Proper installation of this supercharger kit requires general automotive
mechanic knowledge and experience. Please browse through each
step of this instruction manual prior to beginning the installation to
determine if you should refer the job to a professional installer/technician. Please call Vortech Engineering for installers in your area.
This kit requires ECM programming. The hand-held ECM programmer is
not included in the kit box and must be ordered directly from Vortech by the
installing customer (the charge for this unit has been included in the purchase price).
Included in this kit is a credit tag for one hand-held programmer. The programmers are made specifically for each individual vehicle with respect to
the factory ECM calibration and VIN. Simply follow the instructions on the
hand-held programmer credit tag.
Your ECM hand-held programmer comes with a twelve month limited warranty from the original date of purchase of your supercharger system (see
the Owner’s Manual for details).
Vortech Engineering is not responsible for engine or ECM damage due to
an improperly installed/mishandled ECM module or ECM.
This product is protected by state common law, copyright and/or patent. All
legal rights therein are reserved.
The design, layout, dimensions, geometry and engineering features shown
in this product are the exclusive property of Vortech Engineering, LLC.
This product may not be copied or duplicated in whole or part, abstractly or
fundamentally, intentionally or fortuitously, nor shall any design, dimension,
or other information be incorporated into any product or apparatus without
prior written consent of Vortech Engineering, LLC.
The Corvette fuel delivery system is marginal for high horsepower applications. It is important to install a fuel pressure gauge on the vehicle and verify that the fuel pressure stays above 50 psi (especially at redline). Engine
damage can result if the fuel pressure drops below this level and allows
the air-fuel ratio to go lean. Fuel pump and or voltage booster components
are not included in this system.
Congratulations on selecting the best performing and best supported automotive
supercharger available today... the VORTECH® Supercharger!
Before beginning this installation, please read through this entire instruction booklet and the Street
Supercharger System Owner’s Manual and Automotive Limited Warranties Program.
Vortech supercharger systems are performance improving devices. In most cases, increases in torque of 20% to
35% and horsepower of 35% to 50% can be expected with the boost levels specified by Vortech Engineering,
LLC. This product is intended for use on healthy, well maintained engines. Installation on a worn-out or damaged
engine is not recommended and may result in failure of the engine as well as the supercharger. Vortech
Engineering, LLC is not responsible for engine damage.
Installation on new vehicles will not harm or adversely affect the break-in period so long as factory break-in procedures are followed.
For best performance and continued durability, please take note of the following key points:
1. Use only premium grade fuel 91 octane or higher (R+M/2).
2. The engine must have stock compression ratio.
3. If the engine has been modified in any way, check with Vortech prior to using this product.
4. Always listen for any sign of detonation (pinging) and discontinue hard use (no boost) until problem is
resolved.
5. Perform an oil and filter change upon completion of this installation and prior to test driving your vehicle.
Thereafter, always use a high quality synthetic lubricant, and change the oil and filter at least every 3,000
miles. Never attempt to extend the oil change interval beyond 3,000 miles, regardless of oil manufacturer’s claims, as potential damage to the supercharger may result.
6. Before beginning installation, replace all spark plugs that are older than 1 year or 20,000 miles with original heat range plugs as specified by the manufacturer (follow the procedures outlined in the factory
repair manual and/or as indicated on the factory underhood emissions tag). Do not use platinum spark
plugs unless they are original equipment. Change spark plugs every 40,000 miles and spark plug wires
at least every 60,000 miles.
A. Disconnect the negative cable at the battery.
B. Remove all ducting between air filter cover
and throttle body.
C.Remove the air temperature sensor (if
equipped) and grommet from factory air inlet
duct and set aside.
D.Remove both of the coil/fuel rail covers (plas-
tic) on top of the engine and set aside.
E.Remove the valve cover breather hose from
the passenger side of the throttle body and
set aside temporarily.
F. Cap off throttle body nipple with supplied 3/8"
vacuum cap.
G. Remove the accessory drive belt.
H. Remove and set aside the accessory drive
belt spring tensioner. Remove the 6-rib pulley
and dust cover from the spring tensioner and
set aside for installation in a future step.
I.Disconnect the wiring and remove the alter-
nator from the vehicle.
J.Drain the engine coolant system. Remove the
four screws securing the plastic upper radiator mount (directly on top of the radiator).
Disconnect the upper radiator hose where it
attaches to the radiator.
K.Remove the power steering hoses from the
reservoir and set them aside. Remove the
reservoir from the vehicle.
L.For vehicles equipped with an ABS module in
front of the power steering pump, disconnect
the brake lines and electrical connector from
the ABS module. Mark each of the brake
lines to ensure that they will be re-connected
in the correct position on the ABS Module.
Remove the screws and the steering rack
bolts to free the ABS unit below the vehicle.
Remove the assembly (with the factory bracket still attached) from the vehicle.
M.Disconnect the high-pressure power steering
hose from the pump.
N.Remove the power steering pump pulley and
power steering pump from the engine.
O.Remove the power steering pump mounting
bracket (4 screws).
P. Remove the three fasteners securing the
engine coolant reservoir to the vehicle.
Remove the two studs on the inner fender.
NOTE: The purpose of this section is to provide access to the
harmonic damper bolt area so that the crankshaft can be
pinned to the damper to prevent the damper from spinning on the crank shaft. The following steps will work on
all or most applications. If it is not possible to get adequate clearance by performing the following steps, follow
the manufacturers steps for removing the harmonic
damper until there is sufficient room to work in.
