[tamathumper]

This thread will document my experience installing the D1R Supercharger on my 1993 968 Cabriolet. As I will be verifying my belts and the position of my balance shafts during the installation I am awaiting the Belt DIY before I begin, but I am preparing even now.



I have photographed the box as shipped (quite dented on one bottom corner/side), and I have read the instructions completely through one time. I have purchased some of the optionally-recommended items and begun to collect together the tools I will need for the job.



NOTE: When looking for the CRC MAF Cleaner (optional), bear in mind that it's not in a red or blue can like many of their other products, it's silver/grey.

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[Ab54666]

Look forward to pictures and reading all about it, out of interest what are the 'optionally recommended extras'?

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[flash]

there is a list in the PDF file in the supercharger announcement thread

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[plittell]

Thanks for the post. I'll be looking for pointers. I have my big box of goodies. Now I just need the car.



BTW, I was just dropping out of sight when you responded to one of my posts asking about a green cab in NJ. It was/is a lovely babied, one-owner, 45k mi, Aventurine Green/cashmere cab. Unfortunately it suffered from the sagging nose syndrome as well as a wrinkly back panel and the owner did not want to acknowledge that in his price negotiations. Nice car though.



Sorry I did not respond back then. I'm back now, and looking hard for a car.



Paul

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[Ab54666]

[quote name='flash' timestamp='1308609947' post='111463']

there is a list in the PDF file in the supercharger announcement thread

[/quote]



I must be looking in the wrong place??

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[flash]

http://www.968forums.com/topic/9508-desi...arger-kit/

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[tamathumper]

I looked through the first PDF, it ain't there?

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[flash]

the list is on the "Recommendations and Cautions" page



i need to update that list too, to now allow the early ECUs as well as the Tip



i also need to add warranty shipping instructions, as Rotrex is pretty specific about how they want to see the unit

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[tamathumper]

It has taken me a long time to get to the SC install. Moving houses and not being able to use my lift for months didn't help. The garage door has finally been altered to lift all the way to the ceiling, the floor has been strengthened with a large steel plate, and finally the car is in the air.



I have started the installation, and although I'm taking some notes on the way it's going to be very hard to take any pictures. The amount of coolant that comes out of the radiator is bad (and messy) enough, but when you disconnect the upper and lower radiator hoses, and the coolant tank return line, it's even *worse* as it comes as a bit of a surprise (this is my first time doing this) and you're not necessarily ready for it, so the mess is three times as bad.



I'm up to the step where the idler pulley is installed, and will be continuing onward today. At the same time, I hope to install the new oil cooler ductwork and do a few more bits and bobs, like find out where my coolant, oil and power steering leaks are - all of which sprung up fairly recently.

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[tamathumper]

The saga continues, with struggles with alignment, belt tension, and this one pictured below, which I call "Death From Above".



I had the supercharger all mounted on the upper bracket, which is no small feat given the contortions you have to make to get flat washers, lock washers, then nuts in behind and under things and then engaged on the almost-too-short bolts.



One of the flat washers fell as I was man-handling it, and it went right down into the engine, behind the rear belt cover. It was gone. On a call with Bob he urged me to take off the supercharger and both belt covers and see if I could find it, as it might have worked its way into the timing belt area.



Sure enough, there it is, sitting loud and proud right behind the tensioner! Little bastard,...



Everything is back together and the supercharger is re-mounted. The belt is stretching, and it might take another hour or so for it to lengthen enough to fit over the crank pulley.

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[Lear35A]

That nut/washer combination is a bear. Since I've had to do it a few times, I figured out the trick. Glue the washer to the nut. I never dropped a washer into the belts like you did (good move to do whatever was necessary to find it), but I came close a couple of times.

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[tamathumper]

The second time around, I stuffed a rag in the hole so it wouldn't happen again!



And when that bracket comes off for belt changes, those nuts are probably getting epoxied to the back of the bracket.

