Supercharged Trailblazer 4200 I6

[BINGA]

Truly incredible work, man. Must've been quite an emotional experience driving it for the first time after spending so much time on it. My hat's off to you, sir

 

[ScarabEpic22]

and people that dont have the 2006+ years arent always willing to pin out there old computer to swap to a 2006 p12, convert to MAF, or run the 2006 engine harness :/

Ive been working on an easy solution to this problem, just havent had the time or interest to justify moving forward with it. Now that there are a few P10 -> P12 conversions done, Ill get on it and test it on a few different years.

Thanks, that's a nice complement!

This weekend should be fun, I have a much smaller pulley on the blower now. Should make somewhere in the range of 8 psi boost. I've been travelling for work so haven't had the time to play.

With regards to a "kit". It could probably be done for an M90 blower using the stock intake, similar to what Whipple did years ago. Believe me I would look into building a "kit" like that if there was a market for it. There just aren't enough people willing to drop the coin when it comes down to it. Find a group of 10+ people willing to spend ~4-5g's and I'll put some serious thought and consideration into designing a kit just like Whipple did. Problem with these vehicles is it needs to be a 2006+ to make it capable of being tuned. Finding the 10+ people that have 2006 +TB's that are willing to drop the coin is difficult when it actually comes to putting money on the table. I still have the mock up engine I could build it on. I imagine these are the reasons Whipple dropped it in the first place.

Easier to just find an I5 Colorado/H3 kit, rework the bracket to fit (not much should be needed), and put whatever s/c on it you want (ala Procharger).

That said, props for fabbing everything up to work the s/c you had!

With regards to being a 2006+ to make it work, what would make it work on earlier models? Wouldn't the MAP sensor be sufficient along with the O2 sensor? Of course the response may not be as smooth but how would it not work? I believe Whipple used a pre-2006 model for their prototype.

If you're talking about the PCM, grab a MAF and be done with the swap. To run boost, you need to use a 2 Bar MAP, if you dont then you're shooting in the dark on fueling (unless you halve the tune).

Yes, Whipple used either an 02 or 03 P10 with their kit, I cant remember what year Voy it was installed on.

 

[bruhaba]

Centrifugals are not reliable like a roots(probably why no oem's use them), make mid-top end boost only. Not an option. Roots type or turbo for me. No offense to any turbo guys, but turbo is the easiest route here on this vehicle, I've been there before so I wanted something different, otherwise I would have gone turbo too.

Oh and see what I mean about it being expensive. Nobody willing to drop the coin when it comes down to it. Add it up and you'll see there isn't much room for profit. Add up just the costs, even on the cheap, New blower~2gs, injectors-275,fuel pump-150, intercooler-150, custom intercooler and intake plumbing-300, intercooler pump and heat exchanger-300, pulleys,belts, hardware, brackets, Efan, relays and wiring,etc. The list goes on and on. Costs quickly get to 4gs if you include it all. If you ask me those kits magnuson sells for other vehicles are a bargain for the oem quality, reliability and engineering you get.

 

[scorpio1]

If you really wanted to make money but not offer a full "kit", make a manifold only, and bracket/ idler pulley kit, or a combo of both... heck even on a case by case basis. Leave it up to the individual to source and buy the blower and extras. But even that would cost a good bit of cash... without some enterprising business with a good cash flow something like this would never be profitable really, and even then it would have to be a built on a case by case basis, they wouldn't need to keep stock on these.

 

[bruhaba]

So I didn't get away with it after all, my thottle body flange barely interferes with the hood. It closes but interferes by about 1/4"... I'll be cutting a hole in my hood soon. I was so worried about using a stick on hood scoop that it would ruin the car. I bought the Lund 80005 hood scoop and it's as if it was made for our trailblazer! It fits perfectly and is nice and subtle. I'll post some pics when I'm done, but I really can't believe how well it fits. No gaps anywhere and even the back edge is cut at the same radius as the back line of the hood. I'm bringing it to get painted tomorrow and I'll post some pics next week.

 

[Falcon LS]

A huge round of applause for making this work - amazing work! :wootwoot:

I don't think it matters if there's a Ford logo under the hood either. Then again, I have a Ford and a GM in my household. So long as it's UAW/CAW built, I could care less.

 

[bruhaba]

Boy it was hard to make myself cut the hole in the hood. Lund part # 80005

 

[bruhaba]

First drive tonight with the smaller pulley...makes about 7 or 8psi boost and the blower sounds really really cool. Everything is working smoothly. Happy with how the vehicle feels stock until you step on the pedal. That was my goal. To be honest I'm not very satisfied with how it's pulling though. The tune needs a lot of timing work, it's crazy conservative for now. I wonder how much the stock exhaust is choking this thing down?