A. Remove the front wheels from the vehicle.
B. Remove the outer ball joint from the spindle
on each side of the vehicle.
C.Remove the two nuts and bolts securing the
steering rack to the cross member.
D.Loosen the power steering cooler mounting
bolts and drop the cooler (if equipped) down
for access temporarily.
E.With the steering wheel pointed to the right
as far as it will go, carefully lift the rack until it
comes to a stop against the frame rail on
both sides. Move it around to provide maximum clearance.
F. Secure the rack in this position by supporting
it up (wood block, etc.) or securing it from
above with tie wraps etc. (See Fig. 2-a.)
G.Disconnect the wiring and remove the engine
starter hardware. Push the starter forward
and allow it to rest on the oil pan temporarily.
Attach the GM J342386 flywheel holding tool
in the starter location.
H.Remove the crankshaft damper bolt.
Fig. 2-a
1"
MIN
NOTE: Removal of the engine cooling fans allow more work-
ing space during these steps.
I.Install the supplied drill guide with the raised-
section piloting in the damper bore. Secure in
place by installing the supplied socket head
cap screw. Do not over-tighten the screw as it
may distort the drill guide (its purpose is just
to hold the guide in place while drilling).
J.Using a small drill motor, mark a Ø1/4" drill bit
with electrical tape or a drill stop so that the
hole will be deep enough for the supplied 1/2"
long dowel pin. (See Fig. 2-b.) (The drill
bushing is 1/2" long, so with the guide
installed, the drill should go in at least 1" from
the front of the drill bushing.)
NOTE: If it is necesary to rotate the engine to install the
remaining dowel pins, tap the installed dowel pin
flush with the surface, remove the socket head screw,
remove the flywheel holding tool (if installed), install
the old damper retaining screw and rotate the damper
to the desired position.
L.Remove the socket-head cap screw and drill
guide.
M.Install the supplied Ø1/4" x 1/2" long dowel
pin into the drilled hole with the rounded end
pointed toward the front of the vehicle.
N.Verify that the dowel pin is recessed slightly
from the damper face.
O.Install the supplied new damper retaining
screw as follows:
1.Lightly coat the threads of the new
retaining screw with red threadlocker.
Install and torque to 37 ft-lbs.
2.Using a 1/2" breaker bar, tighten the
retaining screw an additional 120° or
tighten with a torque wrench to 250 ftlbs.
P. Remove the flywheel tool, re-install the starter
and re-connect the wiring.
Fig. 2-c
3. OIL DRAIN LINE INSTALLATION
NOTE: Lowering of the sway bar will aid in oil drain installa-
tion access.
A.To provide an oil drain for the supercharger, it
is necessary to make a hole in the front of
the oil pan. Locate and center punch the hole
per Fig. 3-c. This hole should be centered
.40" from bottom of oil pan lip between the
last bolt and the driver’s side of the oil pan.
Drill as far over to the driver’s side as
possible to avoid contacting internal
engine components!
B. Drill 1/8" pilot hole at the marked location by
positioning the drill as shown in Fig. 3-a.
C.Use the supplied 9/16" roto broach to drill
hole in oil pan. Break through pan carefully
so that cut out piece does not go into the oil
pan.
D.Tap the hole with a 3/8" NPT to approximately
1/2" deep or until fitting can be started. Pack
the flutes of the tap with heavy grease to hold
any loose chips.
Apply a small amount of silicone sealer to the
new threads. Apply more sealer to the 3/8"
NPT nipple, elbow and hose barb and secure
in hole. Make sure seal is formed all around
the fitting. Install elbow and barb fitting pointing up and towards the driver side frame rail.
(See Fig. 3-b.)
F. Temporarily cover oil drain barb fitting to keep
out debris.
G.Drain the engine oil, install a new filter and
refill with fresh oil.
H. Re-attach the steering rack and ball joints.
I. Re-install the engine cooling fans if they were
previously removed.
Fig. 3-b
4. OIL FEED LINE INSTALLATION
A. Remove the two bolts holding the small cast-
ing located just above the oil filter
B. Using engine oil on the threads, install 1/8"
NPT to #4 90° fitting into the supplied oil feed
adapter.
C. Using the adapter, the appropriate supplied
gasket and the supplied 6mm screws, assemble the components as shown in Fig. 4-a.
D. Temporarily cover one end of the oil feed line
and protect it from debris until connecting it to
the supercharger.
E. Connect the open end of oil feed line to the
installed fitting. Route line along oil pan rail
towards the front of the engine. Use tie wraps
to secure the line and protect it from kinking,
abrasion, and high heat areas.
The factory surge tank will be spaced up about 3/4"
in order to clear the new alternator mounting location
cap on some vehicles - this may cause hood misalignment. If hood alignment is unacceptable, the
surge tank may have to be lowered and clearance to
the alternator re-checked.
A.Attach the supplied small metal tab onto the
bottom of the engine coolant surge tank using
the supplied M6 bolt, nut and washers as
shown in Fig. 5-a.
B.Install the M6 x 50 mm bolt (the bolt is to be
installed from the bottom of the fender) and
.85" long spacer in the rear hole on the inner
fender.
C.Install the M6 x 45 mm bolt (the bolt is to be
installed from the bottom of the fender) and
.7" long spacer in the front hole on the inner
fender.
D.Use the remaining factory nuts to secure the
surge tank at all three of its original mounting
locations. (See Fig. 5-b.)
