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

[iPhoneEngineer]

Originally Posted by Beedub

tom just hit 9psi ;-) with his peak boost pictures just posted....

we just need to work together to get your kit sorted now?? whats happening??

Holy crap, hadn't seen his thread yet...I'm still wanting to confirm his pulley is the exact same size as mine, since that would really help determine the magnitude of my leak.

I figured out the right way to adjust the BPV--feel like an idiot for not seeing it before, but the nut is just a locking nut and the stud needs to be adjusted with a hex key. So I'm experimenting with different settings to minimize the horribly annoying whine it makes in regular driving conditions. However, AJ says the adjustments should have no impact on behavior of the BPV in boost--it's only the tipping point when the BPV is under vacuum, and any setting should still hold boost.

I'm in touch with Alekshop since the only other idea is to inspect the boost pipework that is obscured by the bumper. I'm not sure, maybe I should just remove the bumper myself to check it. As I've mentioned, I've already carefully inspected every coupler I can get to with the bumper on the car and found everything tight with good overlap of the coupler and the pipes/manifold/ITBs/etc.

I now have a new DynoJet place located that should be a perfect venue for my next run--a very reputable shop with a high-quality AFR monitoring unit, and current-generation in-ground DynoJet. However nothing has changed yet to be worth doing a new dyno.

Any suggestions, guys? I will check the compressor blades when I get a chance but I really think the probability of this being the problem is zero; the filter has been firmly attached and the amount of boost loss is more significant than could be expected even if some damage had occurred to this young S/C.

[Beedub]

Originally Posted by iPhoneEngineer

Holy crap, hadn't seen his thread yet...I'm still wanting to confirm his pulley is the exact same size as mine, since that would really help determine the magnitude of my leak.

I figured out the right way to adjust the BPV--feel like an idiot for not seeing it before, but the nut is just a locking nut and the stud needs to be adjusted with a hex key. So I'm experimenting with different settings to minimize the horribly annoying whine it makes in regular driving conditions. However, AJ says the adjustments should have no impact on behavior of the BPV in boost--it's only the tipping point when the BPV is under vacuum, and any setting should still hold boost.

I'm in touch with Alekshop since the only other idea is to inspect the boost pipework that is obscured by the bumper. I'm not sure, maybe I should just remove the bumper myself to check it. As I've mentioned, I've already carefully inspected every coupler I can get to with the bumper on the car and found everything tight with good overlap of the coupler and the pipes/manifold/ITBs/etc.

I now have a new DynoJet place located that should be a perfect venue for my next run--a very reputable shop with a high-quality AFR monitoring unit, and current-generation in-ground DynoJet. However nothing has changed yet to be worth doing a new dyno.

Any suggestions, guys? I will check the compressor blades when I get a chance but I really think the probability of this being the problem is zero; the filter has been firmly attached and the amount of boost loss is more significant than could be expected even if some damage had occurred to this young S/C.

if your take your undertray off you can easily inspect the lower boost pipes ;-)

i personally would get the bpv inspected, if thats turns out perfect then the boost pipework, if that turns out ok then, that can only leave one thing really cant it?????

i just want this sorted.... now. remove your undertray and easy easy access to all lower pipework... Re your compressor blades, i wasnt worried about running filterless, it was more some of the noises you were hearing early on in your install.......

[Finnegan]

Originally Posted by Beedub

if your take your undertray off you can easily inspect the lower boost pipes ;-)

i personally would get the bpv inspected, if thats turns out perfect then the boost pipework, if that turns out ok then, that can only leave one thing really cant it?????

i just want this sorted.... now. remove your undertray and easy easy access to all lower pipework... Re your compressor blades, i wasnt worried about running filterless, it was more some of the noises you were hearing early on in your install.......

Exactly, diagnosis by ruling things out.

[iPhoneEngineer]

Ok great, I didn't think you could get to all the couplers with just the undertray off. I may have to wait until the weekend though because it is a huge pain getting the car up-- it doesn't clear rhino ramps as others have said it does, and they always slip if wood extensions are used. My floor jack doesn't clear so I will buy a new one soon that does.

