Flyin Miata U1 Ubercharger installation instructions for 99-05 Miatas Revision 1.1 03-24-05
Contents Introduction... 3 Tool and Equipment Requirements... 4 Disassembly... 5 Intake Manifold... 7 Fuel Rail... 9 Mounting the Supercharger... 10 Pulleys... 13 Supercharger drive belt... 15 Flyin' Miata Voodoo Box installation... 16 Intake pipes... 18 Boost Gauge Installation... 19 Startup... 20 General Rules of Operation... 20 Supercharger Care... 21 2
Introduction Thank you for purchasing the Flyin Miata Ubercharger. We regard the installation as a mutual project and will be pleased to offer help at any time. We are committed to making this a successful and enjoyable experience for all concerned. These instructions will offer the installer a guide for the installation and operation of the Flyin Miata Ubercharger. STOP! Please read through these directions entirely. Evaluate your own skills honestly and decide whether this installation is something that you are comfortable doing. Realize that you are doubling the horsepower of your car and the consequences of improper installation could destroy your engine. To install this kit safely, you must have a firm grasp of how cars work. Proper tool use is critical. We are more than willing to help anyone install this kit, but you must be honest with yourself with respect to your skill level before you jump into the deep end. The success of this installation will be determined by a variety of factors. These instructions should be adhered to unless reasonable cause for deviation exists. The vehicle must be in excellent condition and in proper tune prior to starting the installation. Do not attempt to install this kit on a car that is not running properly. Before installation, fix any problems. This will help prevent our kit getting blamed for pre-existing conditions. Care and attention to detail by the installer are of extreme importance. The daily operator of the vehicle must observe all operational guidelines. Inventory all the components when the kit arrives. We strive to ensure all the components are included in the kit, but if a part is left out you will want to know it before you are looking for it during the installation. Prior to starting the installation, go through 2 tanks of the highest octane fuel available. Do not dilute with lesser octane fuel already in the tank. If necessary, drain the tank. Using lower octane fuel will result in knock that could damage the engine. All left or right directional references will be from the driver viewpoint. If clarification of these instructions is required, please contact us at 970-242-3800 or via e-mail to tech@flyinmiata.com. Suggestions for improvements of these instructions are welcome. Please make notes on the instruction set and mail to: Flyin Miata, 331 South 13th Street, Grand Junction, CO 81501. These instructions and the operational requirements for this system must be reviewed with the owner-driver prior to delivery of the vehicle to the end user. 3
Tool and Equipment Requirements Every project on your Miata presents the opportunity to purchase more tools. Below are the tools you will need to have for the successful installation of this supercharger kit. metric open/box wrenches metric socket set spray can of cleaning solvent standard open/box wrenches clean rags heat gun assorted slot and Phillips screw drivers silicone sealant (high temp) ignition timing light loctite (blue) floor jack factory shop manual or equivalent wire crimp pliers jack stands x 4 wire strippers For all of the wire splicing required for the modifications in this manual we recommend, and include, heat shrinkable crimp connectors. A proper crimp connection is better both structurally and electrically than a solder connection. If you do not believe us, see how many soldered connections there are in the wiring harness in your Miata. The integrity of a crimp connection depends on the quality of the tools used for the installation. Go to Sears and invest in a high quality pair of wire crimping pliers. These can be bought for $25 to $30 and will quickly pay for themselves in this, and future projects. The included crimp connectors use a heat shrinkable coating. Once the wires are crimped in place, heat the connector with a heat gun (buy one of these at Sears with your crimping tool) to shrink down the outer covering. This will provide a water tight seal for the life of your car. Preliminary set up 1) Raise the car and support with jack stands. 2) Disconnect battery. 4