E.The 3/4" hose connecting the surge tank to
the thermostat housing (on the engine’s water
pump) must be extended to provide clearance for the Vortech Charge Air Cooler
(CAC). Remove the hose that connects the
coolant reservoir to the thermostat housing
and cut off the last bend on the water pump
side. Connect the cut end of the remaining
U-shaped hose to the surge tank and insert
the supplied 3/4" brass hose mender in the
open end. Using the supplied 90° hose, connect the short end to the water pump. Cut the
long end so that it mates to the hose mender
and allows the hose to be tucked next to the
frame allowing room for the CAC. (See Fig. 5-c for finished modifications.) Secure the
hose ends with the two nylon ratchet clamps
provided.
F. The hose coming out of the water pump and
going towards the firewall must be routed on
top of the A/C line. Disconnect the end
attached to the water pump. Route it on top
of the 3/8" aluminum A/C line and re-attach.
G.The A/C line must be bent up to clear the
hoses coming out of the CAC and then down
and towards the passenger side to clear the
alternator.
6. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION COOLING LINE MODIFICATION
(Vehicles Equipped With Automatic
Transmissions Only)
A. Disconnect the upper automatic transmission
cooler line from the top passenger side of the
radiator.
B.Cut the hard line off of the radiator side of the
transmission line. Leave the amount of hose
attached to the transmission line as long as
possible.
C1.1997-2000 M.Y. Vehicles: Install the supplied
tube so that it points downward. Connect the
rubber hose on the transmission line to the
tube and tighten using the supplied hose
clamp. (See Fig. 6-a.) Skip the following
steps and proceed with Section 7.
C2.2001 & Newer Vehicles: Cut the metal tube
so that it protrudes about 3/4" from the fitting
that was removed from the radiator. Clean
and re-install the fitting into the radiator and
use the supplied hose and hose mender to
connect it to the transmission hose. Tighten a
clamp on each connection. (See Fig. 6-b.)
Fig. 6-a / 1997-2000 M.Y. Vehicles
7. ALTERNATOR RELOCATION
A. Using the appropriately sized socket or tube,
gently tap the bushings out of the factory
alternator mounting bracket and install them
into the supplied alternator plate. (See Fig. 7-a.)
B.Modify the alternator tab (if equipped) as
shown in Fig.
7-b.
C.Install the large primary alternator plate onto
the passenger side head using the three supplied .7" thick spacers and M10 x 45mm bolts
with washers. (See Fig. 7-c.)
D.Cut the factory alternator plug off of the vehi-
cle harness leaving sufficient wire near the
plug to install the supplied butt connectors.
Splice the supplied wires into the harness
making sure that the larger 18 gage wire connects to the correct larger wire in the factory
wiring harness. Cut the ring terminal connec-
tor off of the alternator power wire and use
the supplied wire, butt connector and ring terminal connector to extend the factory power
wire. Use the supplied heat shrink tubing to
protect each connection after crimping.
Route the extended wires across the front of
the engine (underneath and behind the throttle body) to the new alternator location.
E.Install the supplied heat shield over the alter-
nator wires where they will run by the passenger side exhaust manifold. Re-attach the
factory alternator plug onto the extended wiring harness and install the supplied wire
loom with electrical tape to protect the wires.
Re-connect the plug and power wire to the
alternator and secure the wires with the supplied tie wraps when the alternator is reinstalled. (See Fig. 7-d.) Adjust the heat
shield over the wires for best heat protection.
F. Loosely install the alternator onto the primary
mounting plate. Use the factory screw
installed through the bushing installed in the
secondary plate, through the alternator and
into the primary alternator plate. Loosely
install the supplied M10 x 65mm screw into
the bottom hole on the alternator using a
washer. (See Fig 7-e.)
G.Grind/sand the small raised area off of the
back of the spring tensioner until it is flush
with the flat area as shown in Fig. 7-f. This
will later provide clearance between the
spring tensioner and the water pump. Using
a washer, loosely install the supplied M10 x
65mm screw through the lower spring tensioner mounting hole, through a 1.3" spacer
and into the primary mounting plate. (See
Fig. 7-g.)
H.Loosely attach the secondary plate to the pri-
mary plate using the two supplied 2" spacers. Use one of the factory alternator mounting bolts and the supplied M10 x 110mm bolt
going through the factory pulley dust cover
and 6 rib grooved idler (removed from the
factory spring tensioner), through the supplied idler spacer, secondary mounting plate
and a 2" spacer and into the threaded hole in
the primary alternator mounting plate. (See
Fig. 7-g.)
I.Using a washer, loosely install the supplied
85mm screw through the lower bushing in
the support plate, through the spring tensioner, through a 1.3" spacer and into the primary
mounting plate.
dust shield onto the spring tensioner using
the supplied 25mm screw with a washer.
Install the spring tensioner onto the alternator
plate in the position shown in Fig. 7-g.
K. Tighten all of the screws.
L. Verify that the spring tensioner does not hit
the water pump when rotated down. If contact
occurs, remove the tensioner and sand additional material off of the back of it until there
is minimal clearance.
NOTE: The mounting bracket and power steering pump can be
installed in the manner in which the stock mounting
bracket was removed. The following steps apply to a
2002 ZO6, which has the ABS module directly in front of
the power steering pump. For vehicles with the ABS module mounted elsewhere, it may be easier to leave the
power steering pump connected to the power steering
hose but loose until after the mounting bracket is
installed.
A.Clean the front of the driver side head of
debris.
B.Slide the supplied M10 x 25mm screw and
washer into the mounting bracket hole behind
where the power steering pump is to mount.
