RembaSS 1SG Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 As many of you all may recall I purchased CHASE04s Vortech supercharger system in July with its spare T-trim head. I waited until it got here to see what else I would need. Most everything was there. He was very accommodating with his experience. I opted to install this beast myself and that was probably my first and worst mistake. I thought I was mechanically inclined enough for the task. I have fixed HMMWVs in Iraq with almost nothing at hand. I digress. Sit back, grab a beer, and try not to laugh too hard. One good thing is I have gotten very intimate with my SS. I have been doing this over weekends for about 4 weeks. My first obstacle was dropping the gas tank and replacing the stock fuel pump with the Walbro 255 lph. My 2-ton jacks allowed just enough room to get the tank out…if any one does this ensure your tank is almost empty…mine had about 13 gallons in it. Once I dropped the tank getting the guts out of the tank was a bitch. Once finished getting it back in was even worse, I just did not have the room. -changed the stock fuel injectors for 60lbers and they went in quite easy. Once I put the fuel rails back on figured out they were the longer version. I fixed this by using spacers and longer 10mm bolts. -relocated the battery to the back because it would not fit in the upper left tray area. -installed the icebox (Chase’s) to the area where the Volant was this was the easiest thing I did. -installed the Lightning intercooler heat exchanger behind the bumper (and only figured this out after finding pictures of Chase’s truck when he first installed it). -changing the pulleys were okay but exhausting in 100 degree weather, not easy. -getting the air ducts to match the rear of the compressor and under it to the air intake where the battery used to be was a bitch. In the 2005 SS, the CPU/PCM is installed under the battery and I cannot figure out where or how to move it. Some flex cable help fix this. -vacuum pump did not need to be moved, but followed the direction any way and the pump would not fit where the direction said it would go, so I put it back. -finally the worst part of the build was getting the hole drilled in the oil pan. I saved it for last. First, I figured a 90’ drill head might work. The 9/16 arbor rotabroach was not included. Research on other sites said a 9/16 wood bore bit could do the trick just make sure I fish the plug out. This barely reached. Once done, the tap would not grab correctly. I tried everything. -The point that I had everything else done, I rigged the air intake above the icebox where the MAF was at the time, and had the oildrain hose draining into a cup, I started the engine and it ran but rough, I saw liquid giesering and realized I had a horrible fuel leak at the crossover tube. When I was replacing the fuel injectors I had to remove the crossover tube because the quick disconnect tool would not disconnect the fuel line. Called the local dealer and an old man (after giving me a hard time about messing up such a nice truck) ordered “O” rings for me for a whopping $45. Once that was fixed it ran but rough, the oildrain line was flowing very fast so I shut off the truck and recycled the cheap oil. -The realization that I would have to drop the pan made me cringe; thankfully for this website I found some shortcuts to drop the pan. By removing only the four bolts attaching the diff to the truck I was able to lower the front diff a few inches I had enough room to get it out (oh, I have now purchased 3 ton jacks and stands now I have plenty of room to work). Once I got the pan out (and good thing I did, it had a dime size plug from the 9/16 wood bore in the bottom of the pan), oh a magnet will not pick up the shavings, there aluminum. But I found out that our drain plug has a magnet on the end of it. After trying to retap this by hand, I tried to use sealant and as I was reinstalling the pan, I not only got the oil level sensor plug caught in the oilpan crushing it good, I broke the sealant seal on the oildrain point. I wasn’t even drinking! I had to remove the pan once again and finally took it to a performance shop and he wouldn’t fix the touch it. Aluminum is a bitch to weld, as he says and if memory serves from high school. He referred me to a feed store and that man was the bomb. He not only refilled my screw-up job, he moved the hole closer to the front, built up the area so there was about ½ inch of aluminum and opposed to the ¼ inch which means more threads and tapped the hole perfectly for me. Cost? $20 bucks I was so happy I gave him $30. Bottomline, drop the pan and get a professional to do it. It is now on and getting the front diff to realign is a pain in the butt [The time spent on this project was nearly twice what it took me to do everything else combined]. It also did not help that my drive way is about 5-6 degree grade so not only was I trying to work above me I was trying to keep myself from rolling down hill, head first. Very exhausting. -I started it up this evening and it is running but rough. I think I still have vacuum and/or air issues…but it is running. -Hindsight being 20/20 make sure if you do this you do your research. Vortech said the 2003-04 Vortech was really set up for the 2005 but I made it fit. Before I purchased the supercharger I also bought the McGaughey 2/3.5” deluxe drop for the truck and think I will have it professionally installed. My wife has been dogging me for the last two weeks and even offered to let my buy the 2010 Camaro SS I had at first wanted. She has offered to pay for the drop herself…However, I persevere. I will post picks when I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caddy03pimpin Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 good stuff man you installed it already was wondering when you were going to put it on, it took us about an hour and half to take the whole kit off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmahan Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 sounds like a fun project. hell if i was at hood i would help ya brother. good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
