ESS VT2-500 Supercharger Kit Installed! Impressions, pictures, video.

[mfanatic325]

As stated previously by Scott, I believe it's a mix of several factors why his seat won't clear the inner door trim:
1) My Sparco Pro2000 seat is of an older production batch (meeting older FIA certifications, which makes it 0.5" thinner at the shoulders)
2) I am shorter than Scott, and therefore my seating position is closer to the steering wheel (which helps in terms of inner door trim clearance)
3) I personally have Macht Schnell floor mounts, Macht Schnell seatbet receptacle adapter, and the use of what I thought was Sparco sidemounts, but now I'm not totally sure what exactly they are, because my sidemounts seem to have more clearance than Scott's
4) My setup fits in my car, but still hits the inner door trim slightly--enough to put a small crease in it. Scott looked up this part on RealOEM and the retail pricing is somewhere along the lines of $1600 to replace the entire door trim, which seems to be practically one-piece whole.

With all that said, Scott...since you can't return the seat, I'd advise trying to sell it. If you can't sell it, then we'll look into dremeling down the one driver-side shoulder just enough to clear the inner door trim.
Clearance from the door trim is currently THE only issue I see. Which is quite unfortunate in and of itself...

[gcochard]

Originally Posted by Beedub

the problem with the Recaro CS is they weight nearly as much as the stock items, for me, if im going this mod i really want to drop some weight....

Ah yes, 32 vs 19 lbs is pretty big...they are both a good bit off of the 62 pound stock seats though. 86 vs 60 lbs savings.

[iPhoneEngineer]

Originally Posted by mfanatic325

With all that said, Scott...since you can't return the seat, I'd advise trying to sell it. If you can't sell it, then we'll look into dremeling down the one driver-side shoulder just enough to clear the inner door trim.
Clearance from the door trim is currently THE only issue I see. Which is quite unfortunate in and of itself...

I'm beginning to think modifying the seat is actually the best option.

- Selling it, and in particular reshipping it, will be a pain.
- I don't actually have any other seat in mind that would be known to fit and is as comfortable and adjustable as the Pro 2000, which I know to fit me very well.
- Shaving the shoulder area down would not affect how the seat feels to drive. After all, if you are leaning that far on that shoulder, you'll be leaning against the door itself too.


Anyway, seats aside...my newly digitized mirror arrived today! It looks nuts with the new cabling, which are rainbow-covered ribbon cables (but very cleanly installed so they come out of the mirror discreetly, and when installed correctly, will be almost invisible).

[mfanatic325]

haha nice. Well, if you can't find a shop that can help you with the shaving of the shoulder/bolster, I'm down to help out and try your grinder
Mostly to help you save some money of course

I still suggest cutting just a slight slit where the stitching comes together, for the least-intrusive "surgery" possible

For what it's worth, let's say the shoulder is shaped like a "U". We'll shave it so that it becomes a "]", only half of a "U". That should free up at least half an inch worth of clearance. We'll try that first, and then see if anything more dramatic is required.

[Beedub]

clips on???
seats in??
Roasted the tyres in second gear yet??
Really lookinf forward to hearing your s/c @ 10ish psi!!!!!

[iPhoneEngineer]

Originally Posted by Beedub

clips on???
seats in??
Roasted the tyres in second gear yet??
Really lookinf forward to hearing your s/c @ 10ish psi!!!!!

So optimistic!

- Still only the manifold coupler (45º) and its two clamps have been replaced with a thicker coupler and the t-bolt clamps. I have not had time to replace other clamps.
- I don't have a plan of action for the seat. It was a major frustration and I can't re-attempt the project until I have a way to drive it through to completion /for sure/, as it created significant problems that I did not have transportation to work. As yet I've not heard of another seat that would fit without modification that I like (e.g., I don't like the Pole Positions and they're the only true bucket seat I've heard is known to fit). I don't know where to look for someone who can grind fiberglass and haven't had a chance to, anyway.
- 2nd gear provides rock solid traction to redline, as always, if the tarmac is dry. There has been a lot of rain recently, and obviously it can break loose in wet conditions. The coupler and clamp replacement may have made a slight butt-dyno improvement, but nothing dramatic; there is still the characteristic that the car feels like it does not continue to pull harder after about 5kRPM (I know this is the torque peak), and I suspect that the leak is continuing to open up around 5PSI.
- I have not re-video'd boost with the new coupler and clamps. The gauge-outfitted mirror has arrived, but is not wired up; it looks like quite a science project with multiple rainbow-colored ribbon cables sprouting from it. A clean modification, but actually routing the wiring behind the trim panels, and finding places to install the gauge housings (which still contain the controllers that sit between the display and the sender unit) is going to be quite a project. I probably won't be able to do that until the weekend.
- I have the Beltronics STiR+ hardware that goes with the display at the top of the mirror, but it needs professional installation too.