Install the 180° end of the supplied 5/8" molded hose through the two holes in the mounting bracket. Trim the straight section for best
fit (See Fig. 8-a). Install the supplied #8 hose
clamp over hose and install the power steering pump onto the supercharger mounting
bracket using the original hardware and support plate. Tighten hose clamp. Gently secure
hose away from the pulley using a zip tie
routed through the two holes in the mounting
bracket. (See Fig. 8-b.)
C.Install the supplied gilmer (toothed) belt
around the pulley on the mounting bracket
assembly. The belt can not be installed after
the mounting bracket is installed
D.Install the supplied 3/8-16 x 2" screws and
washers in the middle two supercharger
mounting bolt positions. These bolts can’t be
installed after mounting bracket is installed
onto the engine. (See Fig. 8-b.)
E.Bolt the supercharger mounting bracket to
head with previously installed M10 x 25 mm,
the supplied M10 x 35 mm and one of the
factory power steering pump bracket bolts
(Should be about 75 mm long). This is very
difficult with the power steering pump
installed. Try starting the two upper bolts very
loosely so that the mounting bracket is still
free to move. Start the 25 mm bolt by hand if
possible or with a thin (16 mm) open end
wrench.
Fig. 8-a
3/8-16 x 2"
SCREWS
M10 x 25
SCREW
(INSTALLED
FROM OTHER
SIDE)
Fig. 8-b
NOTE: The 3.60" pulley must be removed (if installed) to
install the 75mm bolt into the bracket.
F. Make sure that mounting bracket is seated
directly on machined surface on head, that no
wires are pinched and that the power steering
hose is routed in the recessed portion of the
mounting bracket. (See Figs. 8-c, 8-d.)
G.Tighten the three mounting bolts in steps to
37 ft·lb (50 N·m).
H.Attach the factory power steering high pres-
sure line to the pump and tighten. Install the
power steering pump pulley. Verify that the
hub of the power steering pulley is flush with
the end of the power steering pump input
shaft.
I.Install the supplied flanged plastic idler with
dust cover onto the lower idler pilot. Install
the factory idler (without rear dust cover) from
the stock mounting bracket onto the upper
idler pilot. Tighten both idlers using the supplied M10 x 25 mm screws.
J.With the supplied 6-rib belt encircling it as
shown in Fig. 8-f, install the supplied aluminum 6-rib pulley onto the jackshaft on the
front of the mounting bracket using the key,
retainer, and flathead cap screw (with blue
Threadlocker on the bolt threads.)
K.Complete the routing of the accessory drive
belt as shown in Fig. 8-f. Torque the supercharger pulley retaining screw to 30 ft-lbs by
grasping the belt on either side of the pulley
while tightening.
L.Secure the throttle position sensor wires on
the passenger side of the throttle body away
from possible contact with the accessory
drive belt.
M.Look closely at the toothed pulley and belt on
the back side of the mounting bracket. Rotate
the small hose clamp located on the factory
coolant bleed hose away from the belt to
avoid possible contact.( See Fig. 8-e.)
N.If necessary, re-install the ABS unit.
Re-connect the factory brake lines and harness connector. Bleed the brakes per the factory vehicle service manual. If clearance
between the supercharger and ABS unit
becomes a problem during supercharger
installation, use the supplied 12mm washers
to space the ABS pump/bracket assembly
forward.
STEP 6: BEND AND
LOOSELY ATTACH
“RF” LINE. TIGHTEN
THE LINES INSTALLED
IN STEPS 3-6 IN
SEQUENCE
STEP 1: BEND THE
CORRECT LINE
FROM MASTER
CYLINDER SO THAT IT
CONNECTS EASILY TO
MC2 (TEMPORARILY
DISCONNECT)
STEP 2: BEND THE
CORRECT LINE FROM
MASTER CYLINDER
SO THAT IT CONNECTS
EASILY TO MC2
(TEMPORARILY
DISCONNECT)
STEP 4: BEND AND
LOOSELY ATTACH
“RR” LINE
STEP 3: BEND AND
LOOSELY ATTACH
“LR” LINE
STEP 7: ATTACH AND
TIGHTEN THE LINES FROM
THE MASTER CYLINDER
(1999-2000 Model vehicles only, all others
proceed with step 10.)
NOTE: The following steps reposition the ABS module upside down
so that there will be room for the supercharger. It is very
important to spend as much time as necessary to ensure
that the brake lines are sound (not kinked or bent repeatedly), routed away from moving parts, and protected from abrasion wherever they touch non-moving parts or each other.
A.Attach the ABS module to the supplied brack-
et using two of the factory isolator mounts.
Attach the ABS module ground wire under
one of the nuts.
B.Install the supplied grommet into the supplied
ABS support strap.
C.Install the strap over the remaining pin on the
ABS module and bolt it to the ABS bracket
using the supplied hardware.
D.Use the factory hardware to install the
assembly in the original location. Some of the
holes are slotted, so before tightening, position the ABS module so that the lowest brake
line connector exits immediately above the
steering rack. (See Fig. 9-a.)
E.The brake lines must now be carefully bent
by hand to connect out to their original location on the ABS module. Bend each line and
loosely attach to the ABS module in the order
shown in Figs. 9-b.
Fig. 9-a
F. With all of the lines loosely connected, estab-
lish the order in which to tighten them based
on the tools available. It may be necessary to
disconnect a couple of lines to provide
access to the hard to reach locations. (See
Fig. 9-d for recommended tools.)