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[flash]

sorry guys. i just never got around to welding the nuts in place. the reason is that if i did that, the one on the upper bracket toward the engine would have gotten in the way and negated the ability to tighten the bolt that does through the engine hanger. there just wasn't enough room in there. since i couldn't do it for 1, i didn't do it for any of them

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[tamathumper]

I can't tighten that bolt anyway, try as I might. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/sad.png" class="smilie" alt="" />. The clearance is just too tight.



But, the belt is on now, and it took one hell of a manly effort to get it there. There was blood, swearing, and some sweat, but it's on there. Plastic body panel spreaders help mightily, and don't ding up the crank pulley like screwdrivers do, don't ask how I know.



As it turns out, my car needs the short spacer behind the idler pulley.



While stretching the belt I assembled the intake and pop off hoses, as well as the new tensioner, so those are ready to go. It seems as if the upgraded D1R AC tensioner is sturdier and goes further than the on in the kit. Should I use that instead?

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[flash]

you have to use the box end of a non ratcheting combination wrench. they all fit.



spacer - lol - i told you they were different. some need the small one. some need the big one. odd that they spec the same part, but the bosses are different.



you won't get the other tensioner in there for quite some time, but if you hang onto it, it might buy you some belt life later, as the belt stretches. not sure. it's not any sturdier though. it uses the same parts. it just has a longer center link.

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[tamathumper]

I have several brands of wrenches, but none of them fit, even the small cheapies. The bolt head for the engine hoist loop is too close to the engine below, too close to the bracket above, and to top it off the nut on the rearmost bracket bolt also comes down and interferes with it. I believe you mentioned yesterday it will just have to stay "mostly tight". I tightened it as much as I could when putting the bracket on by positioning the bracket and hoist loop counterclockwise, then turned them both clockwise into position to "snug it down".



The tensioner on my car has what look to be steel nuts welded on each end of a steel centerpiece, and the heim joints have very long threaded sections. The one in the kit has a centerpiece of threaded aluminum with no nuts on the ends, and the heim joints have much shorter threaded sections. If I remember, I'll put them side by side and compare.



The picture of the tensioner, when moved to the rear of the adjustment ears, is not very clear - is the spacer/insert on the engine side of the tensioner simply moved from front to back of that ear?

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[flash]

that's weird. i have 2 different wrenches that fit. this is the first time somebody has had a problem getting in there. a 12pt closed end of a combination wrench should fit in there fine. you won't get more than a point at a time rotation, but it goes.



you can't install the rear nut until after you tighten the bolt that goes into the hook. that bolt needs to be tight per spec. that is what keeps the plate from flexing on that corner.



the tensioner that came in the kit should also have a jam nut for each end.



yes on moving the spacer to the rear.

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[tamathumper]

While the new tensioner does have a jam nut for each end, the old one had jam nuts as well as real nuts welded to the centerpiece, making it much sturdier because the threads are steel on steel. I was able to use the old one to stretch the belt, whereas the new one ran out of threads.



I will try once again to tighten the bolt on the engine hoist, but I don't hold out much hope for it.

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[flash]

the OEM tensioner is not actually sturdier than the one in the kit. in fact, it's the opposite. the OEM tensioner ends are fragile and subject to bending and hence breakage. the heims in the kit prevent that. also, because the force is in compression/extension, there is no real advantage to the parts being steel.



i did say in the instructions that use of the OEM tensioner for the purpose of stretching the belt, was a possibility. it does extend longer, which help during that process. once the idler pulley is in though, the tensioner from the kit should go in, and not the OEM tensioner.



send me a pic of that bolt, and your wrench. there is plenty of room in there for both of mine. i'll go and get the brand. ultimately, if i have to send you one, i will. you can then bring it back to me in april.

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[rxter]

We used the OEM tensioner to streach the belt and then replaces with the kit tensioner as flash suggests. And yes that bet it tight.

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