I am now adjusting the BPV with every drive and already have it substantially less annoying.

I am convinced the earlier screech was belt slip--it was occurring after a good 700 miles of break-in, then immediately disappeared when the right crankshaft pulley allowed proper belt tension. I don't want to upset the position of the intake pipe which was previously hitting the hood, so I will keep assuming the S/C is internally sound for now...unless I don't find a problem with the lower pipe work, then I'll take high resolution macro photographs of the compressor blades.

[ZStig]

If you wanna pay for shipping, I can see what kind of boost I run with your BPV. But I'd do a thorough check of piping first

[Beedub]

Originally Posted by iPhoneEngineer

Ok great, I didn't think you could get to all the couplers with just the undertray off. I may have to wait until the weekend though because it is a huge pain getting the car up-- it doesn't clear rhino ramps as others have said it does, and they always slip if wood extensions are used. My floor jack doesn't clear so I will buy a new one soon that does.

I am now adjusting the BPV with every drive and already have it substantially less annoying.

I am convinced the earlier screech was belt slip--it was occurring after a good 700 miles of break-in, then immediately disappeared when the right crankshaft pulley allowed proper belt tension. I don't want to upset the position of the intake pipe which was previously hitting the hood, so I will keep assuming the S/C is internally sound for now...unless I don't find a problem with the lower pipe work, then I'll take high resolution macro photographs of the compressor blades.

yeah the bumper needs to come off for filter servicing...... however with the car on ramps every single lower boost pipe is completly accessible, theirs one part where the hoses passes through the front crossmember section where the hose/pipe is butted up HARD against a sharpish section.... if i ever get low boost, im going straight their ;-) wink wink

Re the cig lighter, ive relocated mine to the panel under the stereo where the AUX plug in is, why, because its out of sight, looks oem and that panel is like 10 bucks to replace.........

[Beedub]

[iPhoneEngineer]

So the BOV I requested from ESS (offered to pay for it if it does NOT solve the problem) arrived today. It is lacking the block-off plate I reminded them would be necessary to close off the port in the S/C intake the BPV recirculates to, so I haven't decided if I'm going to install it yet.

However I did remove the BPV and got access to the intake manifold joint which is called out by AJ as being the main source of boost leaks in this kit, as well as a frustration for several VT2-500 installs. I have a replacement coupler of much higher grade silicone hose, but the gap is a lot smaller than I expected. I will post pictures shortly; before I cut a bunch off of my new coupler, I want to make sure that at least Beedub or Roffle Waffle can confirm the spacing between the charge pipe and the intake manifold should be this small or if I should leave substantial extra room so that the charge pipe can be adjusted further down if necessary later.

[iPhoneEngineer]

Old coupler, which had some pretty serious scratches/damage but I confirmed they did not compromise the seal of the coupler at any point and the coupler was very secure with sufficient overlap:




Comparison of old and new couplers--huge length difference:



Gap between pipes is relatively small compared to tales of having trouble getting the original coupler to fit:




Random pic showing the lower couplers seem to be in good shape:

[iPhoneEngineer]

AJ is telling me that the hesitation on part-throttle is due to my Active Autowerke Gen IV headers not getting a good wideband read. Funny, since the ESS N/A tune worked great with them and had no such issues... He says they cannot diagnose or fix any such tune issues.

I am not about to swap the headers again; it was a huge pain in the ass. Talk about feeling stuck. I hope I can at least resolve the boost issues, but it sucks balls that my kit is never going to run perfectly and ESS is not willing to adjust the tune for a slightly different wideband read in a very specific situation.

[iPhoneEngineer]

I installed the BOV but did not change the coupler because I saw literally no way I would be able to maneuver the new one into place even if cut to size, at least with a reasonable overlap, because it is much thicker and less flexible than the kit one. I needed to deform the kit one significantly to get it to clear the second pipe after getting it on one of them. Once I'm confident the pipes are in the right position and won't be adjusted (when I inspect the routing from below), I can cut the coupler pretty aggressively and probably get it to fit.