 

[Ryda55555]

First drive tonight with the smaller pulley...makes about 7 or 8psi boost and the blower sounds really really cool. Everything is working smoothly. Happy with how the vehicle feels stock until you step on the pedal. That was my goal. To be honest I'm not very satisfied with how it's pulling though. The tune needs a lot of timing work, it's crazy conservative for now. I wonder how much the stock exhaust is choking this thing down?

Post a vid! Post a vid! Post a vid!
But yea 3" piping with a nice flowing muffler will get rid of a lot of restriction

It'll be LOUD though

 

[dmanns67]

Post a vid! Post a vid! Post a vid!
But yea 3" piping with a nice flowing muffler with get rid of a lot of restriction

 

[bruhaba]

I wasn't running any timing here so it wasn't making much power. I've since been working through that issue tuning it cautiously. It's making 6-7 psi boost.

[video=youtube;t2afewDcatM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=t2afewDcatM[/video]

 

[Sparky]

Looks like the one coupler was collapsing in the idle video from vacuum. Did you reinforce that later?

 

[Ryda55555]

I wasn't running any timing here so it wasn't making much power. I've since been working through that issue tuning it cautiously. It's making 6-7 psi boost.

[video=youtube;t2afewDcatM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=t2afewDcatM[/video]

That sounds sick!!

 

[Playsinsnow]

I wasn't running any timing here so it wasn't making much power. I've since been working through that issue tuning it cautiously. It's making 6-7 psi boost.

[video=youtube;t2afewDcatM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=t2afewDcatM[/video]

I watched the video 3 times. The last time I REALLY wanted to see the speedo jump when you hit 2nd

I look forward to that!

 

[Ryda55555]

Since your TB is pretty much stock looking you should put fake stick on side vents and really tacky stickers and LEDs everywhere so that people will laugh when they see your truck
But then you can put your foot down and let them see your tail lights and hear the SC
Hahaha you'd get a lot of grief from everyone for ruining it but it would definitely be a conversation piece
And it would be the ultimate sleeper

 

[dmanns67]

I love the sound of a winding supercharger

 

[ConeKilrAutoX]

Very nice!

 

[bruhaba]

I've been experiencing a bit too much heat soak on piping and intercooler and the IATs get too high if I sit and idle. Just sitting idling it climbed up to the 120's and when I felt the piping and intercooler, it was really hot. The intercooler piping is right in the wrath of the heat coming off the radiator.

I'm getting resourceful here...or cheap, whatever you want to call it. All of the reflective heat wrap sold for automotive is outrageously expensive.

Wrap the piping (intake and cold side of intercooler) in this with another layer of foil sealing tape over it.

http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/145/98/984a9ac5-8656-4f80-beed-fba01b41b40b_145.jpg

Cover the intercooler, "cold air" shielding and intercooler tank in this.

http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/300/66/66aa9cd9-2bfd-4d71-9cfe-19c1ce0e5e75_300.jpg

I think I'll also be drilling a large hole in the front passenger fenderwell where my airfilter is to draw in cool air from outside.

 

[TollKeeper]

I love the sound of a winding supercharger

As do I, but the sound of a turbo is so much more addicting to me..

 

[bruhaba]

I keep tuning and tuning and it's getting better and better. WOT pull after WOT pull, I really need to get that 1-2 shift servo in there, I don't think the tranny will hold, I'm too much of a kid. Anyone know if you can change the servo without removing the exhaust?

Today I realized I can now do brakestands! The last vehicle I had that could do brake stands was my s10 with a tuned port v8. That means that a good burnout is right around the corner! Unfortunately I had a radiator hose connection fail. Against my better judgement I used a coupler within a coupler that comes with the stainless flex hose to adapt down to the 1.25" thermostat. The inside coupler blew off today after one of the full throttle blasts and the trailblazer is sitting in the garage bleeding coolant right now. So it's parked for a while again. Think I'm going to take this opportunity to install water injection, put a 180 thermostat in and change that coupler to a silicone coupler.

I'm also getting what I believe to be false knock, so I need to rework one of the mounts that holds the blower. It is anchored to the block between the two knock sensors. I think this is a problem.

 

[Sparky]

I didn't drop my exhaust and got to that servo OK.

 

[bruhaba]

Thanks. I guess that's on the list too then.