Disassembly 1) Remove the entire intake system from the air filter box to the rubber crossover pipe. Separate the mass air flow (MAF) sensor from the airbox and set it aside. The temperature probe in the side of the airbox should be pulled free. The relays bolted to the side of the intake baffle should be unbolted and left loose in the engine bay. If the car has a shock tower brace, remove it for the time being. 2) Remove the lower splash pan from under the engine. Remove the black plastic duct that forms the opening in the nose for the radiator. The duct will be reinstalled, trimmed to fit around the intercooler. The intake system removed 3) Remove the intake support brace. There are two bolts visible from above and one down by the alternator. 4) Removing the alternator makes access to the right side of the engine much easier. Unplug the electrical connector on the outboard side of the alternator and unbolt the large wire beside it. Loosen the lower mounting bolt and then the upper tension assembly. Push the alternator toward the engine to release the tension on the belt. Then remove the alternator from the engine. Remove the MAF from the airbox 5) Spray the EGR fitting at the back of the exhaust manifold with penetrating oil. After letting it soak, unscrew the EGR fitting from the back of the exhaust manifold. 6) Unplug all connectors attached to the throttle body. The coolant lines at the bottom of the throttle body also need to be removed; this is best done when the car is cold. They will leak some coolant. This can be avoided by draining the coolant from the car first although it is not necessary. Remove the throttle body. 7) Remove all the hoses and electrical connections on the intake manifold including the EGR valve on the back. The EGR pipe may be detached from the manifold by undoing two nuts. Once a hidden bracket on the back of the head is removed (no, you ll never be able to see it) you can remove the EGR pipe from the car. It s a good idea to remove your dipstick so you don t snap the top off as well. Pull the PCV valve from the valve cover. Unbolt the small bracket with ground wire from front of intake plenum The throttle body ready to be removed from the intake manifold. This bracket should be removed from the front of the head. The connectors can be removed from the bracket by squeezing the backside of the clips. 5
to allow plenum removal. Remove accel cable, leaving bracket on intake plenum. Remove remaining ground wire. 8) Once that is removed, remove the six bolts that secure the upper half of the intake manifold to the lower half. There are three long ones on the inside and three short ones on the outside. Lift the upper half off the car. Warning: Fuel will spill during the next step! Do not have any sources of ignition close by. We recommend setting the cigar aside for now. Remove the EGR pipe from the exhaust manifold. 9) Unscrew the fuel filler cap to relieve any built-up pressure. To disconnect the fuel line from the rail, slip the supplied tool over the line and push it upwards. The line will then slide off the rail. A bit of fuel will spill at this point. Unclip the plastic clip holding the fuel line under intake manifold. 10) Remove the three 8mm bolts holding the fuel rail in place. There are three black plastic spacers between the fuel rail and the head that will be loose when the bolts are removed, don t lose them! Lift the rail and injectors off the engine and rest them on the head. Use a small screwdriver to pry the black plastic housing from the fuel rail wiring. 11) Using a small screwdriver to open the tabs, remove the black plastic wiring cover from the fuel rail. Replace this with the large wire loom in the kit. 12) Undo the 9 nuts holding the lower half of the intake manifold to the head. Remove the manifold. 13) Remove the various electrical connectors from the bracket at the front of the engine. Squeeze the rear of the connector with pliers to release them. Pliers will allow you to remove electrical connectors from their brackets. 14) Remove the original brake booster hose from the hard line on the firewall. Remove the brake booster hose. 6
Intake Manifold Bags to use: 12J, 13F, 22, 7L, 6L 1) In the previous section, the throttle body with its coolant lines was removed from the stock intake manifold. Install the new water line and clamp to the fitting on the oil cooler and leave the other end free. 2) Put the support brace together. Install the Heim joint end into the bracket on the bottom of the intake manifold and bolt it in with the 1/2-20x2 bolt and nut. You may have to tap the link into place. 3) Install a 3/16 hose barb and EGR fitting to the manifold as shown in the photo. 4) Separate the two halves of the EGR valve by removing the four Philips screws holding them together. Rotate the top half so the connector will point upwards as seen in the photo. Attach the valve to the bottom of the intake manifold with the factory fasteners, reusing the stock gasket. 5) Install a 2.25 x 2.5 piece of silicone hose to the front of the intake manifold. Secure with a 52-76mm hose clamp. Install a 2.25 x 2.5 silicone hose to the fitting on the bottom of the intake manifold. Secure with a 52-76mm hose clamp. Rotate the top of the EGR as seen on the left. 7) Mount the support brace bracket to the two unused holes below and forward of the oil filter. Use the 10mm x 20mm bolt in the bottom and the 10mm x 30mm bolt in the top. 7