The BOV itself unfortunately could not bolt on without some drilling on one of the bolt holes. I tried valiantly, but it could not be done. I could see that with one bolt in, the other hole was only half-aligned. Also, examining the holes on the BOV, one of them was closer to the edge of the flange than the other, implying it was improperly machined. Anyway, I got it to fit securely and used several layers of masking tape to cover the recirculation port on the S/C intake. Not necessarily expecting the boost problem to be fixed when I drive it tomorrow, but hoping at least the annoying part-throttle BPV whistle doesn't apply to the BOV too . [I was able to adjust the BPV in a way that improved where the whistle occurs in the throttle/RPM combinations, but it's still annoying]

I bought a new set of spark plugs and a plug socket based on Roffle's experience; hoping they will help power through the part-throttle deceleration issue with stronger ignition. Maybe I should upgrade to those Okada coils that Beedub has mentioned... For anyone with an S54 interested in a new set of plugs, I found them cheapest on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GZEU82 and a great plug socket: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0014ZVSVK

[ZStig]

My airbox is angled a bit high, according to ESS, since the hood was hitting the BPV, so the gap for the coupler looked bigger than yours. I think originally Alekshop installed it like my shop, but it seems like they corrected the alignment. It looks like you have enough "meat" on the stock coupler, since there is more of it sticking out past the clamps on the bottom versus the top. I'm gonna have my airbox also pointed more down, but I intend to use the thicker aftermarket coupler which I bought (trimmed 2" at the top end)

Strange that the BOV wasn't a bolt-on...

[Beedub]

Originally Posted by iPhoneEngineer

AJ is telling me that the hesitation on part-throttle is due to my Active Autowerke Gen IV headers not getting a good wideband read. Funny, since the ESS N/A tune worked great with them and had no such issues... He says they cannot diagnose or fix any such tune issues.

I am not about to swap the headers again; it was a huge pain in the ass. Talk about feeling stuck. I hope I can at least resolve the boost issues, but it sucks balls that my kit is never going to run perfectly and ESS is not willing to adjust the tune for a slightly different wideband read in a very specific situation.

mmm sorry i dont agree with ess here.....

Fr8tdog has different headers and a perfectly heathly running vt2 kit, he has the supersprint headers..... if some headers dont work with the kit ess really need to state that at the time of buying the kit in clear print, im guessing those headers were a significant cost?? anyway i dont understand why the headers would cause a different wideband reading??? if thats the case the us to euro would cause a different reading as they flow very differently ;-)

Fr8tdog DEFINATLY has non bmw headers working with his kit... and his car is making the most power out of all of us with his high boost pulley and meth injection......

btw your BOV is the wrong way round, it should point downwards so i doesnt injest junk ;-) Re the bov, that should be a straigh fit as the flanges are identical??? could that point to an issue??? maybe a poorly fitting bpv from the off??? but your bov should definatly be pointing downwards, hows the sound?? what type of sound does it make??

re the coupler mine just didnt get a good seal imo, so we lengthened the pipe and now the stock ess hose fits perfectly with LOADS of overlap either end, my intake is mounted as low as it can go which is low, this allows for even a strutbrace to be fitted with loads of clearance.

byron...

p.s...... the headers causing a problem??? maybe?? BUT ess imo should retune the car, it will take them no time and i feel their is a lack of info on which parts NOT to use... you shouldnt be penalised for that......

excuse my poor grammer on in the iphone ;-)

[iPhoneEngineer]

Originally Posted by Beedub

btw your BOV is the wrong way round, it should point downwards so i doesnt injest junk ;-) Re the bov, that should be a straigh fit as the flanges are identical??? could that point to an issue??? maybe a poorly fitting bpv from the off??? but your bov should definatly be pointing downwards, hows the sound?? what type of sound does it make??

About the BOV--I was of course thinking about which way to mount it.

1) When the car is running, debris usually comes from the bottom. I do drive on a dirt road for the last 1/4 mile to/from my house so this is actually a relevant concern.
2) The valve is only supposed to open when it would be releasing air, or this would be letting in unfiltered air to the engine, regardless of which way it's pointed.