 

[bruhaba]

Trans Servo is in but I can't figure out why it isn't shifting much harder on the 1-2, my torque management is removed and line pressure is maxed out for high torque shifts. Anyone know why this would be? Hope this doesn't mean my 1-2 band is on it's way out???? It is a tight squeeze getting that thing in and out of there. I had to bang on the heat shield/floor pan a little to make the swap.

I've pieced together a water/meth injection setup that will be going in and I'm upping the boost after I get that tuned. 6-7 psi is not cutting it for me. I welded in a bung for the nozzle this weekend in the intake plumbing post intercooler pre IAT sensor. I tested the setup last night on a bench. I can't believe I'm going to spray water into an engine...just seems wrong.

Shureflow pump
devil's own solenoid and 5 gph nozzle, some fittings and tubing
hobbs switch for boost activation

This should keep getting more and more interesting!

 

[Sparky]

Under heavy throttle it is firmer. But just driving around there isn't much difference.

 

[ConeKilrAutoX]

This will be awesome!!!!

 

[scorpio1]

Glad to see your stepping up to some water/meth injection, it should help that blower heat issue immensely.

 

[bruhaba]

Under heavy throttle it is firmer. But just driving around there isn't much difference.

I feel almost no difference at heavy throttle. Something is not right, the last 4l60 I changed the servo on would pretty much bark the tires on the 1-2 shift.

 

[limequat]

I feel almost no difference at heavy throttle. Something is not right, the last 4l60 I changed the servo on would pretty much bark the tires on the 1-2 shift.

I'll have a look if you want to a shoot a copy of the tune to jeremy@lime-swap.com. I get complaints about my standard tune + the servo, have to dial it back. If you're not feeling it, something's wrong.

 

[blazinlow89]

Coming from a machining background I know what you have done was no small task. It is very impressive to see the amount of work that you have put into this project, and thank you as it gives hope that one day we could have more options for performance in the future for our trucks.

Oddly enough most of my machining was for parts for Mustangs and forced induction was my uncles specialty. Under drive pulleys for the M112 had to be our biggest selling item. We also helped some of the guys using M90's for custom applications with fab work. I'm going to guess that the blower came off of a Harley or Lightning judging by the pulley size. Harley was 3.4", Lighting was 3.33" and the cobra was 3.1" stock IIRC of the top of my head. We managed to make pulleys down to 2.5" but required some machining to the snout. They could easily get 20PSI with the right pulley combination on the Cobra, the trucks not so much.

I will definitely follow this thread, hell maybe I can get my uncle to give up one of his spare mock up blowers that FORD sent him.

 

[bruhaba]

Anybody know what a stock 0-60 is on an 06+ trailblazer 4wd? I'm at ~6.3 now on my data logger. I wish I had logged it before the blower addition.

It is very different if I powerbrake vs just stepping on it(~.5 sec) because the electronic throttle opens so DARN SLOW. I can feel it opening, it literally takes -3 seconds or so. I wish I could make that faster in the tune but I don't think there is a way to do it. I want to leave it plugged in and wire up an old school cable!

Anyone know how to make it open faster? I don't think it's possible on this year platform - 06'.

 

[Sparky]

I know it is faster as PCM4L does it. I think it is part of the torque management actually and not listed as throttle open speed or anything like that. Try reducing/removing torque management if you haven't already.

 

[bruhaba]

I removed torque management already. Very little difference noticed

 

[gmcman]

Anybody know what a stock 0-60 is on an 06+ trailblazer 4wd? I'm at ~6.3 now on my data logger.

I want to say it's around 7.5 sec, I'm not saying yours cannot achieve 6.3 stock but it's a stretch.

 

[bruhaba]

No, it's 6.3 with the boost. I wasn't saying stock is 6.3.

 

[Pittdawg]

I removed torque management already. Very little difference noticed

I had the same issues on my supercharged mercedes c230. Installed a "Sprint Booster" and really made a huge difference. I just googled it for our vehicles and they do not have us as an option. However, I did notice they make it for auto Canyons/Colorados which I believe is the same tranny so....
Sprint Booster USA - AT

 

[gmcman]

No, it's 6.3 with the boost. I wasn't saying stock is 6.3.

Gotcha....I completely spaced on that post, didn't notice the member name.

 

[bruhaba]

Car continues to be a solid daily driver, no leaks, no oddball noises, tune is pretty well spot on now. I beat the pants off of it everyday to and from work. I dropped the shift speed a bit because it was over-revving on the 1-2 shift, I replaced the 1-2 accumulator in the trans and used a firmer spring and the 1-2 WOT shift is a bit better now.

Went to the 1/8 mi strip tonight.