7) Check to see if the factory studs are long enough for the new intake manifold. There should be enough thread visible to go right through the mounting nuts. If not, install replacement studs. Install intake manifold with new gasket. Use a light film of silicone sealant on both sides of the gasket. Slide the carbon canister up and out of its bracket to make it easier to install manifold. Install ground removed earlier on front upper intake stud with wire facing up. Removing oil filter may make it easier to reach lower nuts on intake. A medium length extension also comes in handy. 8) Attach the support link to the bracket using the 1/2-20x1 nut and bolt. You may have to adjust the length of the link by rotating it. 9) Connect the EGR pipe to the rear of the intake manifold and the exhaust manifold after installing EGR adapter to intake manifold. 10) Bend the A/C line with the high-pressure switch out of the way of the inlet on the bottom of the intake manifold. 8
Fuel Rail Bags to use: 13F Refit the fuel rail to the head with the factory bolts. The plastic spacers will try to escape so keep an eye on them. Reconnect the fuel line by pushing it firmly onto the rail until you hear a click. 9
Mounting the Supercharger Bags to use: 8E, 7L, 21B, 24 1) Smear a thin layer of silicone on the mounting surface of the throttle body (TB) mount where it will contact the supercharger. Use the four 8mm x 30mm cap screws to install it to the supercharger. Tighten all four down gradually in a cross pattern. 2) Assemble the throttle cable bracket and pulley assembly. One of the throttle body mounting bolts holds the throttle cable bracket. 3) Install two 90 degree fittings on the TB mount plate for the brake booster and PCV valve as shown. Place the throttle body gasket between the TB and the mount plate. Mount the throttle body (TB) onto the throttle body mount plate. Use the three 8mm x 30mm x 1.25 cap screws. The 8mm x 40mm x 1.25 cap screw mounts the throttle cable bracket to the TB. Verify the alignment of throttle cable pulleys. If necessary, trim the spacer on the throttle bracket shaft to align 4) Install the supercharger bypass valve to the bypass mount with the 6mm x 20mm x 1 cap screws, using a light film of silicone seal between bypass and bypass mount. Make sure the butterfly valve in the bypass can open all the way. Secure with one 1.375 x 2.5 silicone hose on the bypass mount to manifold and one 1.5 x 1.5 silicone hose from bypass to TB mount plate using 33-57mm hose clamps. 5) Smear a thin layer of silicone on the machined surface around the supercharger outlet. Carefully set the supercharger in place on the intake manifold while also fitting the bypass valve into place. Secure with four 8mm x 25mm cap screws. These must be tightened evenly to prevent any distortion. Once everything is tightened down, ensure you can turn the supercharger by hand. Tighten the clamps on the bypass hoses. 6) Install the throttle cable. Adjust the tension so there is a bit of slack with the throttle closed but the throttle opens all the way. There should be no binding. 7) Mount a piece of 2.5 x 2.0 silicone hose to the throttle body and secure with a 59-83mm clamp. 8) Connect the previously installed water hose from oil cooler to one of the throttle body nipples, cutting to length and using a clamp. Install remaining water hose from other throttle body nipple to the small nipple below the thermostat housing, again using a clamp. Route to avoid belts and other things that like to eat hoses. 9) Connect the electrical plugs for the EGR as well as those on the throttle body. You will have to unwrap some of the electrical tape around the harness in order for these to reach. Remove the VICS actuator from the stock manifold on 1999-00 cars, plug it in to the harness and zip-tie it out of the way. Attach the ground near the front of the valve cover to the valve cover and zip-tie the large electrical connectors safely out of the way. Use the wire loom to clean up the wiring. Make sure all wires and hoses are clear of any belts! 10
10) Replace the PCV valve with the one supplied in the kit and connect it to one of the hose barbs on top of the throttle body mount with fuel line. Run a second piece of fuel line to the brake master cylinder hard line with the three-position signal source in line as shown in the photo. Connect the bypass valve to one barb and the charcoal canister to the second. If the car is not equipped with cruise control, hook the EGR boost sensor (mounted near the charcoal canister) to the third source. If the car does have cruise, connect it to the third source and use the supplied tee to hook the boost sensor to the charcoal canister line. 11) Check the clearance between the supercharger and the charcoal canister. If necessary, bend the mounting bracket of the supercharger for more clearance. One of the hard lines for the air conditioning may require similar treatment. Routing of the PCV and brake lines. A two-position source is shown in this photo. 11
Supercharger Pipes Bags to use: 1) Place a 52-76mm hose clamp on the outlet pipe #2 (this is the pipe that will enter the manifold on the bottom). 2) Slide the pipe into the silicone hose already on the manifold. Leave the clamp loose for now. 3) Place a 2.25 x 2.5 hose on the end of the outlet pipe #2, place 2 more 52-76mm clamps over the hose. 4) Put one more 52-76mm hose clamp over the silicone hose already installed on the front of the manifold. 5) Slide the outlet pipe #1 in the hose on the manifold and on the outlet pipe #2. 6) Tighten up all the hose clamps.