G.Attach the ABS module plug and verify that
the wires are secured away from any moving
parts
NOTE: A properly bent brake line will thread easily into the
NOTE: When connecting the line to “MCI", the hard line
ABS module. If a line does not thread in easily by
hand, it is not lined up properly. Do not force it.
should be rotated where it connects to the braided
line to avoid twisting and damaging the braided line.
Carefully hold the crimp ferrule with pliers and rotate
the hard line by hand to the desired angle.
A. The object of this section is to route the radi-
ator hose as close to the radiator as possible
to provide room for the supercharger components.
B.Trim the supplied hose so that it turns down
as quickly as possible when connected to the
radiator with factory clamp. Install the new
hose onto the radiator. (See Fig 10-a.)
C.Cut the original radiator hose and the newly
installed radiator hose so that they will connect with the supplied 1-3/8" hose mender.
Make sure hose is routed next to the radiator
shroud behind the ABS. Clamp the hoses
onto the supplied hose mender using the
supplied #20 clamps. Use a piece of scrap
hose to insulate the radiator hose from sharp
objects etc. (See Fig. 10-b.)
D.Tighten/install hose clamps on each hose
connection and refill the coolant system.
RADIATOR SIDE
Fig. 10-a
11. POWER STEERING RESERVOIR INSTALLATION
A1. (2002 Z06, others similar) Remove the two
screws securing the driver side front coil.
Install two of the supplied 6 mm washers as
spacers onto the forward most stud on the
valve cover. Install the supplied power steering reservoir bracket between the coil and its
bracket and re-install the factory coil retaining
screws. Install the supplied washer and nut
onto the stud and tighten all fasteners. (See
Fig 11-a.)
A2. (1997 C5, others similar) Install the power
steering bracket onto the first and second
coils using the factory retaining screws. (See
Fig. 11-b.)
B.Cut about 1" off each end of stock power
steering return hose (See Fig 11-c), install on
reservoir and use the supplied 5/8" hosemender to connect to the previously installed
pump supply hose (cut end of supplied hose
until there is just enough straight to connect
hose mender).
11. POWER STEERING RESERVOIR INSTALLATION, cont’d.
C. Use factory clamps on each end of the hose
mender and supplied clamps on pump
(already completed) and reservoir.
D.Use the supplied 3/8" hose mender, hose,
and #6 clamps to lengthen the reservoir
return line (from the power steering cooler).
Route the lengthened hose against the fan
shroud and along the driver’s side frame rail
to the power steering reservoir. Attach the
hose to the reservoir.
E.Verify that all hose connections are secured
by clamps and install reservoir into the slots
in the installed bracket.
F. Bleed system as follows:
1. Raise front wheels off ground.
2. Turn steering wheel full left.
3. Fill reservoir to "full cold" level. Maintain
level throughout procedure.
4.Turn steering wheel lock to lock at least
20 times or until bubbles stop.
(1997 Corvette, others similar)
Fig. 11-b
12. FUEL INJECTOR REPLACEMENT
A. Relieve the fuel system pressure
B. Disconnect the eight fuel injector plugs
and retaining clips from the injectors.
NOTE: Do not reinstall the factory injector retaining
clips onto the new injectors.
C.Remove the four screws that hold down
the fuel rail on the intake manifold. Lift up
on the rails evenly and remove all eight
injectors.
D.Using a small amount of clean motor oil,
lightly lubricate the O-rings on both ends
of the Vortech supplied fuel injectors.
Fig. 11-c
E.Install the new injectors into the fuel rails
with the terminals facing outward.
F. Carefully lower the fuel rail/injector
assembly down onto the intake manifold.
Check to see that each injector has been
seated properly into the intake manifold.
G.Tighten down the fuel rail assembly with
the original bolts and attach the injector
plugs to the injectors.
1.Attach the water pump to the water reservoir using the supplied adel clamp and
screw in the position shown in Fig. 13-a.
2.Cut off the electrical plug on the water
pump leaving as much wire connected
to the pump as possible. Install the supplied 1/4" eyelet on the water pump
ground wire (brown wire). Install a male
slide connector onto the water pump
positive wire (green wire).
3.Using thread sealant, install the 1/2"
NPT 90° hose barb fittings into the bottom and top of the supplied plastic reservoir.
4.Connect the pump inlet to the bottom
reservoir fitting with the supplied 90°
hose. Secure hose with clamps on both
ends
5.From underneath the vehicle, remove
the screws securing the splash shield
from behind the driver side front wheel.
6.Insert the water reservoir into the supplied bracket and insert into the area
behind the driver side front wheel next
to the frame rail.
7.Orient the assembly for best clearance,
mark mounting bracket location and
remove.
8.Using the mounting bracket as a template, hold it in its previous position and
mark and drill three holes for the supplied #12 sheet metal screws.
9.Secure the bracket to the
frame rail using the previously drilled holes and
sheet metal screws.
10. Lower the reservoir assembly into the bracket and
secure using the three supplied 1/4-20 x 1/2" socket
head cap screws. Make
sure that the water pump
ground wire is attached to
one of the 1/4-20 screws.
(See Fig 13-b.)
11. From the engine compartment, route the supplied
3/4" hose to the water
pump outlet. Secure using
the supplied plastic clamps.
the water pump power wire using a
female slide connector. Route the water
pump power wire up to and across the
cowl below the windshield and secure
using zip ties
B. Water pump wiring
1. Drill out the relay mounting hole to 1/4"
and mount the supplied relay using the
forward most screw on the passenger
side hood latch. (See Fig 13-d.)
2.Connect the water pump power wire up
to the relay terminal #87.
