[toodamtall]

The H series coating that I chose is temperature stable to 500°F. Since everything I did was on the intake side, or on the plastic valve covers, I figured that would be enough. It's supposed to have very high chemical resistance. They have other series' of coatings that will go higher. I want to say the C series is rated to 1800° and the Glacier series is rated to 2000°. It can be used for headers, etc.

Scary step . tearing apart a perfectly good clean 40K car to modify it. Procharger install in progress.

 

[Forddenial]

40k car? Bah, jb weld and duct tape raise the value 🤣🤣

Joking aside, good luck and go slow. I just sheared a caliper bracket bolt on a customer's car because i was rushing and didn't pay attention to torque spec. Luckily i had a random bolt that was m10x20 but lesson learned.

 

[toodamtall]

I just realized that what I meant to say was 40K miles, not $40K, lol. Misinterpreted. Worked on replacing injectors and swapping out valve covers today. Got a little frustrated. Tore off a plug boot in the head. Had to run down to autozone for a set of extra long picks to pull it out. Also picked up a new coil pack. Guess what? The connectors are different depending on which year, so they gave me the wrong one. Returned it, then had to drive 20 miles to a store that actually had the right one.
Definite difference in appearance though. Tomorrow, I should be able to actually start installing the pro charger.

 

[Forddenial]

Ooooooo crispy!

 

[toodamtall]

Getting there…

 

[toodamtall]

It’s alive! Added a couple of fender badges too. Mixed and matched, then used a modified template.

 

[Cobrajet67]

It looks really good. How's it run?

 

[toodamtall]

One of the bumper cover tabs at the fender was broken. Apparently I bought it that way. I’m waiting for the JB weld to dry on the tab to take it out. Sitting in the garage, it looks and runs great! Typical blower whine and all. I’ll be on the road tomorrow for a shake down run (and some detailing, lol). Maybe even later tonight.

Okay, finished up the front end. Went for a spin, and love it so far. Kept an eye on gauges, temperatures, etc. Runs just like a strong V6 when I'm just driving it like an adult. Once it warmed up a bit I hit the go pedal, which will now be named the grin pedal. Once it spools a bit it feels (and sounds) like a jet. When I have daylight tomorrow, I'll grab some shots. I also redid the grille while I had it off with a couple of Saleen pieces.

Finished (for now!) project. I found a hose clamp between the intercooler and intake that I hadn't tightened up all the way that was causing me a pretty substantial boost leak. Tightened it all the way and can now hear the bypass/blowoff valve hissing on shift changes. Also gaineda pretty big chunk of power. It was leaking a lot, lol. The boost comes on quicker and it pulls hard north of 2000-2500 rpm and keeps pulling as the revs go up.

Minor nit-picking on the Procharger install. The 90° elbow they give you for the intake is undersized compared to the intake diameter. Its also cut right at the apex of the 90, so there isn't a purchase to grab with the hose clamp. I ended up going to a local JDM place and found, exactly the same size silicone rubber 90, but with extra inches in length to cut down. I gave myself an inch of seating space on the intake side. Still took some work to stretch it on, but the other part was damn near impossible. Also, the PCV valve, and crankcase breather are tied into the intake (check valve on the boosted side) with nothing more than 5/8" reinforced hose. It looks cheesy under the hood. They give you about 15 feet of the stuff. Maybe if they gave out some nice elbows to direct it in spots, it would look more professional. I will be remedying that shortly.

Last nits to pick had nothing to do with the procharger. I had the sway bars and springs professionally installed, based on a recommendation, by a particular garage that got good reviews. When I went to remove the wheels, to work on the car, my impact wrench wouldn't budge the lug nuts. An 18" breaker bar didn't move them either, until I added 3' of pipe over the end of it. I'm sorry, but there is no call for that! Don't people understand the damage that can be done to expensive alloy wheels, wheel studs and (potentially) hubs by stressing them that much? I also discovered that the jam nuts on the sway bar end links had loosened up on all of them, and one of the links in the rear had separated from the threaded hex barrel. I'm glad I caught it! All is back together correctly and the threads have had blue loctite added. I love the stuff. Yeah, you have to apply a little force to make adjustments, but it preserves the threads and keeps them from unwinding under vibration.

Did a shake down on the Blue Ridge pkwy for a photo op.

