Supercharger mod

[chrispy]

Hello I was wondering if anyone has added a supercharger to a 07 saturn vue 3.5L awd. If so i would like know where did you get it and how much it was. Can the engine and transmission handle the extra power going to it. I would like one that doesn't modify the stock motor and is just a bolt on sc. Any help+pictures would be great.:)

[Ritz]

Hello I was wondering if anyone has added a supercharger to a 07 saturn vue 3.5L awd. If so i would like know where did you get it and how much it was. Can the engine and transmission handle the extra power going to it. I would like one that doesn't modify the stock motor and is just a bolt on sc. Any help+pictures would be great.:)

The AWD drivetrain (at least the bits south of transmission) have proven to be a bit fragile. The problem isn't the extra HP you'll generate, but the significantly higher torque. I don't think the rear diff/RDM would last long with 300+ ft/lbs of torque. And they'd get beat up a lot since even the stock motor can easily break the front wheels loose. That said, I haven't heard of anyone supercharging a VUE. If you do find a solution, I'm sure the rest of us gearheads would love to hear about it.

Cheers,

[PortugalFocus]

The closest thing you will find is the Comptech S/C for the Acura CL/TL 3.2/3.5. I do not know how close they are to interchanging but concitering the L66 is a Honda 3.5L, the chances are pretty close.

Here's the link to the install guide and pics. From what I can see, it's fairly close to the TL motor, also there is alot more room in the VUE engien bay as opposed to the Acura.

Manual is here:http://www.ct-engineering.com/store/media/instructions/04-06TL-SCKit2005.pdf

[Ritz]

The closest thing you will find is the Comptech S/C for the Acura CL/TL 3.2/3.5. I do not know how close they are to interchanging but concitering the L66 is a Honda 3.5L, the chances are pretty close.

Here's the link to the install guide and pics. From what I can see, it's fairly close to the TL motor, also there is alot more room in the VUE engien bay as opposed to the Acura.

Manual is here:http://www.ct-engineering.com/store/media/instructions/04-06TL-SCKit2005.pdf

I have no doubt that it will physically work. It's the tuning that's going to be a PITA. You'd have to get a custom tune. That might end up costing more than all the hardware and installation. :)

[burnout]

I have no doubt that it will physically work. It's the tuning that's going to be a PITA. You'd have to get a custom tune. That might end up costing more than all the hardware and installation. :)

Precisely! The hardest part would be finding a shop that is even CAPABLE of tuning our ECU. It's a freak unit, and it doesn't help that nobody has even attempted to crack it, because let's be honest, how many people have needed to?

[Ritz]

Precisely! The hardest part would be finding a shop that is even CAPABLE of tuning our ECU. It's a freak unit, and it doesn't help that nobody has even attempted to crack it, because let's be honest, how many people have needed to?

Yup. While I'm sure it is possible with enough money thrown at the problem, it certainly isn't going to be cheap. If you want a fast SUV it would probably be cheaper to just spring for a Jeep GC SRT8. That puppy will light up all but the most exotic (or very highly modified) cars on the road in a 0-60 situation. :)

Cheers,

[FGCA_XRL]

There was a guy who had supercharged his Redline, it was a one off, he was trying to sell it at one point.

Problem with these kinds of mods is nobody has the ability to tune our vehicles. So whatever power you end up gaining, you're not going to be making it it should be with proper tuning.

EDIT: Here (http://www.redlineforums.com/forums/vue-redline-discussion/29955-supercharger-kit-vue-3-5-liter.html) is the link of him selling it with pictures. Here (http://www.redlineforums.com/forums/vue-redline-discussion/30424-spedo-tach-video-supercharged-vue.html) is the video link.

[burnout]

Yeah, I think he used an AIC (Additional Injector Controller) to add more fuel, but didn't have a wideband installed? When he posted a video of his car's speedometer it appeared to be no faster than my Vue was at the time. It could have just been a poor video, but still...

That car would have been an absolute rocket if the ECU timing and fuel maps were tuned perfectly. Like Ritz said, money talks, and I'm sure if you had enough someone would step up.

[FGCA_XRL]

Yeah looking at the video now, it doesn't look any faster.