There have been a few things throwing me off recently, including stuff related to a possible change in career direction and the death of Steve Jobs, not to mention the significant build in frustration with the car given the seat troubles (not just me, but also driving my girlfriend crazy). So I've been more or less forced to set it aside for the past week, and probably the next week too. Only so many failures can be tolerated before I need a break!

[ZStig]

Originally Posted by iPhoneEngineer

Only so many failures can be tolerated before I need a break!

thats what this is for

[mfanatic325]

Originally Posted by iPhoneEngineer

There have been a few things throwing me off recently, including stuff related to a possible change in career direction and the death of Steve Jobs, not to mention the significant build in frustration with the car given the seat troubles (not just me, but also driving my girlfriend crazy).

[Beedub]

Originally Posted by iPhoneEngineer

So optimistic!

- Still only the manifold coupler (45º) and its two clamps have been replaced with a thicker coupler and the t-bolt clamps. I have not had time to replace other clamps.
- I don't have a plan of action for the seat. It was a major frustration and I can't re-attempt the project until I have a way to drive it through to completion /for sure/, as it created significant problems that I did not have transportation to work. As yet I've not heard of another seat that would fit without modification that I like (e.g., I don't like the Pole Positions and they're the only true bucket seat I've heard is known to fit). I don't know where to look for someone who can grind fiberglass and haven't had a chance to, anyway.
- 2nd gear provides rock solid traction to redline, as always, if the tarmac is dry. There has been a lot of rain recently, and obviously it can break loose in wet conditions. The coupler and clamp replacement may have made a slight butt-dyno improvement, but nothing dramatic; there is still the characteristic that the car feels like it does not continue to pull harder after about 5kRPM (I know this is the torque peak), and I suspect that the leak is continuing to open up around 5PSI.
- I have not re-video'd boost with the new coupler and clamps. The gauge-outfitted mirror has arrived, but is not wired up; it looks like quite a science project with multiple rainbow-colored ribbon cables sprouting from it. A clean modification, but actually routing the wiring behind the trim panels, and finding places to install the gauge housings (which still contain the controllers that sit between the display and the sender unit) is going to be quite a project. I probably won't be able to do that until the weekend.
- I have the Beltronics STiR+ hardware that goes with the display at the top of the mirror, but it needs professional installation too.

There have been a few things throwing me off recently, including stuff related to a possible change in career direction and the death of Steve Jobs, not to mention the significant build in frustration with the car given the seat troubles (not just me, but also driving my girlfriend crazy). So I've been more or less forced to set it aside for the past week, and probably the next week too. Only so many failures can be tolerated before I need a break!

yeah i understand sometimes life just has to take centre stage, especially when these things just refuse to go our way..... ive been out of action for a few weeks after a good friend crashed his car into a tree and died at the scene....... everything else just seemed to pale into insignificance...........

[mfanatic325]

Originally Posted by Beedub

ive been out of action for a few weeks after a good friend crashed his car into a tree and died at the scene....... everything else just seemed to pale into insignificance...........

my condolences...
This is why I tell my close friends to keep that shit on the track only. And if there's a need for speed, just keep it well at-bay. Can't go too crazy on public roads. Just way too dangerous

[iPhoneEngineer]

Updates:

- I'm replacing the S/C output clamps with two T-Bolt clamps because that is the one area that was known to have a leak with recent testing. It did not leak with the two worm-type clamps but our machine may not have produced as much pressure as full boost. I'm convinced the kit is still leaking at higher boost as output levels off dramatically after 6kRPM.
- The keys are working again. The dealer was able to fix them in some manner; surprisingly, they now have significantly longer range, too. See my other thread about this.
- The dealership indeed replaced my broken cupholder for free, even though it was broken before the overpriced windshield repair .
- The seat is still not installed, but my only reasonable option here will be to grind down/cut the fiberglass shoulder area so it clears the door.
- I'm going to attempt to route the mirror gauge wiring through the trim tomorrow, or at least temporarily hook up the boost gauge. Another bung needs to be welded on for the AFR's wideband sensor, and I'm not going to attempt the full Beltronics STiR+ radar detector install myself either, so those two gauges will be a few more weeks.