 

[Forddenial]

Good catch on the bolts! Whenever I have to have someone else touch my car I always go back over and check their work when I get home just for instances like this.

The hose for your PCV flow is getting cut off btw, I would recommend either more length or a different hose. I used reinforced fuel hose for my catchcan and haven't had a problem with it flattening like that

 

[toodamtall]

Good catch on the bolts! Whenever I have to have someone else touch my car I always go back over and check their work when I get home just for instances like this.

Yeah, I was a little PO'ed. The other thing they did was put the links into the stiffest position on the rear, and lightest position on the front. Not the ideal setup.

The hose for your PCV flow is getting cut off btw, I would recommend either more length or a different hose. I used reinforced fuel hose for my catchcan and haven't had a problem with it flattening like that

I caught that today. I re-plumbed both the breather and the PCV using brass elbows to get a cleaner path out of both. Overall the kit and instructions were pretty complete, but there were a few places that I had to skip back and forth between steps. Hell of a lot easier to do the heater and overflow plumbing before doing the complete intercooler circuit. Would have sucked trying to route the lines behind the tubing. I got enough bleeding knuckles as it was!

 

[Forddenial]

You're not truly one with your car until you give regular blood sacrifices 🤣🤣🤣

 

[Cobrajet67]

I had the sway bars and springs professionally installed, based on a recommendation, by a particular garage that got good reviews. When I went to remove the wheels, to work on the car, my impact wrench wouldn't budge the lug nuts. An 18" breaker bar didn't move them either, until I added 3' of pipe over the end of it. I'm sorry, but there is no call for that! Don't people understand the damage that can be done to expensive alloy wheels, wheel studs and (potentially) hubs by stressing them that much? I also discovered that the jam nuts on the sway bar end links had loosened up on all of them, and one of the links in the rear had separated from the threaded hex barrel.

The other thing they did was put the links into the stiffest position on the rear, and lightest position on the front. Not the ideal setup.

Good thing that you checked their work. All of what they did is pretty inexcusable. I would avoid that shop like the plague for now on and give them a well deserved review.
The car looks great and it seems like a blast to drive.

 

[Forddenial]

My next recommendation: drive it for a bit and enjoy it then look into an X brace and strut brace. I noticed a big cornering difference when i put them in. Car stayed way flatter in the turns

 

[toodamtall]

My next recommendation: drive it for a bit and enjoy it then look into an X brace and strut brace. I noticed a big cornering difference when i put them in. Car stayed way flatter in the turns

Do they make a strut brace that works with the S550 V6? I haven't found one yet. I heard there was a clearance issue with the upper intake.

 

[Forddenial]

Doing a quick search I haven't found any. Alot of people say use the K brace or put spacers under the GT strut brace

 

[toodamtall]

The joys of owning and maintaining a modded vehicle. After the initial 500 miles, I'm supposed to drain the oil in the Procharger head unit. After that it will be every 6K miles. I have now discovered this issue. The impeller cover bolt is in the way of the drain plug. There is roughly 2 1/2" of space in which to try removing this bolt, that needs to be accessed from in between the intake hose and the re-routed upper radiator hose. I can almost get a standard L shaped allen key in there... Just ordered a 1/4" drive 3/16" hex socket, which should work with my tiny 1/4" drive ratchet. If I can't do it that way. I'll have to start draining and disconnecting lines to do it.
Sigh...

 

[Forddenial]

Welcome to #ModifiedLife

 

[toodamtall]

Welcome to #ModifiedLife

Right?
Actually, thinking about the merits of using a Mityvac combined with a thin copper tube to reach through the filler port. Would save a lot of busted knuckles. This is how most marine engines are serviced (bigger scale, obviously) if they are below deck mounted inboards.

 

[Forddenial]

Suction tube Y'd off the drain tube is what we used at the marina i worked at waaaay back in the day

 

[toodamtall]

Got the oil changed. Mityvac did nothing for me. I'll keep it around as a brake bleeder, since there may be some brake swappage coming up in the future. Ultimately, a 1/4" drive 3/16 allen head socket on a tiny ratchet got things moving on the housing bolts. After that, I stuffed an aluminum foil disposable loaf pan down inside to use as a drain pan. Worked pretty well. Only required patience. I even managed to keep the skin on my knuckles!