Set89's "just Charge It" Mj

[set89]

 

 

 

 

When does this get installed?

 

Can you post a vid of it running?

 

Can't see much of it, but that there looks like a positive-displacement Roots blower. If so, that means power on tap, with no lag whatsoever!

 

I sure am curious as to price and what modifications to the fuel and intake system are required to make it work. Hoping you post full details and many pictures, plus video.  :)

 

So this is a twin screw supercharger. So similar to a roots but more efficient and hopefully a better producer of low rpm power. The total price start to finish will probably scare a few people on here (it does me) but the end product fits my needs better than a stroker, ls1 swap, or 4bt diesel swap. I did a lot of research and contemplating before pulling the trigger on this one. As for mods, the kit was designed for a 7th injector setup and can be installed with minimal tuning. However, I plan on going with 6 big injectors, a 68mm throttle body, and meth injection. All not required but as I do daily drive this currently, I want good power without sacrificing reliability. When it's all finished and tuned I will post prices. I am still in the gathering parts phase. As far as time line, I have given myself a goal to have it on the dyno by the end of February. :crossfingers: However, between my jeep and house projects, I've been a little spend happy lately. So the last few parts I need might push my time line back, but hopefully no later than the end of march. Also, yes I will take pictures and video as I make progress. :cheers:   

[Jeep Driver]

You'll have $6K invested when it's said and done..........just a guess.

[set89]

You'll have $6K invested when it's said and done..........just a guess.

 

Hopefully on the better side of that, but we all know how projects go. Right now I'm at about the $3800 mark and with all the little extras I want, I should come in about $5k assuming the dyno tune is reasonable. 

 

On a side note finally got around to mounting my roof basket. No accessories yet, but it will eventually be equipped with a LED light bar, my recovery gear, and maybe an air tank reservoir for my on board air.

 

 

[ftpiercecracker1]

 

 

Sweet Baby Jeeeezuss is that thing sick.   :drool:   

 

 

don't know if this has been posed to you or not, i didnt see it at least. Why not stroke it? A simple 4.5 stroker could cost as little as a grand.  With 6k you could even do both and have a supercharged stroker, at least in my area anyway.

[set89]

 

 

 

Sweet Baby Jeeeezuss is that thing sick.   :drool:   

 

 

don't know if this has been posed to you or not, i didnt see it at least. Why not stroke it? A simple 4.5 stroker could cost as little as a grand.  With 6k you could even do both and have a supercharged stroker, at least in my area anyway.

 

You are correct that a simple stroker or junk yard supercharger kit would have left me many dollars ahead in the bank. However, after much research and a couple years contemplating power adders, what I am doing fits my particular needs better than any other option. Not everyone would go my route but here are a few deciding factors to my reasoning.

Early on I had a big boner for a cummins 4BT swap.

PROS =  endless torque, great fuel mileage, and bragging rights

CONS = Engine weight close to 900lbs over 4.0s 500ish (not good on the frame or for offroad balance), cost would be somewhere around $6k, man hours and fab work more than I want to take on at this time, and lastly it's not true JEEP power (already Frankensteined a lot of non Jeep parts in and I don't want to lose what makes this a Jeep).

Contemplated an all aluminium LS1 swap.

PROS = Weight comes in around 400lbs over 4.0s 500, Good stock power and aftermarket support, Sweet exhaust note, and good reliability.

CONS = Cost (if I went with all the NOVAK adapters to save time) would be around $8k total, Still requires lots of man hours and fab work, and again not Jeep power.

Now the much loved stroker.

PROS = Everything bolts up, Great torque & power curve, Classic strait 6 exhaust note, cost can be anywhere from $1200 to $3000 depending on flavor, and still pure Jeep power :thumbsup:

CONS = Still requires down time to pull and build engine, Unfortunately lots of high HP claims but not many dyno proven (and the ones that are dyno d always come in somewhat disappointing), must run high octane for high compression, Reliability is questionable (not that a stroker can't last the test of time but there many that haven't), and really the main reason is my current motor only has about 60k on it.

And last consideration was the junkyard supercharger or turbo (new).

PROS = Simply cost (probably could have cobbled one together for under $1500), slightly bigger superchargers (flow more air), and pretty easy to come by.

CONS = Junkyard parts are used (may be more headache than its worth), to rebuild can cost up to $1000, either lose my AC or cut a hole in my hood to fit, and while not a huge amount of fab work is needed it still requires more down time (usually have about three vehicles at any given time but currently my Comanche is my DD).

On the turbo just didn't think it would have the torque curve I wanted plus the added under hood heat.