3.Using the supplied ring terminal connector, run the relay ground wire from terminal #86 down to the ground terminal
located on top of the vehicle frame
below the battery.
4.Connect the supplied fuse holder from
the #30 relay terminal to the remote (+)
positive battery terminal on the fuse box
using a female slide connector and a
large ring terminal connector.
5.Using the yellow wire, connect relay terminal #85 to the factory fuel pump relay
terminal #87 in the fuse box using the
supplied mini fuse tap and slide connector. (See Figs 13-e, 13-f, 13-g.)
C. Surge tank install
1. The surge tank will be installed just
behind the power steering reservoir on
the same bracket.
2.Connect a length of the supplied hose to
the 90° fitting installed in the bottom of
the supplied surge tank and point
towards the rear of the vehicle. Install
and tighten a plastic clamp.
3.Install another 90 degree fitting into the
surge tank opposite the two 1/4-20
mounting inserts. Point this fitting
towards the front of the vehicle. Attach
the supplied hose to this fitting with a
clamp.
4.Install the surge tank onto the bracket
using the supplied 1/4-20 screws. The
bracket may need to be loosened from
the head in order to install the surge
tank. (See Fig. 11-a.)
5.Route the hose attached to the bottom
of the surge tank to the 90° fitting
installed in the top of the reservoir.
Secure with a clamp.
no fittings installed, in the radiator opening (just behind the spring base pins).
Position so that it is roughly perpendicular to the adjacent panels. (See Figs. 13-i, 13-j.)
2.Mark the position of the radiator water
inlet and outlet ports onto the upper
plastic panel. Also mark the location of
one of the 1/4" slots on each side of the
cooler radiator onto the lower air dam.
3.Remove the radiator. Using a 1 1/8"
hole saw, drill through each of the positions marked for the cooler radiator inlet
and outlet. Drill a 1/4" hole at each of
the marked mounting hole locations
through the air dam.
4.Install radiator by pushing the inlet and
outlet through the upper panel and
installing the supplied 1/4" hardware
through the air dam and tightening. (See
Fig 13-i.)
5.Temporarily remove the air box from
above the vehicle.
6.Install two 90° fittings into the cooler
radiator using sealant. Point them away
from each other.
7.Connect the hose from the side of the
surge tank to the driver side fitting
installed in the cooler radiator. Tighten
clamp.
E. Charge air cooler (CAC) install
1. Install one of the supplied 1/2"NPT x
3/4" x 90° fittings into upper hole in the
cooler end tank. The “upper hole” is the
1/2" NPT hole that is on the same side
as the 3" air duct (opposite of the 2.75"
air duct). Install a 1/2"NPT x 3/4" x 90°
straight fitting into the lower hole in the
cooler end tank. (See Fig. 13-k.)
2.Loosely attach the blue silicone rubber
reducer elbow to the CAC outlet (3"
O.D.).
3.Trim 1-3/4" from the short leg.of the supplied 3/4" x 90° rubber elbow. Attach the
short leg of the molded 90° hose to the
straight fitting installed in the cooler end
tank. Secure with a clamp.
tor bleed hose from the radiator. (See
Fig 13-l.) Loosen the nut securing the
factory harness plug to the front passenger’s side frame rail. Rotate the plug
toward the outside of the vehicle for
cooler clearance. Tighten the nut. (See
Fig. 13 -m.)
NOTE: If there is insufficient space for the CAC (all
automatic cars with clutched alternator pulleys), trim the upper edge of the radiator fan
shroud. Make sure not to contact the radiator
fan while cutting. (See Fig. 13-n.) Vehicles
equipped with a clutched alternator pulley
will require the maximum amount of clearance possible.
5.Install the cooler in the vehicle and
attach the rubber elbow loosely to the
throttle body. (See Fig 13-n)
6.Connect the hose running from the CAC
water pump discharge to the 90° fitting
installed in the cooler end tank.
7.Using the supplied 3/4" hose mender
and straight hose, connect the molded
90° hose, coming from the CAC, to the
remaining fitting on the cooler radiator.
(See Figs. 13-c, 13-k.)
8.Verify that all hose connections have
tightened clamps installed.
9.Remove cap from surge tank and slowly
fill system with 25%/75% coolant/water
mix.
A. Install the supplied T-bolt clamp onto the alu-
minum supercharger inlet duct oriented so as
to be accessible after the supercharger is
installed. Slide the inlet duct onto the supercharger so that the cast contour lines up with
the discharge section of the volute. (See Fig. 14-a.)
NOTE: If inlet duct does not slide onto volute easily, verify
that there are no burrs on its inside diameter and
then heat up the duct to ease assembly.
B.Install the 1/8 NPT x -4 x 90° fitting into the
supercharger oil feed nozzle. (See Fig. 14-b.)
C.Attach the oil drain hose to supercharger
using stepless clamp pliers and tighten the
clamp making sure that it is oriented so that it
will have maximum clearance to the power
steering pump pulley after the supercharger
is installed. (See Fig. 14-b.)
D.Install a 2-3/4" sleeve onto the supercharger
discharge. Loosely attach the discharge tube
to the charge air cooler. The end of the tube
with the 1" bung must be nearer to the
charge cooler when installed. (See Fig. 14-c.)
E.Install supercharger loosely with the oil drain
hose routed between the power steering pulley and the frame rail. Start all four supercharger mounting screws (3/8-16 x 1.75", 3/816 x 3.00" and previously installed 2" screws)
and tighten.
