Trial fitting an LSA supercharger to an LS1

[ArnieVXR]

Why would you want to do that? What with used LSA base units going for under $500 on ebay (remembering it's a TVS1900).

So, I finally got round to plonking the LSA charger on an LS1.

If fits. There, that's a short thread.



Well more or less.

Good points:
1. The angles and width appear to be correct
2. The bolts line up with the holes
3. The top 80% of the port lines up well enough
4. The injectors line up

Bad points:
1. There's a pipe (some sort of alignment boss) that sticks out in the left hand side. This would need to go. Assuming it serves no other purpose. I'll find out.
2. The bottom 20% of the head port is not covered by the supercharger. Either this (the head) would need filling or a very simple plate would need cutting to cover this. I think filling it would be best, though you'd be very brave if you tried it with the head on. A simple water-cut plate would do, though some thought would have to go into a gasket for it.

You'd still need to buy the lid, injectors, pump, front accessory drive, pulleys, etc. Again, with a little research, these parts can be had for less than you'd think.

[hsvgts454]

It's threads like this I like people trying things out and actually finding out what works instead off just listening to so called specialists


Anything can work if you put a bit off thought into it

Edited by hsvgts454 on Thursday 8th January 21:33

[anonymous-user]

Sounds good Arnie. Have you checked the pulley alignment and height of the unit to ensure it doesn't sit proud of the bonnet (a-la Mad Max road warrior) and also check it doesn't foul the firewall. Sounds good though

[ArnieVXR]

The LSA runs a three belt system: two for the ancillaries (as normal) and one for the charger. I think this is because the charge likes a tighter belt than is good for the ancillaries.

So, in addition to the idlers/tensioners for the extra belt, you need a new crank pulley, a new water pump, modified brackets for the other ancillaries and new belts. The pulley is expensive, as you'll want to buy an aftermarket, two parter. New water pump's are very cheap on ebay.com. The other bits are all available, including brackets to relocate ancillaries. The kits I've seen seem unnecessarily expensive, though these parts will end up costing more than the charger.

This charger will fit a VXR8 without much effort, as guys in the States already do this with their G8s. I can't see it fitting under a Monaro bonnet without a bit of effort/cutting. Given the orientation of the charger, it would be interesting to see if you could set up the pipework to run pressurised air to and from an air-to-air intercooler. This would circumvent the need for a water system, chargercooler lid, etc.

Maybe I'll buy some engine mounts and drop the block / heads into the VXR shell to see how far out it all runs.

PS I bought the charger for an LS3 style build (or maybe an LSX376). Is anyone genuinely interested in finding out how to get one of these onto an LS1?

[gsd2000]

Are you fitting the charger to cathedral port heads?

[ArnieVXR]

Hi G,

No - my plan is to put together something shiney and new for this shiney, new supercharger.

That said, I'm looking at a used unit for under £500 and I have an LS1 doing nothing. Or rather waiting patiently for a new rotating assembly. And maybe some orange paint

[ArnieVXR]

Just found a nice picture of an LSA head which shows that the protrusion on the left is merely a locating boss.

Sooo, all you need to fit one of these to an LS1/LS2 is very simple set of adapter plates. And all the other bits.

[KMud]

[M11 MFP]

wormus said:

Have you checked the pulley alignment and height of the unit to ensure it doesn't sit proud of the bonnet, a-la Mad Max road warrior

Would a be fine look on the black '04 VXR shell, LOL.





I imagine it's the front of the intercooler housing and the pair of cooler pipes that foul the bonnet in practice, if yours is the ZL1 style 1900.

Edited by M11 MFP on Friday 9th January 18:35

[anonymous-user]

my favourite

[S800VXR]

[stevieturbo]

Presumably the base of the blower sits higher then ?

Could you just weld say a bit of flat bar along the bottom edge to seal up the base of the ports ?

Then for a gasket, revert back to a paper gasket for the entire setup. Not perfect, but should be a fairly cheap and easy fix.

[ArnieVXR]

stevieturbo said:

Presumably the base of the blower sits higher then ?

Could you just weld say a bit of flat bar along the bottom edge to seal up the base of the ports ?

Then for a gasket, revert back to a paper gasket for the entire setup. Not perfect, but should be a fairly cheap and easy fix.

I like the idea of simply welding a plate on the bottom of the blower. As you say the re-useable gasket would have to go. It would keep the height down. I just need to learn to weld now

[Boosted LS1]

Even a paper gasket would suffice. Would adaptor flanges be any good, what sort of a gap to you have?

[hsvgts454]

Have you got any pictures off the supercharger in pace etc?

[ArnieVXR]

This illustrates the difference between the port set ups. I think two 4mm plates one with each port pattern, aligned on the fixing bolt holes and them 'glued' together would do it.



NB The cathedral port seal is reversed to save having to break off the connectors that attach it to the truck intake I borrowed it from.

[ArnieVXR]

Look closely, to the right of the leftmost port is the locating boss I was talking about. LSA heads have a matching hole on them.

[raving]

ArnieVXR said:

Look closely, to the right of the leftmost port is the locating boss I was talking about. LSA heads have a matching hole on them.

Having pates machined is obviously the way to go as these could be duplicated for a kit certainly not welding bits on

[stevieturbo]

ArnieVXR said:

I like the idea of simply welding a plate on the bottom of the blower. As you say the re-useable gasket would have to go. It would keep the height down. I just need to learn to weld now

If you think a simple spacer will work, then normal gasket/o-ring at one side and paper on the other...baring in mind a spacer will lift the manifold upwards too, then draw out what you need and trial with cardboard first.

Then Ralph at www.componentengineering.co.uk can waterjet what you need out from stainless or aluminium.

Stainless as a spacer might be better as it will be stronger and seal better more easily for a thin sheet.

Or welding...TIG is clearly best. But this stuff might work if you can get enough heat into the base metal. The guy was/is at autosport at the minute

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiThO-UQIWE

he says it is welding, it looks like a form of bonding/brazing, but certainly how they apply in the show test piece is very easy and it seems bloody strong.

I'm sure getting the heat into larger pieces with a simple torch will be much more difficult though to make the process effective.

I think Frost or some places like that sell a similar product, Lumiweld ?

I'm sure I tried one a few years back on my Camaro sump when I modified it...I need oxy-acetylene to get enough heat to melt the stuff on the sump, then it warped like a banana lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ42scaWFnw

Edited by stevieturbo on Saturday 10th January 16:25

[ArnieVXR]

These pictures illustrate the height difference between a stock intake and the blower with chargecooler and show where the pulley ends up. Basically, the LSA unit without the chargecooler is roughly the same size as a stock intake.