Kit includes: highly detailed instructions, all mounting brackets, intake manifold with integrated supercharger, adapters, 310cc injectors, serpentine belt, Gen II MAP sensor and 1-step colder spark plugs. Can be installed with normal hand tools in 6-8 hours by anyone with basic mechanical knowledge. Works on both manual and automatic transmissions. The MP45 flows 0.75L air/revolution.
The GM Performance Parts Supercharger (Part # 12498660) can be purchased at CrateEngineDepot and PacePerformance.
Tuning
Tuning is essential when you install the kit. Adding more air requires more fuel, so the kit includes 310cc fuel injectors, and a 2 bar MAP sensor (to read boost), however the stock computer tune does not know how to handle these additions.
In the installation manual is a page with configuration codes for manual and automatic N-bodies and J-bodies. Highlight the correct one for your vehicle and take the car and manual to a GM Performance Parts Dealership. They will have to call Techline and get a calibration code to load a preconfigured tune into your VCM. Ensure the fuel tank is filled with 93 octane beforehand. In order to get your car there, ideally, you should tow it, however you can drive it by putting the stock 1 bar MAP sensor in and drive slowly to the dealership. You want to drive slow and out of boost since the car can't read or compensate for the added air yet. Be sure to let them know to install the 2 bar MAP sensor once the car's reflashed.
The reflash should only cost one hour of labor.
The reflash is an unlocked tune, so one can edit the values and properly tune for any other modifications with ease using HPTuners.
Pulley Changing
If you're looking to increase the amount of boost and power that the supercharger makes, the quickest way to do so is by changing the pulley on the supercharger shaft. Installing a smaller pulley will spin the supercharger faster, allowing you to reach previous boost levels quicker, and increase peak boost pressure.
The most widely available and best choice when choosing a smaller pulley option is a modular quick-change hub. This aluminum hub replaces your stock 2.8" press-on pulley. Modular pulleys are held onto the hub by 5 hex head bolts, so if you want to change the pulley to a smaller size in the future or switch back and forth between track and daily driving, all you have to do is remove the bolts and the modular pulley slides off, and the new one can slide on.
You can purchase modular pulleys, hubs, and the tool to remove the stock pulley and install the hub through Smoothflow (E-Mail them and ask for a 5-rib MP45 hub/pulley) and Pulley Boys.
How-To: Install Modular Pulley/Hub
General Estimates on Pulley Sizes and Boost Achieved
Size PSI
2.8"
4-6
2.7"
5-7
2.6"
7-9
2.5"
8-10
Methanol Injection
Intercooling is always a good idea with boost. Unfortunately with the integrated supercharger-manifold design of the MP45 kit, a physical air-to-air or air-to-water intercooler is not feasible. Instead, those with the kit choose to chemically intercool by spraying methanol.
Methanol suppresses detonation, so more power producing boost and timing can be utilized. Water, with its high latent heat of vaporization cools the intake charge and combustion. Methanol cools the charge and combustion but also acts like an extremely high octane fuel (as high as 120 octane) as well as adding more oxygen to combustion. Most with methanol injection utilized see an increase in boost pressure of 2-3 PSI, and methanol allows one to increase the boost even further from its detonation reducing abilities.
Popular universal kits are available from Snow Performance, Cooling Mist, and Devil's Own.
Porting & Polishing
Stiegemeier Porting has taken modifying Eaton superchargers to the next level, with nearly 2000 units completed to date. We can provide a 1 to 3 working day turn around. Do not be fooled by a cheap imitations. We are constantly testing and improving power output.
We disassemble your blower and inspect for common problems like:
Rotor/case wear
Front drive shaft alignment
Front drive coupler
Flaking and tip scoring
Bypass valve operation
Broken bolts and stripped threads
The blower case is then ported achieving the CORRECT balance of low pressure to high pressure. (Low pressure meaning the inlet side and High pressure meaning the exit side.) Careful attention is paid to ALL areas to achieve the highest airflow rates and still retain case rigidity. Designs are constantly being tested and updated to assure you the largest HP gains available GUARANTEED. All of our airflow test data was recorded using an SF 600 Superflow Flow bench. The rotors are profiled, blueprinted and timed to the case.
After porting all gasket surfaces are checked for flatness and machined if necessary. The machined parts are put through a three phase cleaning process. The last phase consisting of a high pressure 190 degree rotisserie wash. All superchargers are assembled with factory correct full synthetic grease and oil. All fasteners are torqued to spec. After final assembly the superchargers are spun at speed and checked with an amplified hearing system to ensure you of a perfect assembly. In addition all superchargers are cataloged, numbered and dated.