NOTE: If the vehicle is equipped with ABS, verify that the
supercharger volute does not contact the module.
If contact will occur, sand the ABS module and/or
mounting bolt until there is minimal clearance.
Fig. 14-a
Fig. 14-b
F. Trim as necessary and attach the super-
charger oil drain hose to oil pan. Tighten hose
clamp.
NOTE: The oil drain hose MUST maintain a “downhill”
routing always. “Uphill" routing , Dips, kinks or
restrictions in the drain hose may cause supercharger seal failure.
G.Route oil feed hose to supercharger and
attach.
H.Secure both the oil drain, oil feed and power
steering hoses from moving components
(steering shaft) and high heat areas (exhaust
through two washers, the flanged aluminum
idler and the idler spacer and into the slot in
the top of the supercharger mounting bracket.
(The bearing retainer snap ring on the idler
must be pointing toward the idler spacer.)
Install the supplied nut and washer on the
bolt and tighten until the idler slides up and
down with no play.
K.Press down on the idler until the belt is snug
with minimal free play. It is not necessary to
have the belt tight. Once the vehicle has
been started, as long as the belt does not
move around excessively the belt is tight
enough.
temperature sensor, drill an 11/16" hole in the
plastic inlet duct and install the air temperature sensor and grommet in the hole. (See
Fig. 16-a.)
NOTE: The air temperature sensor should be installed up
stream of the valve cover breather. Verify that the air
temperature sensor wires will reach the new location
and that there will be room for the sensor after the
inlet duct is installed.
C.If the vehicle has a plastic line running from
the fuel regulator (located on top of the
engine, connected to the fuel rail), remove
the plastic fitting and rubber hose from the
end of the plastic line that was previously
connected to the factory air duct to throttle
body sleeve. Drill a 5/16" hole in the supplied
plastic duct, insert a short length of 3/16"
hose, insert the plastic fitting into the hose
and run the supplied 3/16" hose from the fitting to the plastic fuel regulator line after the
inlet duct is installed.
D.Stretch the supplied 3" wide x 3-1/2" sleeve
and #56 clamps onto the Mass Air Flow sensor. Attach the inlet duct to the MAF and to
the previously installed bypass valve hose.
E.Connect supplied 3/8 hose from the elbow
installed in the plastic inlet duct to the passenger side valve cover breather hose using
the supplied 3/8" hose and hose mender.
F. Install the supplied flex hose and #52 clamps
from the plastic air inlet duct to the aluminum
supercharger inlet duct.
G.Tighten the clamps on each connection.
Tighten the T-bolt clamp until the supercharger inlet is tight.
(Tuner or H.O. kits only - All others Proceed to Step 18)
NOTE: Fuel pump or voltage booster components are not
included in the Vortech systems. These are accessories that can be purchased separately.
NOTE: The purpose of the voltage booster is to raise the
voltage to the factory fuel pump when the vehicle is
in boost. This will raise the fuel flow in order to maintain fuel pressure on high horsepower applications.
Use the instructions supplied with the voltage booster to supplement the following:
A.The voltage booster will be installed next to
the fuse/relay center. Use the supplied adhesive backed Velcro to mount it as shown.
(See Fig. 17-a.)
B.Use the supplied 10 gauge wire to lengthen
the power wire (orange or red with inline
fuse) to terminal #87 on the water pump
relay. Splice the water pump power wire into
one of the connectors before crimping.
(Terminal #87 should now be supplying power
to the water pump and the voltage booster
when the vehicle is running or for a couple of
seconds after the key is turned “on”.)
C.Ground the booster in the same location used
for the water pump ground.
D.Run the supplied red wire from the voltage
booster power supply wire (red-no fuse) down
the passenger side frame rail to the main fuel
tank. Use the supplied tie-wraps to secure
the wires away from heat and moving parts.
E.Cut the fuel pump power lead (larger gray
wire on the right side of the fuel pump plug
as viewed from the end with the plastic tab
on top). Connect the voltage booster power
lead to the pump side of the factory fuel
pump power lead.
F. Run the red and black shielded wires over
near the brake master cylinder and connect
to the supplied pressure switch.
G.Using the supplied hose and TEE, connect
the pressure sensor on the voltage booster to
the bypass valve line installed in section
15-d.
( Those with 1997-1998 models — skip to “MICRO TUNER 2001 VEHICLE
PROGRAMMING INSTRUCTIONS”. )
A.GM requires that a tool be installed into a wir-
ing connector beneath the passenger’s side
floor floor kick panel during ANY
PROGRAMMING PROCESS (this includes
performance programming and programming
back to stock).
B.Once visible, you will notice there are two
identical connectors to the immediate left.
The Superchips 2241, Star Adapter, will fit
either connector assembly., but it is only
designed for use on the lower connector. If
the 2241 is placed in the upper connector the
Micro Tuner will fail to recognize the PCM
and a “Comm Error” will occur. If this happens simply remove the Superchips 2241
from the upper connector and place it on the
lower connector. This will correct the problem
then simply restart the Micro Tuner programming process.
1.Unhook, roll up, and remove the passenger floor mat, if equipped. (See Fig.
18-a.)
2.Locate the passenger floor panel, which
is on an incline. (See Fig. 18-b.)
3.Depress and turn two lock assemblies,
freeing the panel for removal. (See Fig. 18-b.)
4.Located to the extreme left of the cavity
are two gray connectors (See Figs. 18-c, 18-a.)
a. These connectors are mounted one
above the other. (See Fig. 18-a.)
• Remove the male ‘cap’ from both
assys.