I can flip it around pretty easily but I'm not sure it would be functionally better, or even look better with the vacuum hose entering from the top.

[iPhoneEngineer]

Originally Posted by Beedub

mmm sorry i dont agree with ess here.....

Fr8tdog has different headers and a perfectly heathly running vt2 kit, he has the supersprint headers..... if some headers dont work with the kit ess really need to state that at the time of buying the kit in clear print, im guessing those headers were a significant cost?? anyway i dont understand why the headers would cause a different wideband reading??? if thats the case the us to euro would cause a different reading as they flow very differently ;-)

Fr8tdog DEFINATLY has non bmw headers working with his kit... and his car is making the most power out of all of us with his high boost pulley and meth injection......

[...]

p.s...... the headers causing a problem??? maybe?? BUT ess imo should retune the car, it will take them no time and i feel their is a lack of info on which parts NOT to use... you shouldnt be penalised for that......

To be clear and fair, ESS has told me that the only headers they support if there are PROBLEMS are the OEM headers, USDM and Euro.

Specifically, Supersprint headers carry a warning that they may not work--I almost bought them when AJ told me there have been problems with them in particular and that it was a significant gamble to use them. The discussion was in particular about the Stepped variant which have a worse reputation with software tunes on the Z4M, but he also steered me away from the regular ones. The Supersprint warning is actually on ESS' website for the VT1-445, but notably absent are any of the comments that ALL non-OEM headers are unsupported, regardless of how likely they are to work properly.

In searching for an aftermarket option which had ALL 5 sensor bungs and hopefully flowed a bit better than stock OEM I arrived at the Active Autowerke headers. AJ said there have been no problems he's heard of and thinks they would probably work, but again reminded me that anything non-OEM is not supported.

Yes, they cost over a grand, and took me (novice-moderate mechanic) a full day to install ($700 labor quote from a BMW shop) and is not something I'm prepared to do again soon.

The concern is that O2 sensor position--angle, orientation, distance from exhaust ports in the flow--can have a material effect on the signal the ECU gets and it is designed for a particular configuration. I understand that much, but these headers functioned perfectly (without issues on part-throttle deceleration, I am completely certain) with the ESS N/A tune.

Anyway, if they will NOT make any tune adjustments for me even though I have an ESS Direct Flash unit and could conveniently upload a new program, I will have to get the Okada coils and hope they simply power through moments of rich running without hesitation. There's a good chance the new plugs alone will, actually, but I'm sure as soon as my wideband goes in it will prove the ratio is off in this case on my car.

[iPhoneEngineer]

Just drove to work with the BOV installed--first drive. Quite pleased though I think the BOV needs adjustment for optimal operation at the modest boost levels involved.

1) The car does seem more powerful. Nothing conclusive, but I'm activating traction control above about 5kRPM in 1st which was not happening with any regularity before. I will do another mechanical boost gauge video this weekend.
2) The BOV does not produce any noise while normally except under full deceleration. This is unlike the BPV which is silent on deceleration but in my experience can make a hideous whistling noise during regular, part-throttle driving if you hit the "wrong" throttle position/RPM (boost) combinations.
3) In part because of 2) it seems like I need to adjust the BOV so it opens more readily. On deceleration above 2.5kRPM it makes a rapidly oscillating release noise rather than a straight-out pressure release. Even up to 5kRPM it oscillates and only above that does it have some straight-out action. Below 2.5kRPM, the BOV is completely silent in all conditions, meaning it's holding the boost in tight even when the engine is not accepting the flow. I suspect the BOV is factory-tuned for turbo level boost of 14PSI+, not less than 10PSI.

The few acceleration runs I did this morning were some of the most fun I've had with the VT2-500 since getting it; the tires chirping as they attempt to hold the power is a great effect . The oscillating release noise, rather wispy in nature rather than whistling, is a very erie and surreal sound; it almost gives the impression of an alien technology to hear the beastly pull of the motor followed by a strong and distinct sound of a nature rarely heard. It doesn't sound anything like my Supra Turbo's straight-out BOV, at these boost levels anyway.