So my choice was the sprintex kit

PROS = Kit is made for the 4.0, brand new parts :thumbsup: , minimal down time, has capability of running up to 12psi without over working, can be tuned to run on 87 octane (yes I will be running 91 octane and water/meth but could run 87 on a different tune), hopefully gives me the power curve I am after, I get to keep my AC and no need to cut a hole in my hood, also the kit comes with a custom intake manifold to mount the supercharger low (with short short runners that should improve the low end power curve even when out of boost, something you don't get when using a junkyard supercharger and stock manifold), and overall looks clean as if OEM + still Jeep power.

CONS = pretty clear its price $5k-$6k???

 

Sorry for the long winded answer and I know not everyone will agree with my opinion, but this has been the conclusion of what I think fits my personal Jeep needs best. On a side note at some point in the "distant future" I might do a very mild storker when my engine get miled up a bit more. Also thanks for the compliments and interest in my project. :cheers:   

[ftpiercecracker1]

Extremely well outlined and defended   :thumbsup:. Honestly I couldnt agree more with your decision. The only other "common" option you left out was a small block swap, but i suppose the Cons to that would be non jeep power and cooling issues.

 

IF you were to build a stroker at some point, i would advise buying an engine already pulled, which can be had for as little as a few hundred bucks so your truck would still be perfectly usable. Build the engine and when the time came take a long weekend to swap/break it in. One of the hardest parts about building a stroker is just sourcing the parts, do you know how long it took me to find a 258??? Months and months; and even then you don't even know if the crank is usable. I was not lucky, as the first 258 i bought had an unusable crank, didnt know it until my machinist looked it over. Buyer be ware.

 

As a once rabid stroker researcher it does seem that they are, in general, nortoriously difficult to build such that they are reliable. Its got a lot to do with finding the perfect combination of quench height and compression ratio.

 

FWIW   jeepstrokers.com is a really great place for all kinds of 4.0 performnace talk. Strokers, turbo, supers, meth/alcohol, even propane

 

There is one build thread where a guy built a TWIN turbo 4.7 stroker.   :brows:   Its in a YJ i think.

[set89]

Not much new, but did pick up a header to go with the supercharger and started to organize all my AEM wires in preparation for install.

 

Also, had a little break in the weather and finally had time to install/weld my sway bar brackets (thank you H3RESQ) for my Antirock.

Yay, no more body roll. . :MJ 2: .

 

 

Before

 

After

 

 

[johnny quest]

:DROOL:

 

 

 

its beauitful!

[ronnie187]

When your truck was riding on 33s, like in your second post. What lift where you running? I really like that look

[jbain]

I'd like to someday go to an Antirock setup like that.  Right now I have no swaybars whatsoever which can get dicey at highways speed...... also in extreme offcamber situations I feel very uncomfortable.... my MJ is kinda tall and very soft.  Have you had it offroad since installing the Antirock? I've heard they limit flex.... I'd appreciate your opinions or anyone elses.

[set89]

When your truck was riding on 33s, like in your second post. What lift where you running? I really like that look

 

Ahh,  :rolleyes: back in the old 33" days. I miss my 33's sometimes. Fuel mileage was better, I didn't have to jump to get in, and everything seemed simpler and less expensive. But sometimes Jeeps have a will of their own, and mine keeps eating $$ and getting fatter.  :fs2: Anyway, back to your question. The first lift I put on (that is in the picture you spoke of) was a Rocky Road Outfitters 5" with Rough Country upper and lower control arms. Rocky Road uses a 3" Old Man Emu spring with a 2" spacer up front and a spring over bracket in the back. I have read mixed reviews on what people think of this lift, but in my opinion it is a good lift for the money. With the control arms it road nice down the road and I never had a problem with bump steer or death wobble. Hope that helps a little.

Oh and on a side note... the tires I had at the time were Dick Cepek FCII AT. LOVE these tires and if I ever went back to an AT I would get them again. Balanced nice, were quiet down the road, and did quite well in the snow. 

[set89]

I'd like to someday go to an Antirock setup like that.  Right now I have no swaybars whatsoever which can get dicey at highways speed...... also in extreme offcamber situations I feel very uncomfortable.... my MJ is kinda tall and very soft.  Have you had it offroad since installing the Antirock? I've heard they limit flex.... I'd appreciate your opinions or anyone elses.