04CHASE Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 glad i could be of some help . i dont know how we tapped the pan on the truck but we did. i remember it was the hardest part of the dam install. i do have to say the vortech is probably the most involved of the blower kit for our trucks . but it looks great and performs as well. good luck with it and post up progress and pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackbeast ss Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 hahaha im sure everybody has ran into problems with mod installs....you have to be extremely patience when working on cars....when i run into a wall or my brain overheats i step back and go in the house play with my boy or sit back relax and drink a dosx (more like a six pack)THAT REALLY HELPS the thing i hate doing to my truck is dropping the trans,my hands have alot of scars from dropping that pos .....but after a couple of drops its not that bad(but still hate it) GOOD YOU GOT IT STARTED!!!!!grab some carb or brake cleaner and start spraying down some vacum hoses to find the leak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zbishop80 Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 I have been doing this over weekends for about 4 weeks. My first obstacle was dropping the gas tank and replacing the stock fuel pump with the Walbro 255 lph. My 2-ton jacks allowed just enough room to get the tank out…if any one does this ensure your tank is almost empty…mine had about 13 gallons in it. Once I dropped the tank getting the guts out of the tank was a bitch. Once finished getting it back in was even worse, I just did not have the room. I know this is a day late and quite a few dollars short but in the future when you are going to replace the in tank fuel pump on our trucks (and any other truck for that matter) its ton easier to remove the entire bed from the frame. Its been my expeience that removing the 4 bolts that hold the bed to the frame plus removing the grounding strap to the goose neck, and grabbing 3 other buddies to help you lift the bed makes life alot easier. This way your not messing around with draining the tank and trying to jimmy it from the truck. I did this on my 99 short bed and had the fuel pump replaced in about 2 hours time. Just wanted to help out a little for the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2bfast Posted September 27, 2009 Report Share Posted September 27, 2009 I know this is a day late and quite a few dollars short but in the future when you are going to replace the in tank fuel pump on our trucks (and any other truck for that matter) its ton easier to remove the entire bed from the frame. Its been my expeience that removing the 4 bolts that hold the bed to the frame plus removing the grounding strap to the goose neck, and grabbing 3 other buddies to help you lift the bed makes life alot easier. This way your not messing around with draining the tank and trying to jimmy it from the truck. I did this on my 99 short bed and had the fuel pump replaced in about 2 hours time. Just wanted to help out a little for the future. When we did the 3/4 drop on my truck, dropping the tank wasnt that bad I thought. My buddy unbolted and bolted everything up while I dropped it and put it back up into position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RembaSS 1SG Posted September 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2009 Okay guys, thanks for the advice and encouragement...now I need help. When I tested the engine before I put the oil drain line in it ran rough, but it ran for about 3-4 minutes. I did not have the MAF routed to the drivers side yet, I did not have the PCV inplace, I did not have the IAT sensor in place but it still started, ran but was real choppy like I had an air way problem. Flashforward two weeks, everything is in place, except the IAT sensor (trying to figure out where it goes). However, today with the new PCV in place all the airway intact, oil line in, everything done. The engine almost did not start, black/dark gray smoke came blowing out of the pipes, and it runs more rough now (when it runs), and only when I have the throttle on. I tried to reprogram it but to no avail. Only trouble code is the EVAP code but I am sure I plugged the EVAP module on top of the tank...I must have because it ran better during the test run a few weeks ago. I think I am running very rich, I smell fuel everywhere (as do my neighbors) but I have no leaks Questions one could I have the wrong PCV? would this do it? Is the lack of an open element IAT sensor the culprit? My MAF is running fine, I guess. Any help would be great. TIA, Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
04CHASE Posted September 28, 2009 Report Share Posted September 28, 2009 the iat sensor goes on the intake just before the tb , on the under side. the evap sensor is usually near the tb on the intake manifold. check plug there, make sure your hard plastic line is not broken. not sure if the evap will cause a rich condtion , not likly but i know i recently had mine unplugged and i have been running rich but im still on a very rought base tune. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RembaSS 1SG Posted September 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2009 Thanks, Chase. I was just finishing some research and saw another post where you mentioned the IAT location. As for the EVAP, I will look into it. It was just weird that it ran fine but rough when I was testing the engine when the Air intake was hooked up in its original configuration. However, with the ice box in the way it was kind of snorkled above it just to see if it would run. Then I would modify. It ran choppy but now it is crazy and it wont even idle. I have seen plenty of threads on this site tonight where it might be a wiring issue when I relocated the MAF. idle relearn, etc. If memory serves most of the wires were 18 gauge except for two they were 14 and 12 (power and ground respectively). I wanted to keep the extension in different colors. Could that have also confused the PCM? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAYRAY25 Posted September 29, 2009 Report Share Posted September 29, 2009 You're braver than I am in more ways than one. Props to you for taking on a tough install and those bastards over seas. Thanks for your service and god bless!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detjoe Posted October 11, 2009 Report Share Posted October 11, 2009 the only confusion in the PCM would be some funky tuning. I would try to get it connected to computer for some logs of it running. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RembaSS 1SG Posted November 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 Thought I would jump back in here and give you all an update. I finally had Sunshine Performance do a tune on my truck and he talked me into a HP TUNE (which he placed into my 7193) got it back a few hours later and it was all better. He gave me a "street tune" and invited me back a few weeks later to do some WOT tuning. So he told me to keep it under WOT until then. Well in the last week I missed that appointment and because of the weather have noticed a rough idle at low rpm. It also shifts bone jarringly firm at 3000-4000 rpms. The spark advance normally around 30-39 drops to around 6-19, this in turn makes the truck unpredicatably rough and from time to time dies. While in the 2000-3000 rpm it is fine but still feels a surge/or miss from time to time. I have purchased the LC1 and XD16 but have not installed it yet. Am scheduled to see him this week. What are some of the questions I should ask him, the obvious ones that come to mind are: 1) why the rough idle at low rpm-is it normal 2) why am I throwing a MAF code, with a clean/oiled filter, tight fittings and no vacuum/pcv leaks? 3) and when will I be about to see the huge gains I thought I would. I can feel the torque and speed but am a little hesitant to get on it. Any help from you guys would be awesome. Lastly, what do you all in cold weather areas use to keep your icebox/heat exchanger from freezing in the lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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