Anyone know if I should tighten or loosen the adjustment stud in order to allow the valve to open more easily under vacuum?

[Beedub]

iphone i LOVE the detail you post things, its awesome.

re the bov it will operate fine, but downwards is the optimal position, drop a mail to ess and they'll say exactly the same i bet, all to easy for shit to rest in the bowl area, plus i think it would look better.

it certainly looks like a better built piece of kit..... can you make a video out the sound, BTW the 8psi on our cars should make for a decent vent as that giant vortech is moving a vast amount of air @ 8psi......

cant wait for you to hook up your gauge and see what your running, just do a pull in 3rd to 7900 as this is slow building enough to read the figure :-)

any chance of a video of the BOV in action......

[Beedub]

Originally Posted by iPhoneEngineer

To be clear and fair, ESS has told me that the only headers they support if there are PROBLEMS are the OEM headers, USDM and Euro.

Specifically, Supersprint headers carry a warning that they may not work--I almost bought them when AJ told me there have been problems with them in particular and that it was a significant gamble to use them. The discussion was in particular about the Stepped variant which have a worse reputation with software tunes on the Z4M, but he also steered me away from the regular ones. The Supersprint warning is actually on ESS' website for the VT1-445, but notably absent are any of the comments that ALL non-OEM headers are unsupported, regardless of how likely they are to work properly.

In searching for an aftermarket option which had ALL 5 sensor bungs and hopefully flowed a bit better than stock OEM I arrived at the Active Autowerke headers. AJ said there have been no problems he's heard of and thinks they would probably work, but again reminded me that anything non-OEM is not supported.

Yes, they cost over a grand, and took me (novice-moderate mechanic) a full day to install ($700 labor quote from a BMW shop) and is not something I'm prepared to do again soon.

The concern is that O2 sensor position--angle, orientation, distance from exhaust ports in the flow--can have a material effect on the signal the ECU gets and it is designed for a particular configuration. I understand that much, but these headers functioned perfectly (without issues on part-throttle deceleration, I am completely certain) with the ESS N/A tune.

Anyway, if they will NOT make any tune adjustments for me even though I have an ESS Direct Flash unit and could conveniently upload a new program, I will have to get the Okada coils and hope they simply power through moments of rich running without hesitation. There's a good chance the new plugs alone will, actually, but I'm sure as soon as my wideband goes in it will prove the ratio is off in this case on my car.

i retract my initial statement...... its pretty diffciult to argue with ess if theyve been clear r.e the parts to use..... maybe you should have headed the warning ans stuck with the euro headers which are a fabulous design actually, and very free flowing, they are the headers bmw designed for the CSL and a thin wall design also, very nice piece.

[iPhoneEngineer]

Originally Posted by Beedub

i retract my initial statement...... its pretty diffciult to argue with ess if theyve been clear r.e the parts to use..... maybe you should have headed the warning ans stuck with the euro headers which are a fabulous design actually, and very free flowing, they are the headers bmw designed for the CSL and a thin wall design also, very nice piece.

Well, obviously in hindsight, but yeah no problems had been reported with the AA headers and they include all sensor bungs very much unlike the stock Euro headers. Also I searched high and low and at the time no used copies of the Euro headers were available to me; the new price was even more than the AA headers, I believe. I would probably go back to USDM if it weren't for the underhood heat concern .

[iPhoneEngineer]

Originally Posted by Beedub

iphone i LOVE the detail you post things, its awesome.

re the bov it will operate fine, but downwards is the optimal position, drop a mail to ess and they'll say exactly the same i bet, all to easy for shit to rest in the bowl area, plus i think it would look better.

it certainly looks like a better built piece of kit..... can you make a video out the sound, BTW the 8psi on our cars should make for a decent vent as that giant vortech is moving a vast amount of air @ 8psi......

cant wait for you to hook up your gauge and see what your running, just do a pull in 3rd to 7900 as this is slow building enough to read the figure :-)

any chance of a video of the BOV in action......

Thanks . I will flip the BOV around this weekend at your suggestion.