I feel your pain on the no swaybar. Sold mine to a friend with the intentions of putting an Antirock on right away. Well almost a year later I finally got around to it. Surprisingly, my jeep was pretty manageable on the road without one. Probably due to the wide track and stiff front springs. But I must say HUGE improvement now having one back. :D As far as offroad use, I have not had the opportunity yet but will post as soon as I do. On the limiting flex question, I think the trade off for stability over shadows the little I might have lost, and you can always disconnect it if you want to impress on the RTI ramp. Also while the antirock is not meant to be disconnected offroad, it is very quick and easy to adjust (less than 5 min). Currently I run it on the second to tightest setting but before any wheeling trip I will set it up on the softest setting before leaving my house. :cheers:  

[set89]

Slow progress on the supercharger, but here are a few pics anyway.

 

Quick note on the header I bought. After researching other jeep owners that have done the Sprintex supercharger install it has been noted that many aftermarket brands do not fit with the new short runner manifold. Only one that has been noted to work has been the Gibson brand header for the 97-99 4.0 and of course the OEM design. I could not find a 2000-2001 style Gibson header so instead of dropping $550 on a name brand that I would have to chop I opted for a Speed Daddy T304 stainless unit off of ebay for $150 ($125 after promo). The overall quality of this header seems decent and would probably be a nice addition to any 4.0. But after seeing how it fits with the short runner intake I realize there is severe contact. In hindsight the pacesetter unit for around $200 looks to be a better fit with less modding but I will still see if I can make this one work. Now on to the pics.

 

Header before modding

 

Clearance Issues (intake can't sit between header flange because of contact)

 

Idea... degree manifold to clear

 

Let the cutting begin

 

Not done but you get the idea

 

From the top

 

My AEM unit (so many wires :grrrr: )

 

This is an automotive grade connector I scored from work so I can extend the harness from the engine bay to the cab and keep my AEM safe from the elements.

Both are 12pin probably will use all 24 but should be enough to wire all I need.

 

Rubber seal style connectors (engine bay safe)

 

That's about it for now :wavey:

[collkid]

This just shows that Jeep needs to be building something like this again.   Cause they're fricken amazing.

[set89]

Found some time this weekend to finally situate the wiring for all my accessories and mount the LED lights that I have had since last summer.

 

Found this marine grade power distribution block locally at ERI (Electronic Resourcing Inc). It will allow me to run many accessories without a mess of spaghetti  going to the battery. Just one Main power wire from the battery to the block. All the accessory wires just come through the driver side firewall and connect with an singe screw. I did opt not to use the red 0 gauge power wire in the pic and instead used some black 2 gauge I had laying around. Less of an eyesore.

 

Where it will sit.

 

LED flood lights that I purchased from superbrightleds.com 

Very good quality for the price. $50 each

CONS: To bright to be usable on public roads

PROS: BAF (Bright As F***) Great for offroad use.

 

 

Random pic of one of my past Jeeps. So comfy with 33's and full leather package. I miss it :(

 

Old pic of 97' swap

 

How she looked for several years.

[Jeepman]

Very interested in seeing the Supercharger kit installed as I have been thinking of the Sprintech kit over my current custom made kit that I am working on only so I can keep the A/C...

[set89]

Well some progress has been made but I'm far from my original goal. I have yet to acquire the F&B 68mm throttle body, water meth injection, and a replacement exhaust header (Gibson ceramic). The cheap header I purchased was modified to clear the intake manifold but with very minimal clearance and I worry about heat soak. So it was a nice $125 learning experience. :doh:  On a positive note I do have my wide band 02 on its way and have already picked up a boost gauge and cheap laptop for tuning. So the new plan is to install what I currently have and get it running on the 5-6 psi while collecting the other parts I want over the next few months. (68mm throttle body, smaller pulley to up the boost to around 10psi, water meth kit, probably a spectre CAI to help with temps, new Gibson header 97-99 style because they don't make a 00-01 for my application, and finish the exhaust off with a high flow cat and 2.5" from the header back.) So sorry about the dyno promise but I'm going to wait till I have everything.  

 

Anyway, on to what I have done. AEM installed and calibrated, and supercharger about 85% installed. Still need to hook up fuel line, throttle body, belt, and modify the PS res. Regardless how bolt on they say this kit is, I keep running into little road blocks but nothing that can't be fixed with a little bit of time and a lot of questionable language :mad: . Enjoy the pics. :cheers:

 

AEM harness that I extended to reach inside the cab.

 

Where I will splice into the factory harness. Right  before the dreaded first cut :crossfingers:

 

First connection.

 

A little booger of solder. 

 

Last pic of the stock intake.

 

One of my road blocks. This is all the hardware i received in the kit. Only got 2 mount bolts for the supercharger but it requires 6. Also, the pulley bracket seems different compared to other installs I have seen. Has an extra tab at the top that has been threaded as if to put a pulley or something there, but can't seem to find a purpose for it on my install. :hmm:

 

New intake installed.

