Supercharged VR running problems

[NicDale 0]

Some quick history, i bought the car with the conversion done by the lad himself and mapped and set up at stealth. It's a vortech charger running 8 psi. So far i've replaced the spark plugs, ignition leads and coil pack (all genuine) and changed the aux water pump, thermostat housing and thermostat so i'm pretty sure all the basics are right.

First question, i noticed that a pipe from the top of the throttle body which i presume is the oil breather and goes to the air box was disconnected and just lying around underneath the charger, so now i've a little coating of oil over my rad, i've temporarily moved it and now have it going in to a poor man's catch tank. What's the correct thing to do with this pipe? Get a proper catch tank or just block it off?

Secondly its now started to lose boost, the boost guage in the dash started off occasionally only showing 6psi and then it would not show past 6psi constantly, i think that the wastegate(?) had become clogged with oil so took it off, cleaned it, checked the spring was moving freely and put it all back together and all was fine for a little while, now however it's only showing 4psi and occasionally shows 6psi. Any ideas?

Car still feels fast, but perhaps hasn't quite got the same kick it used to have, now i've tried slowly accelerating in 2nd and it's shown 8psi once, but if' i'm on half throttle and rev it out it won't show much past 4psi, occasionally 6psi.

It still wheelspins like crazy in 1st and 2nd if i'm a bit too eager on cold tyres but i feel in 3rd and 4th it isn't as fast as it used to be.

Is it possible that the disconnected oil breather pipe has sprayed the belt with oil causing it to slip at high revs hence the loss of boost? But then why would the it drop to 4psi after i recleaned the wastegate(?) Perhaps a dodgy spring in that?

Also first thing in the morning it's very rattley/tappety but once warm it's fine and makes no noise, time to start looking at getting the chains changed or nothing to worry about?

And finally the charger is rubbing against the wiring for the headlights when the engine rocks back and fore so i need to change he engine mounts obviously but i'm finding the standard lights shit anyway, whats the best upgrade?

Thanks if you can help

[xyber 1]

that oil breather normally plugs into the intake pipe before the charger

The recirc valve piston should be just about movable by pushing with your finger and when fully compressed with the vac port block it should stay compressed, if its easier than that its dead, if its a plastic bosch one, bin it and get a Forge 007

[NicDale 0]

Ahh its called the recirc valve then, it's a metal VF engineering one and there's definitly tension in the spring, can i take it off the to check for the compression bit or do it on the car?

As for the oil breather i couldn't see exactly where it goes but i'll have another look, failing that a vented catch tank is fine i presume?

[Lizard Racing 0]

Where is the boost reading being taken from? Have you checked for boost leaks between throttle and charger? How old is the belt and is tight enough?

[NicDale 0]

I'm taking the reading from the dash guage which used to read 8psi, that in turn looks like it is fed by a vacumn type pipe which goes (from memory) from the top of the throttle body.

No idea how to check for boost leaks and i've no idea of the age of the belt, it seems tight enough though.

[Lizard Racing 0]

Take the piping off from the charger to throttle and give a good look over. Just make sure everything is tightened up when you re-assemble it. You can use a solution of fairy liquid whilst the engine is running but its pretty crude and avoid getting it on the electrics and belts.

The next thing I would try is slacken the belt off and check each pulley for play. When I had my Vortech on I went through a water pump and an alternator, causing a loss in boost.

[NicDale 0]

Yup already taken that pipe off and checked it the first time it went down to 6psi, looked fine.

I think slackening and retightening the belt is beyond my capabiities unless its straight forward?

[xyber 1]

You just slacken off the 2 bolts on the charger bracket and use a small pry bar or large flat screwdriver to lever the charger back to get belt tension, easy enough to do and the belt has to be surprisingly tight

If around the charger and pulley there is a black dust/crumbss, thats a sign of belt slip

the small vac pipe that runs from the inlet mani, right behind the throttle body, there is a little inline one way valve, check he isnt cracked

Get some pics up of the pipe work if you can mate

[NicDale 0]

Ok cheers, i'll get some pics up tomorrow.

[J5KE F 0]

vortechs are know for belt slip and therfore a reduction in boost.

i used to have to use a small tyre lever to retighten my belts (i went through a fair few!) and cans of belt slip which was very handy stuff!

I also had breather issues and solved it by fitting a bailey oil seperator, in the end, i went for the rotrex system and never looked back (apart from that lurvely whining sound!!)

[NicDale 0]

The more i think about it, the more i'm thinking it might be belt slip as i'm sure last night on the way home it was down on power and then when i backed off and and went for it again it was boosting much better.

Perhaps with the change in weather the belts are losing friction?

I hear you on the rotrex but this is just my daily driver to work so i'm reluctant to spend a small fortune to rotrex it