The BOV does vent nicely at higher RPM shifts, but it really does take above at least 5kRPM to get any straight-out blow. The annoying bit about it is if I'm descending the hill at 3kRPM in 3rd gear, it is just constantly making the oscillating wisp noise, which gets tiresome quickly. It would be better if it just let it out steadily when there's say 2PSI of boost and absolutely 100% vacuum past the ITBs.

I'm looking forward to the boost numbers as well, really not sure yet if they will be closer to 7PSI or not.

I'd love to make a video but unfortunately I have had no reasonable success recording the sounds of the car. There is almost always too much wind or road noise with either an external or internal camera. As I've said I'd be glad to drop a few hundred bucks on whatever I need to get clean audio but I just don't know what it is. I have the video side covered pretty well.

[iPhoneEngineer]

Lots of work today and stuff to report. Unfortunately none of it is really good news.

Replaced the spark plugs. Extensive detail here: http://www.zpost.com/forums/showthre...1#post10271721. I'm pretty concerned about Plug #3 and the weird spot of oil in that galley. The new plugs have helped the car run a bit better, but the hesitation is not eliminated; more testing will have to be done tomorrow.

I inspected the S/C blades. They are flawless; I have extremely high resolution photos of the blades but don't have time to post them right now. The S/C itself is definitely not the problem.

I took off the engine undercover and closely inspected every coupler by pushing it, trying to rotate it, and firmly trying to rotate the silicone hose section itself. Every connection down below is bulletproof and I see absolutely no way the leak could be from there. I found that cylinder 5 & 6's ITB couplers were not 100% on the ITB side, so I undid them, pushed them all the way down, and tightened it back up. However I still don't believe they could have leaked. I also closely re-scrutinized all other connections topside, including the S/C output, and have come up empty.

The one connection I am suspicious of is the hose that comes OUT of the manifold to the left of the main boost inlet. It leads to a 90º joint and then to some stock-looking BMW part, the purpose of which I am not certain. I believe it is related to idle speed control as it eventually leads to the "manifold/vacuum" line next to the fuel rail. There is one plastic-based connection coming out of there that doesn't look like I'd want it to hold boost, but there is no way to tighten it and I'm not even sure if the device is open during WOT (there seems to be some kind of throttle linkage to it that might prevent that). If anyone knows what this under-manifold component is, please let me know.

I have tons of pictures of various joints on the bottom but won't bother posting them as they look perfect.

I noticed a small pool of oil in the S/C intake, from the PCV system. Disgusting, and can't be good for the S/C...hopefully someone figures out how to mount a catch can nicely .

Three photos for now, please comment: 1) S/C output, hose clamp seems plenty tight but the bend in the hose itself is the "worst" hose connection I saw; 2) janky-looking zip tie based mounting, do other VT2-500s have this? 3) rust or something disgusting on the back of the harmonic damper behind the crankshaft pulley?

[iPhoneEngineer]

Further updates--I was taking the car on a drive to make another boost test video with the BOV when the gauge stopped showing vacuum by the time I got to the main road. I quickly discovered that the vacuum line on the top of the BOV (since I flipped it around at Beedub's recommendation) was hitting the reinforcement areas on the hood (area where it is thickest) when the car and engine are moving around on a rough road, causing the metal vacuum port to break off completely. Just one of the annoying occurrences throughout my work on the car today...

This particular BOV was apparently a used, cheap-model one that ESS had around for me to test with which I appreciate them sending me, but it was in fact the wrong mount size (explaining why it didn't fit perfectly, though AJ did modify it). So I'm glad that it wasn't a super nice BOV that I wanted to continue using (the sound was not really to my liking/expectation from a BOV), but pissed I didn't get to take a boost video with it.

It was dark by the time I got a chance to do a video with the BPV reinstalled, but it proves that the slight coupler adjustment on the ITBs weren't the problem--still boosting just 5PSI, at most, at redline in 2nd gear. I will make a better video tomorrow but really don't think it will show anything more interesting than the video frame below, which is almost exactly the same as the last boost test video. The car does feel a bit slower now that I have the BPV on so I actually still suspect it could be the problem though ESS says this is literally impossible, hah.

Ideas?