Pulleys Bags to use: 23, 12J 1) Remove the power steering/air conditioning belt (if applicable) as well as the alternator belt. Start by loosening the long threaded adjuster on the top of the power steering belt or idler pulley. You'll also need to loosen the long bolt that runs through the pump and acts as a pivot. This can be accessed through the slots in the PS pulley. The alternator is mounted much the same way - an adjuster on top and a long bolt acting as a pivot on the bottom of the alternator. 2) Move the front sway bar out of the way by undoing the two bolts holding the brackets to the frame at each end. The end links can stay in place. 3) Put the transmission in 5th gear and pull the emergency brake. Remove the four 6 mm bolts (10 mm wrench) holding the accessory belt pulley to the crank. Remove the pulley. This may require a little persuasion depending on your car. The large bolt in the middle of the pulley does not need to come off. 4) Remove the round plate that is behind the accessory pulley. Replace it with the timing wheel included with the kit. The W.E. BOWSER stamp goes on the front, away from the engine. Don't put the plate on backwards or your car will not start! The diagram shows the pulley as viewed from the radiator. 5) The timing is adjusted by the position of this wheel. The diagram shows it in the stock timing position which we recommend for the U1 and U2 Ubercharger kits. If you do experience problems with pinging or you need to run regular fuel, you can retard the timing by rotating the pulley counter-clockwise when viewed from the front. 13
5) Put the supercharger driver pulley inside the crank pulley. Note that there may be an alignment pin on the crank, which must go into the small hole on the new pulley. 6) Use the 6mm x 24mm x 1 cap screws with the kit (30mm on 1999-05 cars with a cast pulley) to install the new pulley. Put 6mm washers under the bolts. Use loctite and torque to 11 ft/lbs. Make sure that all AC lines are clear of the pulley. You must use the correct bolts and washers here. 7) Reinstall the bolts for the sway bar brackets. 8) Install the idler pulley to the bracket using the 10mm x 70mm x 1.25mm bolt and the 10 mm washers and nut. Install one washer under the head of the bolt and one under the nut. Install the 30mm x 10mm stainless stud in the upper hole on the intake manifold, using locktite, with the short end into the manifold. The 45mm stud goes into the bottom hole on the intake, again using locktite with the short end of the stud into the manifold. Use the double nut method to tighten the studs into the manifold. Install the bracket and pulley on the studs as shown, using flat washers and nuts. 9) Use the 6mm x 16mm x 1 cap screws and the 6mm washers to mount the pulley to the front of the supercharger. 14
Supercharger drive belt 1) Loop the belt around both the crank and supercharger pulleys. With both bolts loose on the idler pulley bracket, wiggle the lower edge of the belt over the pulley as shown in the diagram. 2) Put a wrench on the hexagonal stud on the idler bracket and use it to tighten the belt. You can lean on this fairly hard. Tighten both locking nuts on the bracket. 3) Reinstall and adjust the accessory belts. 15
Flyin' Miata Voodoo Box installation The Voodoo Box intercepts the stock injector signals. When the car is under boost, the signals are modifed to deliver more fuel. Under normal driving conditions - cruise, starting, idling and the like - the injector signal is unchanged. 1) The negative terminal on the battery should still be disconnected. 2) Find the factory ECU. It is above the driver's knees underneath the dash. Undo the three plugs attached to the ECU. 3) Use the included T-taps to connect the Voodoo Box to the stock ECU. 1999-00: ECU harness plugs for 1999-00 Miatas viewed from the harness side with the tab on top. Voodoo Box red black grey grey grey blue green ECU white with red stripe, pin 1B black with yellow stripe, pin 3A yellow with black stripe, pin 3W violet with green stripe, pin 3X yellow with red stripe, pin 3Y yellow with green stripe, pin 3Z blue, pin 2C 16
ECU harness plugs for 2001-05 Miatas viewed from the harness side with the tab on top. 2001-04: Voodoo Box red black grey grey grey blue green ECU white with red stripe, pin 4AF black, pin 3A yellow with black stripe, pin 2A violet with green stripe, pin 2D yellow with red stripe, pin 2G yellow with green stripe, pin 2J blue, pin 4W 4) Using the supplied plastic T connector, tap into the vacuum line running to the boost gauge. Attach the new vacuum line to the Voodoo Box. 5) Use double-sided tape to attach the Voodoo Box to the side of the stock ECU case. 17