[iPhoneEngineer]

So the 2.75" T-Bolt clamps that Roffle recommended are too big for the S/C outlet coupler. Works great on the thick HPS coupler, but my deepest socket bottomed out and I'm not sure it will be tight enough even if I use a wrench for the rest of the way, since the two sides of the T-Bolt assembly are almost touching. I now see what Beedub was talking about regarding there not being enough space for T-Bolt clamps; it's really tough to work on the lower part of the S/C outlet coupler, even with several other components removed (what's the little vertically-oriented electric motor bolted to the chassis?).

I'm not sure if local auto parts stores carry T-Bolt clamps; I've been shocked at other things they lack, like a good selection of vacuum hoses. In any event I'm reluctant to use the worm gear clamp again and meanwhile I can't drive the car, so we'll have to take the Civic Hybrid for today's activities .

[ZStig]

ahhhh shit, sorry for the bad recommendation, they fit my HPS coupler perfectly. Must be some variation between manufacturers. Any good speedshop will have them. Call around

[Beedub]

Originally Posted by iPhoneEngineer

So the 2.75" T-Bolt clamps that Roffle recommended are too big for the S/C outlet coupler. Works great on the thick HPS coupler, but my deepest socket bottomed out and I'm not sure it will be tight enough even if I use a wrench for the rest of the way, since the two sides of the T-Bolt assembly are almost touching. I now see what Beedub was talking about regarding there not being enough space for T-Bolt clamps; it's really tough to work on the lower part of the S/C outlet coupler, even with several other components removed (what's the little vertically-oriented electric motor bolted to the chassis?).

I'm not sure if local auto parts stores carry T-Bolt clamps; I've been shocked at other things they lack, like a good selection of vacuum hoses. In any event I'm reluctant to use the worm gear clamp again and meanwhile I can't drive the car, so we'll have to take the Civic Hybrid for today's activities .

that little electric motor is something to do with the water circuit, i havent removed mine to inspect it but its got coolant hoses routed to it.....
yeh the t bolts style clamps for me arnt the best solution for our application, ill go with tension type units which are still relatively thin and get tighter with heat cycling..... im glad we made the decision to clock the blower, makes life a breeze and free's up ALOT of space..., its still tight so i cant imagine what it must be like with the blower unclocked...Clamp wise my stock ess clamps hold boost just fine.... sometimes its better not to fix sumet if its not broken ;-)

ill swap mine out next year and document it thoroughly, unfortunatly it seems i wont be using my car for a while, winter is begining to grip and work is getting hectic so the car is pretty much going to be unused for a good few months now as i dont use it in bad weather (garage queen i know!!)

iphone ive said it all along i genuinely think their is something thats being missed with you kit, to have such a massive boost leak from such a simple boost circuit just doesnt make sense, ive removed my entire boostpipe work within 1 hr and on re fitting, no leaks as before, i genuinely thing their is something being missed somewhere....... i think whatever pulley you put on the leak just gets bigger with more pressure leaving you with the same performance eitherway, once boost begins on my car, its very strong, high rev situations just make me feel uneasy at times at the sheer pace of the thing......

either way i genuinely pray you get to the bottom of this....... i must commend you on your attitude to the whole thing, i wish i could be so realxed, their was times when my car was out of action for months, due to a faultly blower, oil leaks from oil cooler lines, and at times i genuinely felt like giving up.... so well done...!!

[jragan]

Originally Posted by iPhoneEngineer

The keys are working again. The dealer was able to fix them in some manner; surprisingly, they now have significantly longer range, too. See my other thread about this.
- I'm going to attempt to route the mirror gauge wiring through the trim tomorrow...

Did you send Scott your mirror or did he modify a new one that you'd then swap for? I ask because the key/alarm remote antenna is built into the mirror and it's a known that swapping from the older oval-style to the newer squarer-style dramatically improves the range of the key fob. So if the range increased after swapping mirrors, then I wonder if it's because you're now on the newer squarer-style or if Scott re-arranged the antenna lead somehow as to improve the fob range...

[iPhoneEngineer]

Originally Posted by jragan

Did you send Scott your mirror or did he modify a new one that you'd then swap for? I ask because the key/alarm remote antenna is built into the mirror and it's a known that swapping from the older oval-style to the newer squarer-style dramatically improves the range of the key fob. So if the range increased after swapping mirrors, then I wonder if it's because you're now on the newer squarer-style or if Scott re-arranged the antenna lead somehow as to improve the fob range...

He modified my OEM oval-style one. Good to confirm that's where the antenna is; given that my keys are still old and tired, I have little doubt that he adjusted the antenna in a way that significantly improved the range. It may be getting some EMF pickup from the other, long cables that now emerge from the mirror.