You can have your blower exterior show polished, internally improved, or both, at www.stiegemeier.com.
Eaton MP62
There is a community project floating around The J-Body Organization about fabricating an intake manifold and related accessories in order to utilize the Eaton MP62 supercharger from the Chevy Cobalt SS and Saturn Ion Redline on the 2.4L Twin Cam. Progress has been made by some, but it has been a long process of getting something able to be produced. Overkill Engineering Motorsports and Vulcan Turbo are the key players in designing a system. The MP62 flows 1L air/revolution, 0.25L more than the MP45, and is more efficient.
Electric
The "superchargers" that are powered by batteries or the 12v power your car produces are a complete waste of money. The tiny plastic electric fan that you stick into the intake or strap onto the end simply cannot push enough air to match what the engine pulls in naturally. Even the expensive Thomas Knight electric supercharger which does work, has a cost higher than the real, belt drive superchargers already available, and is powered by a bank of batteries in the trunk for a push button activation system. Real superchargers improve engine efficiency all the time and do not require recharged batteries all the time. The entire concept is simply impractical. For $2500, one can make a real, powerful turbocharger setup or obtain the GM Supercharger Kit for around $1600 and make power all the time.
Turbocharging
In internal combustion engines, a turbocharger is a forced-induction compressor powered by the engine's exhaust gas. The purpose of a turbocharger is to increase the mass of air entering the engine to create more power.
A turbocharger consists of a turbine and a compressor linked by a shared axle. The turbine inlet receives exhaust gases from the engine causing the turbine wheel to rotate. This rotation drives the compressor, compressing ambient air and delivering it to the air intake manifold of the engine at higher pressure, resulting in a greater amount of the air entering the cylinder. In some instances, compressed air is routed through an intercooler before introduction to the intake manifold.
How-To: Install a Turbocharger Setup
Contents
1 Components
1.1 Turbocharger
1.2 Wastegate
1.3 Turbo Manifold
1.4 Downpipe/Flange
1.5 Braided Oil Lines
1.6 Charge Piping
1.7 Blow-off Valve
1.8 Fuel Injectors
1.9 Boost Controller
1.10 Intercooler
1.11 2 Bar MAP Sensor
1.12 Intake Manifold Gasket
1.13 Spark Plugs
1.14 Tuning
Components
The main components of a turbocharger system are as follows:
Turbocharger
A turbocharger is a gas compressor used for forced-induction of an internal combustion engine. Like a supercharger, the purpose of a turbocharger is to increase the density of air entering the engine to create more power. A turbocharger consists of a turbine and a compressor on a shared shaft. The turbine section of a turbocharger is a heat engine in itself. It converts the heat energy from the exhaust to power, which then drives the compressor, compressing ambient air and delivering it to the air intake manifold of the engine at higher pressure, resulting in a greater mass of air entering each cylinder. In some instances, compressed air is routed through an intercooler before introduction to the intake manifold. Because a turbocharger is a heat engine, and is converting otherwise wasted exhaust heat to power, it compresses the inlet air to the engine more efficiently than a supercharger.
More information, including diagrams, can be found on www.howstuffworks.com
Wastegate
A wastegate is a valve that diverts exhaust gases away from the turbine wheel in a turbocharged engine system. Diversion of exhaust gases regulates the turbine speed, which in turn regulates the rotating speed of the compressor. The primary function of the wastegate is to regulate the maximum boost pressure in turbocharger systems, to protect the engine and the turbocharger.
Turbo Manifold
There are two main types of exhaust manifolds available, a top mount log manifold designed by Street Track Racing (STR), which can be found on eBay, or a straight out manifold which mounts the turbocharger straight back in the engine bay out of plain sight. The latter of the two can be found on Vulcan Turbo and TurboTechRacing.
Downpipe/Flange
The downpipe is simply the exhaust pipe that connects to the turbine's outlet, and connects to the rest of the exhaust system (typically at the flexpipe and/or catalytic converter just under the firewall). It is suggested that one use a v-band exhaust housing on the turbocharger, as v-band clamped exhaust components are easy to install/uninstall, and seal extremely well.