Intake pipes Bags to use: 6O, 7O 1) Bolt the aluminum air box into place, using the factory 8mm bolts. On some cars the top edge of the air box may rub the hood. Be careful the first time that you close the hood. If rubbing does occur, trim the edge of the air box as necessary. 2) Build the intake system as seen in the photo using the air filter mount tube, the MAF, the flow meter exit tube, two pieces of silicone and four hose clamps. Be sure that the arrow on the MAF points towards the exit tube and eventually towards the supercharger. If the electrical connector ends up facing the head the MAF is backwards. 3) Attach the heatshield to the bottom of the MAF using two 6mm x 1 nuts and flat washers. 4) Remove the engine hoist bracket from the left front of the engine. This will be the mounting point for the pipe. Use the 10mm x 35mm x 1.25mm cap screw to attach the pipe and heat shield to the side of the engine. Ensure that there is nothing inside the piping - the supercharger does not take well to foreign objects. 5) Attach a length of hose from the cam breather to the fitting on the pipe. The air temperature sensor that used to be in the stock airbox should be pushed into the hole in the side of the air filter mount tube. Use the factory gasket around the sensor. 6) Install the throttle body inlet tube and clamp it in place. Ensure that it is as low as possible over the cam cover to clear the hood. It should sit just forward of the coils. 7) Use the factory bolts to attach the relays behind the driver s headlight to various threaded holes in the fender. 8) Install the new air filter. 9) If the car is equipped with a factory shock tower brace, reinstall it backwards to better clear the throttle cable bracket. 18
Boost Gauge Installation Bags to use: 11A 1) Mount the boost gauge in the cup. The fit should be tight so no mounting hardware is required. 2) Run a length of vacuum hose from the gauge down between the dash and the doorframe. Insert a tube from a can of WD-40 into the end of the hose at the boost gauge. This will keep the hose from being pinched as it goes between the cup and the A pillar. 3) Cut an 8 piece of wire in half and connect it to the wires from the bulb in the boost gauge with the supplied butt connectors. Run these wires to the dimmer in the dashboard. The dimmer control easily pops out if you push on the back of it. 4) Use the quick splices to connect the two wires from the light to the two red wires going to the dimmer control. 5) Fasten the cup to the A pillar with the black sheet metal screws. 6) Run the vacuum hose from the boost gauge under the dash to the rubber grommet that allows the speedometer cable to pass through the firewall. Run the hose through this grommet and to the unused hose barb on the back of the intake manifold. 19
Startup. 1) Fill the supercharger with oil if you have not already done so. When checking the oil, screw dipstick all the way down. 2) Check all fluids, antifreeze, oil. If you pulled the oil filter, don t forget to put it back on! 3) Double check that all wires and hoses are clear of belts and neatly arranged. Use lots of zip ties! 4) Start the car while an assistant watches under the car and under the hood for fluid leaks. Fuel is especially not good to have leak. 5) Take the first test drive carefully, watching your gauges. Power delivery should be smooth. If anything seems odd, investigate it. Idle droop can be helped by backing out the idle bypass screw on the throttle body slightly, although this should not be necessary. General Rules of Operation Use the best premium fuel at all times. If any sounds of rough combustion occur, cease using boost until the cause is identified and corrected. Engine oil change interval for mineral base oils is 2500 miles. Synthetic base oils may extend the interval to 5000 miles. The synthetic oils are strongly recommended. If you hear knock from the motor, lift off the throttle immediately. The forces from knock are the most damaging to an engine. Keep an eye on the boost gauge. If you see the boost pressure exceeding your target boost level lift off the accelerator pedal. Be kind to your transmission and differential. The stock transmission and differential have proven reliable in high power cars provided mechanical empathy is exercised. This means no smoky burnouts from a standing stop and no speed shifting. 20
Supercharger Care The Whipple supercharger is shipped dry. Use the oil that came with the kit. Below is the proper oil level for the supercharger. It is recommended that the following items be inspected at all normal engine service intervals. 1) Check belt condition and tension. Replace or adjust as required. 2) Check the supercharger oil level. Adjust if required. 3) Clean and oil the air filter at the factory recommended intervals. 4) Change the oil in your supercharger every 20,000 miles with an SAE 5-50 wt. synthetic motor oil. WARNING: Severe damage will occur if over-filled. Check level every 4000 miles and only use 5W-50 synthetic engine oil. 21