[iPhoneEngineer]

Originally Posted by Beedub

yeh the t bolts style clamps for me arnt the best solution for our application, ill go with tension type units which are still relatively thin and get tighter with heat cycling..... im glad we made the decision to clock the blower, makes life a breeze and free's up ALOT of space..., its still tight so i cant imagine what it must be like with the blower unclocked...Clamp wise my stock ess clamps hold boost just fine.... sometimes its better not to fix sumet if its not broken ;-)

What did you have to do to clock the blower, a custom alternator mount? By visually inspecting it with Aleks we determined it was /almost/ possible to rotate it, but other components would get in the way. It would definitely solve a lot! The stock clamps that came with BOTH Roffle's and my kit were NOT sufficient; we both had boost leaks with them tightened down. They are clearly cheap, low-quality clamps and I'll remind you that you mentioned they are different than yours.

Frankly I'm really pissed about this because it indicates they downgraded the clips to save money. I have spent so many hours of worry and labor trying to resolve the issue which probably would have never happened if appropriate clamps were included. Aside from that, ESS has not reimbursed me for the expenses that they promised to (e.g. rental car), even though I sent them an invoice--twice.

Clamp update:
- I finished tightening down the 2.75" T-Bolt (on the bottom part of the S/C coupler) with a wrench, but it wasn't tight enough, so I went through the literally hundreds of motions to get the damn thing off (only enough space for a couple of ratchet clicks per cycle, meanwhile with another hand in so tight to hold the clamp still it's practically without circulation :-P).
- I had to reinstall the 50-60mm worm type clamp. I quickly discovered these are a real pain to tighten, because they go through cycles of the screw being too hard to turn by hand, and then a half-turn later, so loose that the ratchet won't click without loosening the screw. I switched to a stubby screwdriver a few times during the agonizingly slow saga, but it requires even more stabilization of the clamp with the other hand that can barely get access to it.
- Decided to install a second, 60-80mm worm type clamp. This turned out to be a regrettable mistake--it took absolutely forever to get it tight, and then I discovered it would barely hold before the screw clicked back a row. Great.
- The 2.75" T-Bolt fit pretty well on the S/C outlet itself.

I'm extremely reluctant to take the intake area apart again to install a 2.5" T-Bolt clamp (if I order some) at the lower part of the coupler, though I probably should. Fortunately though, some progress was made after the 2-3 solid hours of work leaning over the car--the T-Bolt on the upper S/C outlet coupler, and assurance that the worm type clamp on the lower part of the coupler is definitely tighter than it was before (the 50-60mm one; the 60-80mm one behind it is holding a bit, but not as tightly as I would want).

[Beedub]

Originally Posted by iPhoneEngineer

What did you have to do to clock the blower, a custom alternator mount? By visually inspecting it with Aleks we determined it was /almost/ possible to rotate it, but other components would get in the way. It would definitely solve a lot! The stock clamps that came with BOTH Roffle's and my kit were NOT sufficient; we both had boost leaks with them tightened down. They are clearly cheap, low-quality clamps and I'll remind you that you mentioned they are different than yours.

Frankly I'm really pissed about this because it indicates they downgraded the clips to save money. I have spent so many hours of worry and labor trying to resolve the issue which probably would have never happened if appropriate clamps were included. Aside from that, ESS has not reimbursed me for the expenses that they promised to (e.g. rental car), even though I sent them an invoice--twice.

Clamp update:
- I finished tightening down the 2.75" T-Bolt (on the bottom part of the S/C coupler) with a wrench, but it wasn't tight enough, so I went through the literally hundreds of motions to get the damn thing off (only enough space for a couple of ratchet clicks per cycle, meanwhile with another hand in so tight to hold the clamp still it's practically without circulation :-P).
- I had to reinstall the 50-60mm worm type clamp. I quickly discovered these are a real pain to tighten, because they go through cycles of the screw being too hard to turn by hand, and then a half-turn later, so loose that the ratchet won't click without loosening the screw. I switched to a stubby screwdriver a few times during the agonizingly slow saga, but it requires even more stabilization of the clamp with the other hand that can barely get access to it.
- Decided to install a second, 60-80mm worm type clamp. This turned out to be a regrettable mistake--it took absolutely forever to get it tight, and then I discovered it would barely hold before the screw clicked back a row. Great.
- The 2.75" T-Bolt fit pretty well on the S/C outlet itself.