9.4 @75mph

0-60 on the scanner was 6.2

I have to get around to upping the boost to the 9-10 psi mark and adding the water injection. Got to get an SS rear end too! 3.42's are no fun in this truck. Those three things should make quite a difference. Oh yeah...and I have to build the exhaust. Still huffing through the stock bathtub muffler and cat. 3" flowmaster, stainless tailpipe and I'll "rework" the cat pipe. I would think all that stuff should make quite a difference.

I left the stability control on by accident and the data shows that when I launched it, it spun and it backed the throttle back to 60% range even though my foot was all the way in it! So annoying! I wish there was a way to make it open the throttle faster too, it rolls it on sooooo slowly!

 

[Envoy_04]

Car continues to be a solid daily driver, no leaks, no oddball noises, tune is pretty well spot on now. I beat the pants off of it everyday to and from work. I dropped the shift speed a bit because it was over-revving on the 1-2 shift, I replaced the 1-2 accumulator in the trans and used a firmer spring and the 1-2 WOT shift is a bit better now.

Went to the 1/8 mi strip tonight.

9.4 @75mph

0-60 on the scanner was 6.2

I have to get around to upping the boost to the 9-10 psi mark and adding the water injection. Got to get an SS rear end too! 3.42's are no fun in this truck. Those three things should make quite a difference. Oh yeah...and I have to build the exhaust. Still huffing through the stock bathtub muffler and cat. 3" flowmaster, stainless tailpipe and I'll "rework" the cat pipe. I would think all that stuff should make quite a difference.

I left the stability control on by accident and the data shows that when I launched it, it spun and it backed the throttle back to 60% range even though my foot was all the way in it! So annoying! I wish there was a way to make it open the throttle faster too, it rolls it on sooooo slowly!

Ill start by saying I know absolutely nothing about tuning, but I do know there is a way to make the throttle open faster. My PCMofNC tune upped the throttle response on mine greatly, no more slow "rolling on" of the throttle (a good description, by the way), it is as close to instant response as you can get.

Here's a video I saw a while back detailing the difference between the stock throttle setting and a maxed out throttle setting.

[video=youtube_share;VLsY7dYjenY]http://youtu.be/VLsY7dYjenY[/video]

Also, and you may already know this, when you turn off the stability control by pushing the button once and making the light in the dash come on, you are only turning off the traction control portion of Stabilitrak. To turn Stabilitrak completely off hold down on the button for 6 seconds, or til the light in the dash flashes off and back on, or the DIC says "Stabilitrak Off" or something of that nature.

 

[bruhaba]

08+ trailblazers use the same ecu in the V8 trucks. Throttle opening rate is adjustable on those. That is what that Youtube video is of. I believe 06-7 (mine) the ABS control get the last say and I don't have any way to access opening rate in the tune. Torque management is tuned out, traction control off in the tune...doesn't seem to matter. I'm not too familiar with pre 06 ecus but those were different also...maybe it's adjustable on those which is why you notice a difference.

 

[Envoy_04]

08+ trailblazers use the same ecu in the V8 trucks. Throttle opening rate is adjustable on those. That is what that Youtube video is of. I believe 06-7 (mine) the ABS control get the last say and I don't have any way to access opening rate in the tune. Torque management is tuned out, traction control off in the tune...doesn't seem to matter. I'm not too familiar with pre 06 ecus but those were different also...maybe it's adjustable on those which is why you notice a difference.

I see, GM always seems to incorporate ways to complicate things it seems... I still bet there's a way to adjust throttle opening rate, I just don't know since I know very little about tuning. Torque management is removed in mine as well, but PCMofNC left something like 20% active (I think).

Also, if you plan to "rework" the cat pipe, be aware you'll have to block up the transmission and remove the transmission cross brace so that the pipe will come down. It just can't be done (without cutting the pipe) in any other way. (Ask me how I know) The three nuts on the exhaust manifold flange are the worst, I recommend soaking them a couple times a day for several days in advance with PB blaster. Do the two on the muffler flange too. If you want it to look like there is still a cat (for inspection purposes and whatnot) cut out a piece of the top of the pipe that cannot be seen from under the vehicle, remove the innards, and weld the piece back in. Works like a charm. Low end power seemed to drop ever so slightly on mine after the "reworking," but I expected as much. I doubt your beast will notice much difference.

I've followed this thread since it started and I've marveled at your fab work for a while, great job. Glad you keep it updated as time progresses, it's definitely too cool of a build to just forget, and even better since it's a daily driver. Hopefully some of the tune-savvy guys will step in here with recommendations on the throttle issue.