Supercharger

[Nates Cobra]

How often do you have to service the supercharger. My cobra is at 17000 miles?

[InfamousSVT]

I'd change the oil in it every 30,000 miles. Or better yet you can ship it to Steigy and they do a full service on it for a couple hundred.......well worth it. :thumbsup:

[beerkat]

Technically the supercharger is maintenance free.

[blk04cobra1]

Technically the supercharger is maintenance free.
that is true according to Ford...I would think you're fine, unless it's making some kind of weird noises...I know this is a dumb suggestion, but why not take it to your local dealer and have them do a full inspection? We are more than happy to help on the board, but if you're worried, have someone check it out for you :thumbsup:

[ausie]

I would amost agree with Beerkat on that one. I did take apart the intake plenum to get at the boost bypass valve for inspection and cleaning with throttle body cleaner. This was after discovering the accumulated deposits on the back side of the throttle body. I will blame the EGR valve for that. Dismantling the intake plenum or inlet port of the supercharger is not a routine thing to due but it can be done, however is awkward to do since some of the bolts are difficult to reach (I need some of those ratchet type wrenches which would have made that alot easier on the back).

[ausie]

I'd change the oil in it every 30,000 miles. Or better yet you can ship it to Steigy and they do a full service on it for a couple hundred.......well worth it. :thumbsup:
I do recall reading that somewhere, probably in MM&FF in the supercharger comparisson article back in October issue of 04. It may have also been on the KB web site. There is no indication of fluid change of supercharger oil or transmission oil change in the Ford service manual. :eek: That is something to consider sometime.

[Nates Cobra]

I just had ford inspect the whole car. They said I needed new brake pads and rotors, regular oil change as well as the supercharger, and tires rotated. I declined the service because I could do them myself. When I checked these things out the brake pads and rotors are fine, but the tires do need to be replaced and it needs a regular oil change ( based off of time). I was't sure about the supercharger thou?

[bbrence]

I assumed the supercharger is lubricated by the engine oil. Not so??? How does one change the supercharger oil??

[ausie]

there are two ways to remove the oil. One is the most effective but messy (unbolt the case and pull the snout off) or you can attempt to syphen out the oil. syphen method may be better if you can find a small enough flexible hose to do it. I have one for filling differentials and large cavities but may be too large for the supercharger. I will look into that in another 10k miles.

[dewone]

I have a Paxton supercharger on my 85 Z-28. When I bought the kit it came with a turkey baster with a tube in the end of it to fit in the fill port. Any way you can most likelly get one from a grocery store and make a tube to fit into the Eaton and just suck it out, and replace the fluid. Mine only takes 7 oz of fluid so I would check how much goes in the Eaton. No mess.

[beerkat]

I thought you might enjoy reading what is in the Ford shop manual.





Intake Air Distribution and Filtering —Supercharger, Charge Air Cooler

The supercharger (SC) is a positive displacement pump. Its purpose is to supply an excess volume of intake air to the engine by increasing air pressure and density in the intake manifold. The supercharger is matched to the engine by its displacement and belt ratio, and can provide excess airflow at any engine speed.

NOTE: The supercharger is repaired only as an assembly. Disassembly of the supercharger unit may void the warranty.

NOTE: The supercharger is not a bolt-on option. It is part of an integrated engine system. Many components of the supercharged engine are not interchangeable with similar parts from a non-supercharged engine.

The supercharger contains two three-lobed rotors. The helical shape and specialized porting provide a smooth discharge flow and low level of noise during operation. The rotors are supported by ball bearings in front and needle bearings at the rear. The drive gears are pressed into place, therefore the supercharger is installed new as a unit, and is not repairable.

The supercharger system is a blow-through type with the fuel injected directly into the intake ports. The supercharger is belt driven off the crankshaft through an idler pulley. The throttle body controls the amount of intake air to the supercharger through the intake plenum. Air from the supercharger is routed through the charge air cooler (CAC), then to the intake manifold. The resulting denser air charge in the combustion chamber provides for a higher power output of the engine over a non-supercharged engine of the same displacement.

NOTE: It is not possible to increase manifold pressure or engine power output by altering the bypass valve or the actuator.

At partial-throttle opening or when vacuum is present in the intake system, a vacuum-controlled bypass valve reroutes some discharged air from the supercharger back through the intake plenum. This prevents the supercharger from cavitating, causing reduced performance, increased temperatures, and poor fuel economy.

The supercharger has a self-contained oiling system that does not require a fluid change for the life of the vehicle. However, at every 30,000 mile interval, the supercharger fluid level should be checked. The vehicle should be parked on a level surface, the engine cool, and not running. To check the oil, remove the Allen head plug located at the front of the supercharger. The oil level should be at the bottom of the fill plug threads when cold. If the fluid level is low, add Synthetic Supercharger Fluid E9SZ-19577-A or equivalent meeting Ford specification ESE-M99C115–A

Supercharged vehicles are equipped with a charge air cooler (CAC). The CAC cools the pressurized air from the supercharger, increasing the air density, which improves combustion efficiency, engine horsepower and torque.