I'm extremely reluctant to take the intake area apart again to install a 2.5" T-Bolt clamp (if I order some) at the lower part of the coupler, though I probably should. Fortunately though, some progress was made after the 2-3 solid hours of work leaning over the car--the T-Bolt on the upper S/C outlet coupler, and assurance that the worm type clamp on the lower part of the coupler is definitely tighter than it was before (the 50-60mm one; the 60-80mm one behind it is holding a bit, but not as tightly as I would want).

absolutly nothing on the car needs to be modded to clock the blower, the blower needs to come off the car and the bolts on the compressor side are removed, you then rotate the compressor housing to give you more clearance, why your shop would say this a problem i dont know??? We simply did alittle trial and error, yes the first few times we rotated the housing way to much and had to adjust it, in the end we got a perfect medium........ if you get change have a go, its really simple, i reckon in about 1 hr it could be done and installed back on, the time comes to getting the right position.

Re the clamps, mine a definatly different and have a brand "ZEBRA" stamped on them..... i noticed in one of pics, your clips have the cross sections cut out where mine were solid, sadly i have no pic that show them properly, the are substantial clips however..... Correct me if im wrong, are my clamps infact different to yours?? lets nail this one now :-)



ess need to pay your invoices if thats what they said they would do......

[ZStig]

I don't think you need to remove any piping to change clamps, just completely unscrew the thing so the 2 ends aren't touching, and slide it over the pipe. Unless fitment is an issue..

[iPhoneEngineer]

Originally Posted by Roffle Waffle

I don't think you need to remove any piping to change clamps, just completely unscrew the thing so the 2 ends aren't touching, and slide it over the pipe. Unless fitment is an issue..

Yes, I've been disconnecting the two sides of the clamps. The problem for me is that the space to turn the screw/nut on the clamps, whether worm gear screw or T-Bolt clamp, is extremely limited and so it takes a lot of time and effort to get between mating the two edges together and full tightness...especially because the clamp has to be held still once it's reasonably loose. If there's only room for 2 ratchet clicks and one hand, and another hand barely can get a couple fingers in to hold it still, it's a real ordeal!

Anyway, some exciting stuff on the way: I've been taking GoPro videos, and have even mounted a dedicated 96kHz/24-bit high-quality audio recorder under the hood! It will probably take a few runs to get the audio gain right, in particular, and determine if I need to use the wind muff or not...without setting it on fire, lol. Also, while the only easy placement is on the exhaust side, the intake side would probably produce a better sound overall (more balanced with S/C whine and intake rush being picked up well aside from the vicious exhaust).

The mountain route I commute on every day is truly extraordinary and I can't wait to share it with you guys! It's the true use of my car, and I think once you see it you will much better understand some of my comments about really relying on the midrange powerband and being less concerned about top-end output.

Since the few clamps I've changed, I do notice better performance at the top-end, but it still levels off to an extent greater than it should. Nonetheless I'm very happy with the car below 6kRPM which is the vast majority of my need for the S54's services.

[Beedub]

Originally Posted by iPhoneEngineer

Yes, I've been disconnecting the two sides of the clamps. The problem for me is that the space to turn the screw/nut on the clamps, whether worm gear screw or T-Bolt clamp, is extremely limited and so it takes a lot of time and effort to get between mating the two edges together and full tightness...especially because the clamp has to be held still once it's reasonably loose. If there's only room for 2 ratchet clicks and one hand, and another hand barely can get a couple fingers in to hold it still, it's a real ordeal!

Anyway, some exciting stuff on the way: I've been taking GoPro videos, and have even mounted a dedicated 96kHz/24-bit high-quality audio recorder under the hood! It will probably take a few runs to get the audio gain right, in particular, and determine if I need to use the wind muff or not...without setting it on fire, lol. Also, while the only easy placement is on the exhaust side, the intake side would probably produce a better sound overall (more balanced with S/C whine and intake rush being picked up well aside from the vicious exhaust).

The mountain route I commute on every day is truly extraordinary and I can't wait to share it with you guys! It's the true use of my car, and I think once you see it you will much better understand some of my comments about really relying on the midrange powerband and being less concerned about top-end output.

Since the few clamps I've changed, I do notice better performance at the top-end, but it still levels off to an extent greater than it should. Nonetheless I'm very happy with the car below 6kRPM which is the vast majority of my need for the S54's services.

awesome stuff i literally cant wait for some of those clips!!

[iPhoneEngineer]

Originally Posted by Beedub

awesome stuff i literally cant wait for some of those clips!!

If the audio from today comes out well (it's my first under-hood test; audio from inside the car is really not great no matter what I've done), I will try to post a video tonight or tomorrow morning.