• Lift the small tabs on the sides
(See Fig. 18-d.)
IMPORTANT! To ensure trouble-free programming of your vehicle's computer:
• Make sure the vehicle's battery is sufficiently charged.
• Turn off all accessories and close doors to prevent unnecessary drain on the battery.
• Do not attempt to program your vehicle while a battery charger is connected.
• Improper battery voltage will result in failure of the programming process.
• Do not disconnect the cable or turn off the ignition during programming.
C. Reconnect the battery.
D. Connect the supplied cable to the 9-pin con-
nector at the top of the hand-held unit. If
present, use the thumbscrews to secure the
cable to the connector.
E.Connect the other end to your ALDL connec-
tor located under the dash near the steering
column. Make sure this connection is seated
all the way in and that it is secure. You do not
want this cable coming out of the connector
during programming.
F. Turn the ignition key to the "on" or "run" posi-
tion but do not start the vehicle.
G.To begin programming your vehicle, you may
either press the YES button or the A button. If
you press the YES button on the hand-held
unit, this will download the Superchips performance program already stored in the handheld unit. If you press "A", you can alter some
predefined options to suit your needs. These
options are not permanently stored in the
hand-held unit. When power is removed from
the unit, the changes you made will be lost.
H.You only need to press the YES button once
to start the programming cycle. The programming process takes 1 minute and 15 seconds
to complete.
DO NOT DISTURB THE CABLE, OR TURN
THE IGNITION OFF DURING THIS TIME! IF
THE PROGRAMMING IS DISRUPTED YOUR
COMPUTER WILL NOT START OR RUN
YOUR VEHICLE!
I.
The hand-held unit will inform you that the
programming process has completed and to
turn the ignition off and disconnect the cable.
Only at this time should the ignition be turned
off and the cable removed.
since its last spark plug change, it is a good
idea to change the spark plugs now, before
test-driving.
B.Make sure that oil drain to oil pan fitting is
tight and that the engine is filled with factory
specified oil.
C.Make sure radiator and overflow tank are
filled with 50/50 coolant/water mix.
D.Make sure that the vehicle is filled with 91
octane or higher fuel before commencing test
drive.
E.Follow the brake bleeding procedure in the
factory shop manual using Dot 3 brake fluid.
F. Re-install the wheels and torque the lug nuts
to factory specs.
G.With key on, make sure charge air cooler
water pump is operating and that water is
flowing through the surge tank. Fill as necessary. If water is not flowing, remove the hose
from the bottom of the surge tank and lower
until water flows out of hose. This should
prime the pump. Reconnect hose, verify
water flow and top off surge tank. Do not run
the water pump for extended periods (30 seconds or more) without water flow.
H.Check all fitting, nuts, bolt and clamps for
tightness.
I.At this point it is OK to start the vehicle.
WARNING: Do not attempt to operate the vehicle until
ALL components are installed and ALL
operations are completed including final
check. Failure to do so may cause
PREMATURE FAILURE OF MAJOR
COMPONENTS.
J.With engine running, check power steering
hose connections for leakage. Let the engine
run for two minutes. Turn steering wheel in
both directions.
Verify:
• Smooth power assist
• Noiseless operation
• Proper fluid level
• No system leaks
• No bubbles, foam or discoloration in fluid
K.Turn off vehicle and recheck all fluid levels,
verify that no hoses, wires, etc. are near
exhaust headers or moving parts and that
there is no fluid leakage.
L.Verify that the belt, where it passes over the
spring tensioner idler, has a gap between the
edge of the belt and the flange on the plastic
idler. If the belt is touching the flange on the
spring tensioner idler, it is a result of spring
Fig. 19-a
tensioner wear. Either the spring
tensioner must be replaced with a
new one, or the following steps
must be taken:
• The top of the spring tensioner will
be moved towards the back of the
vehicle by shortening its spacer.
Loosen the sleeves on the charge
cooler core and move forward as
far as possible for bolt head
access. Remove the accessory
drive belt from the alternator.
• Remove the spring tensioner idler
and loosen all of the bolts securing the spring tensioner and alternator support plate except the
upper alternator mounting bolt.
• Rotate the pieces up and remove
the spacer from behind the upper
spring tensioner mount. On a
lathe, remove .040" from the
length of the spacer.
• Place a 10mm washer between
the spring tensioner and the alternator support plate/bushing and
reassemble.
• Verify that the belt is tracking
properly with the vehicle running.
NOTE: Make it a habit to check the belt at
each oil change and correct an
improperly tracking belt before it is
damaged.
M. Install a fuel pressure gauge on
the vehicle and verify that the fuel
pressure stays above 50 psi
(especially at redline). If the fuel
pressure drops below this level a
voltage booster must be connected to the fuel pump and adjusted
until the fuel pressure reads at
least 55 psi under full throttle near
redline
full throttle and paying close attention to any
abnormal sounds or engine detonation.
O.Install both of the engine covers by trimming
the passenger side to clear the alternator and
the driver side to clear the idler if necessary.
P. Read the STREET SUPERCHARGER
SYSTEM OWNER’S MANUALAND RETURN
THE WARRANTY REGISTRATION FORM
within thirty (30) days of purchasing your
supercharger system to qualify for the 3 year
limited warranty.
WARNING: Never operate your engine at full throttle
when the engine is cold. Always allow plenty of time for the oil to reach full operating
temperature before running above 2,500
RPM. Full supercharger operating temperature is generally achieved only after the
engine water temperature has been at the
normal indicated operating range for two or
three minutes.