[04Vuesilver]

I've been wanting to do a supercharger on my VUE for a while now too. I was looking at the engine bay with another gearhead, trying to figure out where we would be able to mount everything, and I think we actually had a plan to make it work, but it involved re-locating the battery to the rear cargo area recessed under the floor with the spare

[Ritz]

I've been wanting to do a supercharger on my VUE for a while now too. I was looking at the engine bay with another gearhead, trying to figure out where we would be able to mount everything, and I think we actually had a plan to make it work, but it involved re-locating the battery to the rear cargo area recessed under the floor with the spare

Physically installing it isn't the problem. There is PLENTY of room. Your car is effectively a computer. You can upgrade the processor, but without the right software you're going to break it.

[Tom92SCm]

Why tune the existing ECU? Why not just basically remove it from the equation and run a stand alone engine management like a Microtech? That's what people are doing with Protege's. The car's ECU just runs the speedometer and other gauges but the Microtech takes care of the timing map and fuel control. The Microtech will probably cost you about $1000 or so plus dyno tuning time. Maybe the Microtech won't work on the VUE, but there are options- or at least there should be.

[Ritz]

Why tune the existing ECU? Why not just basically remove it from the equation and run a stand alone engine management like a Microtech? That's what people are doing with Protege's. The car's ECU just runs the speedometer and other gauges but the Microtech takes care of the timing map and fuel control. The Microtech will probably cost you about $1000 or so plus dyno tuning time. Maybe the Microtech won't work on the VUE, but there are options- or at least there should be.

People have also used the very tweak friendly Bosch Motronic (I think that's the name) system to run custom engine management. I helped tune one of those for some guys that were building a P51 Mustang replica using a Falconer V12 engine. It was basically 2 GM straight sixes (forget which one) that had been cojoined and produced about 650hp/700ftlbs.

Anyway....custom ECUs are an expensive proposition. The devil is in the details and the tuning gets expensive if it's a one-off project.

Cheers,

[FGCA_XRL]

The biggest reason to tune the existing ECU is the top speed limiter. The 100mph limiter on most Vues would seriously get in the way even on a 1/4 mile. I figure that an extra 75-100 hp would put a Vue trapping over 100 mph. And even with an 05+ RL you only get 120mph, anyone who is gonna put the money into a supercharger or any other extensive mods is gonna want more than that just because.

[Tom92SCm]

A stand alone might get rid of all limiters because it intercepts so many different sensors. I think with the Microtech, you have to go back in and set rev limiters and enable a speed limiter if you so choose. I could be wrong though.

[FGCA_XRL]

http://www.microtech-efi.com/product/16.html

$1500 bucks from Oz. It does talk about setting rev limiters and such, but it doesn't mention anything about the top speed limiter. It seems like its more for straight up drag cars.

[DTD]

The AWD drivetrain (at least the bits south of transmission) have proven to be a bit fragile. The problem isn't the extra HP you'll generate, but the significantly higher torque. I don't think the rear diff/RDM would last long with 300+ ft/lbs of torque. And they'd get beat up a lot since even the stock motor can easily break the front wheels loose. That said, I haven't heard of anyone supercharging a VUE. If you do find a solution, I'm sure the rest of us gearheads would love to hear about it.

Cheers,
The RDM wouldn't notice a difference. The pressure relief limits the amount of torque it sees.

The closest thing you will find is the Comptech S/C for the Acura CL/TL 3.2/3.5. I do not know how close they are to interchanging but concitering the L66 is a Honda 3.5L, the chances are pretty close.

Here's the link to the install guide and pics. From what I can see, it's fairly close to the TL motor, also there is alot more room in the VUE engien bay as opposed to the Acura.

Manual is here:http://www.ct-engineering.com/store/media/instructions/04-06TL-SCKit2005.pdf

They're 2 different engine families, but Comptech has a proven capability to put a supercharger on a 3.5 in a VUE.

I have no doubt that it will physically work. It's the tuning that's going to be a PITA. You'd have to get a custom tune. That might end up costing more than all the hardware and installation. :)

I'm "guessing" that with no ECM tuning at all, a supercharged VUE would run 0-60 about a full second quicker than a naturally aspirated VUE. ;)

[FGCA_XRL]

I dunno, that dude's video made it look slower than or as fast as mine is stock. He did say he had 20s on it though... So his speedo might have been off?

[04Vuesilver]

FGCA, I've seen that video too. The speedo did look like it was about as quick as mine is with the K&N, but it sounded like it was winding up a bit quicker, so I'm guessing the speedo is off, and the extra rotational weight of the 20s was slowing him down