I think I may be selling my S2000 next year, so I decided to remove the
Vortech SC and just run the car this summer without it.
300rwhp makes the car genuinely fast. Being back at 200rwhp,
acceleration feels somewhat... leisurely.
I'm focusing on making my STI quicker now. Torque!

Technical notes about the Vortech kit during
the de-install:

- Splicing into the factory ECU wiring harness is never a good thing.
The kit should come with a plug-in harness or you should
make one out of a VAFC rig. Don't cut those wires.

- The way the electronics box screws into the under dash bracket
is needlessly difficult - nearly an hour's labor in an uncomfortable
position to take it out or put it in. How about Velcro straps instead? Even zip ties would be better. Bang, 30 seconds, done.

- It is a good idea to drive the car at low revs after removing the electronics to make sure everything is connected properly and you don't get a CEL.

- Make sure you save *all* the stock bolts, brackets and hoses
when you install the Vortech kit. Where's my VTEC solenoid wire harness bracket? Idler pulley bolt? And the thing that connects the thing to the thing... etc.

- There are too many vacuum hoses teed together - FMU, BOV, Stock FPR, Timing Control Box.
One leak and your car could run lean *and* not have retarded timing at high boost.

- Like the Comptech kit, Vortech needs to get rid of the stock FPR and use an FMU with an adjustable base pressure so the kit can be tuned.

- The oil pan tap for the SC oil return line is a weak link. If you don't weld it, it will probably leak. Why isn't Comptech's oil drain solution adequate?
Can't it handle the oil output volume adequately?
Has anyone tried it with the Vortech SC?
And the tapping forced me to buy and install a new oil pan to return to stock.

- The SC oil input line is too difficult to remove for the maintenance
Vortech suggests, unless you want to remove the SC. Unlikely.

- Both the SC oil input and output lines would be easier to deal with if they had quick release fittings of some sort.

- The SC assembly is solidly secured to the motor with seven bolts from the x, y and z directions.
You don't realize how solid it is until you try to remove it.
There's really no possibility of vibration dampening.

All in all, I think Vortech gives great bang for the buck and the
performance met all my expectations, but they need to re-think
the details of their kit to ease installation and removal.
They could eliminate many hours of labor with just a few changes
(wiring harness, oil pan return line...).
Cutting 12 hours of extra shop labor is a real possibility, maybe a $700 savings.

I'll probably be selling the kit on the For Sale forum,
once I box things up properly.
There'll be nice added extras like an
adjustable Super FMU, a pre-tapped oil pan
and the Honda crank pulley tool.

MG

 

The oil return in the pan is not a "Weak Link". The Vortech return line returns oil above the oil level in the pan, not below the oil level like the Comptech. Comptech's oil return has to be removed to change the oil, vortech's does not. Both are adaquate solutions to oil return from the SC.
Instead of buying a pan, remove the return fitting and replace it with a 3/8 pipe plug. Use some teflon tape on the plug to prevent a leak.

 

MechaGodzilla

if you're planning to sell this soon please PM me i'm very interested in looking for one but there hasn't been a used supercharger kit for sale. thanks

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Slows2k

 

Just under the car yesterday, sorry no leaks. Any line, gasket, mating surface can leak oil. The oil return fittings are no different. IMHO, Vortech's reccomendation to assemble pipe (NPT) fittings without Teflon paste or tape is BS. In just about every NPT fittings I've seen assembled without Teflon has leaked. I'll let you know when it does leak, but I'm suspecting the rubber hose getting hard and brittle before the NPT fittings leak.