 

Bracket mocked up.

 

PS mocked up before install. Notice res still attached.

 

 

 

Charger installed. Notice no PS res. Another road block. First you have to bend the crap out of the hard line to route it over the charger. Kit advertised as no modification needed for install. Bending a hard line a little bit is pretty minor, fair enough, but the back of the res (where the return line sits) comes in contact with the charger case. It is hard mounted to the pump so there is no adjustment to help. Currently modifying the back of the res with a 90* elbow to keep the line from pinching.  

 

So a little closer look and you can see the extra tab (left) that go's nowhere. Also, the lower left bolt on the charger snout housing is right about where the PS res has contact.

 

Side view of res contact with charger.

 

Top view of res contact.

 

One final shot before I got rained out for the day. (Note) PS res is just sitting in place, I still need to modify it. That's it for now. :wrench:

[set89]

So I spoke with Gary Turner today, who is the sprintex USA rep, and got my few questions worked out. As far as the PS reservoir is concerned, he said the XJ/MJ kit requires a ZJ 4.0 reservoir to clear the supercharger case.

 

Something like this. NOTE: not my engine bay, just a picture I found online. But you can see the return line comes off the side of the res instead of the rear.

I have already modified and plastic welded my res to work, so I will try it first before going this route.

 

As for the unknown bracket tab. Apparently these were made to fit right hand drive models because of the development over seas and for the American left hand drive market, they just machined the top few inches off but mine got missed. So I will just use a cutoff wheel to take it down a bit. 

Gary also sent me a PDF file with install instruction although I am 90% done now. But if anyone else picks up one of these kits and needs the PDF I will be happy to forward it.

Also, on a side note Gary was very nice and informative to talk to. I am still very happy with my sprintex kit and understand that it was a prototype kit that may require some modifying to work, but then again what doesn't when it comes to a jeep. :shake:

[set89]

Well small update. Made a novice mistake during install. :doh: Got everything put back together and fired it up only to hear a horrible exhaust leak. :fs1: Turns out that the manifold gasket I got with my 2000-2001 cheap header was a port match for the 91-99 cylinder head. Basically, no matter how much I torque the header bolts down there is still a big piece of gasket missing where the manifold meets. Anyway "my bad" and after a song and dance of colorful language its all back together with the proper gasket. Hope to install my bigger injectors and reflash the AEM to match in the next day or two. 

 

Wrong gasket top and new correct gasket bottom. You can see all the soot marks where it was leaking.

 

 

Just an over lap picture to show the port difference between the older heads and newer (smaller port) heads.

 

 

[mountainman]

Any more updates?  This has my interest. Been debating what route i want to go in the future. Stroker or boost. I'm a boost addict. But i like my offroad stuff simple and reliable. Easy to repair on the trail. 

 This is bad @$$. 

[set89]

I have my personal opinion about strokers and their reliability. But we'll just say I will take my supercharger over a stroker any day of the week. I have been daily driving mine for about 6 months now and still get a grin every time I hit the gas and hear that weeeeeeeee  . :MJ 1: .  coming from the engine. I have also swapped the stock pulley (58mm) for the pulley off of a stock jeep alternator (54mm... and free). Boost now comes in almost 1000 rpms sooner. Also added some bed sliders that have been sitting in my garage for nearly a year. Sadly though, I think the day is nearing where I might sell it. Never thought it would happen, but I have now decided to go back to college and it's my only vehicle right now. Not the most practical daily driver at 12mpg and burning up $2000 worth of rubber on the paved road. Plus I have zero time to finish my sliders and rear bumper. But if a can manage I will keep it, just not sure yet. 

 

 

[jbain]

I think if you sell this Jeep you will look back years from now and regret that decision...... you have one of the nicest MJ's ever built and they are getting harder to find every day.  Also think of all the hours you have tied up in it and think about starting over..... I personally couldn't imagine it.  Your right about it not being a good DD but Craigslist is full of junk that can be had cheap that gets the kind of mileage you need.  Often we get tied up on making the right decision for our situation at the time..... look down the road 5 years and imagine yourself driving a Honda..... just my .02 cents.

[SuperiorMJ]

Greeting from Southern Idaho!

 

Nice looking MJ by the way! I plan on using full size axles as well on my build, but what coils did you use up front on your build?

[collkid]

Hey, don't hate on Honda.

 

Just go buy one for a DD. Cheap, easy, reliable, great MPG.

 

I have a 92 Civic I use as a DD, 35+ MPG. 280k miles. A/C and Heat are great. Put in a $100 alpine system.

 

Worth every penny.

[mnkyboy]

Popped up on Facebook today.