Braided Oil Lines
The oil feed and return hoses should be braided stainless steel for maximum reliability and damage resistance. An oil feed line is typically tapped off of the oil pressure sensor's socket in between the camshaft towers just to the right of the IDI cover. The thread size is 1/4" NPT. One can either get an appropriate sized brass tee to use the stock oil sensor, or bypass it completely. The oil drain line requires drilling and tapping of the aluminum oil pan, or welding an aluminum bung to the oil pan where a hole is drilled.
Charge Piping
Charge piping is perhaps the easiest material to come by for turbocharged applications. Found commonly on eBay and all reputable turbocharging application websites, one is given the option of size, ranging anywhere from 2 to 4 in some cases, shape, and color. There are no "kits" made for the Alero, so one must obtain the bends they need and either couple them with silicone and t-bolt clamps or weld.
www.siliconeintakes.com is one excellent source for high quality silicone couplers and other various turbocharging related components.
Blow-off Valve
The blow off valve is the most well known part of a turbocharging application, besides the turbo itself. The blow off valve is responsible for diverting the charged air into the atmosphere when the throttle body closes while under boost. Without this device, charged air is forced against the impeller of the turbocharger, threatening the strength and longevity of the turbo.
Fuel Injectors
When adding more air to an engine, one must have the capability to add more fuel. The stock injectors are NOT adequate for any type of boosted application. Injector sizing depends on what power range you're shooting for. One can utilize the 310cc injectors that come with the GM Supercharger Kit, however those will only suffice for low boost applications. Injector usage and location information can be found in LD9 2.4L Twin Cam > Fuel System.
Boost Controller
Boost controllers are exactly that. They control the amount of boost pressure in the system by limiting the amount of pressure the wastegate sees. These come in both manual and electronic, ranging from very cheap to somewhat pricey depending on brand and features. The most basic boost controller vents some of the pressurized air, preventing the wastegate from closing until a higher boost level. These are typically regarded as a poor design and are a way of having a controlled boost leak in the system, which is not the most efficent way of doing things.
The most common style of manual boost controller uses a ball and spring. By compressing the spring using a threaded thumbscrew on top of the unit, the ball valve becomes more resistant to pressure seeping through to the wastegate.
Intercooler
An intercooler, or charge air cooler, is an air-to-air or air-to-liquid heat exchange device used on turbocharged engines to improve their volumetric efficiency by increasing intake air charge density through isochoric cooling. A decrease in air intake temperature provides a denser intake charge to the engine and allows more air and fuel to be combusted per engine cycle, increasing the output of the engine and greatly reducing the possibility of detonation (pre-ignition).
This is an optional device (for applications under 6 PSI), but is still HIGHLY recommended, as the power and cooling that results in their usage is immense.
2 Bar MAP Sensor
A two bar manifold absolute pressure sensor is required to utilize the GM Supercharger Reflash and to allow the vehicle to read positive pressure (0-14.7 psi). The stock 1 bar MAP sensor reads "negative" 14.7 psi up to 0 psi, which is only vacuum. When boosting, the car must be able to read the positive (0-14.7 psi) pressure as well, so a 2 bar MAP sensor is used. A 2.5 or even 3 bar MAP sensor could be used, but requires a custom standalone system for tuning, as the HPTuners-editable GM Supercharger reflash can only use a 2 bar sensor.
A Duralast sensor, part number #SU1285 from AutoZone, can be used as the new 2 bar MAP sensor, pictured right.
Intake Manifold Gasket
This gasket goes between the intake manifold and head in order to block off the small PCV hole between ports 2 and 3. It is vital to oil system integrity that this be blocked off, and then the PCV system modified as described in the How-To. You can purchase this gasket by request through Overkill Engineering Motorsports.
Spark Plugs
In order to safely boost an engine, colder heat range spark plugs are required. These are an extra safeguard from detonation (combustion gases igniting before the spark fires, which will lead to significant engine damage).
NGK TR6 are the typical model used in LD9 boosted engines.
Tuning
Tuning is essential to any forced induction system. For this engine, HPTuners it he ideal (if not only) tuning software to use. When using a 2 bar MAP sensor, one must get the GM Supercharger Reflash from a GM Performance Parts Dealer or through someone who has HPTuners and the GM tune already. It provides a decent baseline to use for your turbocharged setup.
Many things can be adversely affected and catastrophic failure can result by tuning with little knowledge of the subject and the methods of doing it.
If you plan on tuning your own vehicle, it is HIGHLY suggested that you research heavily in the J-Body Organization's Tuning forum.
