I didn't know it was rebuildable. Rotrex always says you cannot rebuild it. I'll look them up.
Re-Installing My Supercharger
- Thread starter iniazy
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Slywhitty
"Midget Magnet"
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You're thinking of the trd blower. Cmon Matt get with the program!! Lol
Well they just replied to me and said they can rebuild rotrex superchargers.
Yes.
The rotrex keeps getting worse and worse by the day. Now it's making a mere 2 PSI only. I'm taking it off and dismantling it.
Funny thing is a few days ago after heavy rain it gained a few PSI for a day. Went up to 4.5 psi. Still very low compared to where it should be but still felt very strong.
I can't understand why that's happening.
I noticed a very minor play in the rotrex pulley, really small amount probably in the micrometers. Wonder if that's got anything to do with it.
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Good time to re-inspect the compressor cover, for signs of contact.
Kind of sounds like one of my Precision turbos. The journal bearings wore out and caused a tolerance issue. Thus not being capable of spinning freely. Was running eight psi, and could barely make 4. Compressor surge got the best of it.
How clean is your air filter? That has also caused me to lose boost before. Due to a heavily filth saturated filter. Not your reason, but curious due to your dusty environment.
Kind of sounds like one of my Precision turbos. The journal bearings wore out and caused a tolerance issue. Thus not being capable of spinning freely. Was running eight psi, and could barely make 4. Compressor surge got the best of it.
How clean is your air filter? That has also caused me to lose boost before. Due to a heavily filth saturated filter. Not your reason, but curious due to your dusty environment.
I got the compressor off, everything seems to be OK, the impeller looks OK, no contact at all with housing, no signs of contact on housing, fins look good, compressor spins freely and nicely. Yet I still can't make any boost. This is driving me crazy.
I'm worried I go and buy a new supercharger to find out the problem not from it.
I recently cleaned my air filter while attempting to rectify this problem. Also replaced my blow off valve, tested it with the valve plugged, checked everywhere for vacuum leaks. I can't find anything wrong.
OK, found a few BMW forums with people with similar problems:
http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1733613-Loss-of-power-95-m3-AA-rotrex-blower
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=936610
They solved it by rebuilding the unit.
http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1733613-Loss-of-power-95-m3-AA-rotrex-blower
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=936610
They solved it by rebuilding the unit.
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I was just about to ask, if you have tested its free spin with angular stress on the shaft. Then I saw your post about the BMW solution. Sounds just like what happened on my original turbo. At least you can have a lot higher confidence about having it repaired now.
Yeah but I decided to buy a replacement unit, a C38-91 to make more power.
Rebuilding it will cost just a little less if I'm going to ship it from Saudi Arabia to the US and back, plus parts plus labor, I'll be hitting close to $1500. I can get a replacement 91 unit for less than $2000.
Rebuilding it will cost just a little less if I'm going to ship it from Saudi Arabia to the US and back, plus parts plus labor, I'll be hitting close to $1500. I can get a replacement 91 unit for less than $2000.
I have vacuum now instead of boost, and gets worse as engine speed goes up. I'm getting -0.2 bar at WOT. The negative sign is not a typo. Even though the BOV is blowing out air at idle.
I'm ordering the new head tomorrow.
I'm ordering the new head tomorrow.
Yes I did that for some time and I was really miserable. The very little air the unit is blowing is a little better than NA.
Because of the large intake manifold, the restriction of the intercooler, and lower compression, the engine feels really weak NA. I start at -.1 bar at low RPM, than as RPM climbs I start seeing more vacuum, and reaches -0.3 bar at WOT. I thought WTF!
I now appreciate the amount of work Toyota put into optimizing the factory intake manifold airflow.
Because of the large intake manifold, the restriction of the intercooler, and lower compression, the engine feels really weak NA. I start at -.1 bar at low RPM, than as RPM climbs I start seeing more vacuum, and reaches -0.3 bar at WOT. I thought WTF!
I now appreciate the amount of work Toyota put into optimizing the factory intake manifold airflow.
I've had really bad luck with this car. The replacement c38-91 arrived, but it has a manufacturing defect, couldn't lock on any pulley. The shaft kept slipping against the pulley and couldn't torque the pulley down to 70 n.m. So I shipped it back, waiting for a replacement.
So I'm running naturally aspirated now with the factory intake plenum. At first I was horrified with the lack of power, and got -.5 bar of vacuum at WOT! So I knew this must be restriction from the air filter, now that I'm running factory plenum.
Went out and bought a large air filter and voila! My engine now feels really powerful even at NA and 9.5:1 CR. And negligably larger displacement. I'm thinking that tiny restrictive filter might have been holding down my engine all these years. Maybe it ruined my supercharger, trying to pull so much boost from such a small filter. I can't wait to see the performance now with free breathing and the higher flowing 91.
So I'm running naturally aspirated now with the factory intake plenum. At first I was horrified with the lack of power, and got -.5 bar of vacuum at WOT! So I knew this must be restriction from the air filter, now that I'm running factory plenum.
Went out and bought a large air filter and voila! My engine now feels really powerful even at NA and 9.5:1 CR. And negligably larger displacement. I'm thinking that tiny restrictive filter might have been holding down my engine all these years. Maybe it ruined my supercharger, trying to pull so much boost from such a small filter. I can't wait to see the performance now with free breathing and the higher flowing 91.
