The Vortech Supercharger has been out long enough that I doubt if anyone needs
info on placing it on a Ram charger. However, if anyone does want info I would
be glad to pass on my experience. On a short list basis, these are the
problems we faced and how we solved them. "We" being those who worked on the
truck.
The basic truck was a '93 Ram charger with 5.9L engine. I added a suregrip
rear end (I think they call it different now) and 3.92 gears. I asked for the
Vortech installation at the dealer before taking delivery. There were problems
that saved me the grief. The 360 fuel rail does not have a return line. We had
to replace with a 318 fuel rail. We had a lot of pinging initially. Adding
fuel octane enhancer was a Band-Aid fix that soon caused fouling of the plugs.
Chrysler Tech Rep Joe Roos was very helpful and supplied me with a different
PROM that helped greatly. However, the best bet is to install a air/fuel
analyzer and then contact Super Chips @ 407-260-0838. Patrick Stagel (sp) does
good work. I added a '97 Dakota 5 speed due to the close ratio gears. I was
able to have the transmission rear end modified through New Venture so that it
fit the Ram charger.
We then had serious wheel hop and the Ram charger configuration does not allow
after market traction bars that I am aware of. We made our own and they work
fine except the rear end is stiff. I added a roller rocker valve train and I
could feel some improvement. However, I did not actually compare the ET. By the
way, if you go that route you have to go with a taller valve cover and you need
baffles on both ends to prevent oil leaks due to pressure from the
supercharger. The hard part is fitting the valve cover around the large '93
brake booster. However the MOPAR tall valve cover fits. Just make sure you cut
a hole in the rubber grommet for the breather. We had to go with an after
market breather vented to atmospheric to fit next to the booster. Cutting a
hole in the front for fresh ram air to the inlet side of the supercharger
really seemed to improve the performance.
CAT back I went with a 3 inch pipe to a 3 chamber Flow Master with dual
outlets. The pipes back are 2.5 inches. The sound is good and the performance
seems to be good as well.
Other than that the engine is stock. Oh, I did make a change in the original
supercharger and had it modified to a S Trim. I get around 7 inches at full
power. Over revving past 5 thousand seems to hurt performance. The truck
weighs 5600 pounds. On a cool day in December 1997 I made six passes and
averaged 14.4 at 91 MPH. The best pass was 14.2 at 93 MPH and I shifted at 5000
RPM.
One thing we found important was to make sure the oil breather and PCV valve
was open. I had trouble with the excess pressure in the pan causing oil to
come back up the drain line and through the supercharger to the engine. Also
oil would back up through the dip stick tube and I thought I had a supercharger
leak until discovered.
In April I had 110,000 miles on the engine and I enjoyed putting my foot in it
when able. We were burning a lot of oil and a compression check showed we
needed new rings. The engine was never made for supercharging really. No one
that I know of has been able to make improvements to the magnum head. Also I
felt the throttle body could be improved. Joe Roos recommended I have a new
engine built by RC Performance Engineering in Michigan. I was leery of spending
serious money with someone I did not know. Ron Connolly, the owner, works for
Chrysler. Joe had seen some of his work and I saw something recently on the
Dakota Web Ring about Connolly having the expertise to drill holes in a M-1
single plane manifold so that it could be used with the existing Chrysler EFI.
The plan was to purchase a new short block from Chrysler. Add Ross pistons and
balance all the components. New heads were to be purchased and Connolly stated
that due to his experience on Chrysler's flow bench he could modify the
combustion chambers to prevent pinging that is actually caused by a design
flaw. He also would enlarge the intake ports and add 2.02 intake valves. Joe
Roos would assist with a PROM to handle bigger injectors Connolly was supplying
for the higher HP that would be generated. I had Connolly talk to my mechanic
and he said the correct words. The engine cost alone would be around $9000.00.
Installation, freight, etc. would bring it close to $12,000.00. Based upon
Chrysler's recommendation, the fact that Connolly worked for Chrysler and our
knowledge that such a engine could be built-I went with it. I also went with a
4 barrel throttle body that Connolly said he designed with progressive linkage.
The whole thing has been a disaster. The throttle body opened opposite from
the standard Chrysler setup. Connolly had us reversing wires and numerous other
modifications before we realized we were breaking the TPS every time we opened
the throttle. Connolly would not refund the money on the throttle body that
flat did not work. With modifications we were able to put on the old throttle
body. The engine would not run correctly. It would be rich one minute and lean
the next. We could not get more than 9 to 11 inches of vacuum and was sure the
computer was confused. Connolly would not correct, nor offer a solution. We
finally realized we had the wrong cam after repeated requests to Connolly for
the cam specifications. He agreed, sent us a new cam and agreed to pay for the
installation. His check bounced and he will not address our requests to make it
good. The new cam was better, but the engine was not crisp and we started
experiencing severe back fire through the exhaust and throttle body. It was so
severe, even at 20 MPH and part throttle that it collapsed the baffles in the
CAT. We thought it was something wrong with our systems. We checked fuel
pressure, changed PROM's-even the whole computer, changed the 02 sensor,
restabbed the distributor, changed the injectors several time until we realized
the injectors he sent us were the same as the stock ones we already had.
The mechanic doing the work had 35 years experience with Chrysler engines.
Still, we took it to a local Chrysler dealer and they went through every thing.
The final consensus was this engine would not develop more than 11 inches of
vacuum and all of our systems were in perfect condition. I repeatedly Asked
Connolly to come down to Lafayette to fix his engine or we would have to remove
it. The time period for all of this was from July 1 until September. Finally,
during a test drive, with a Connolly recommended distributor movement change, a
head gasket was blown. Connolly would not fix it and I removed his engine
because I could not justify spending $500.00 replacing a head gasket on an
engine that would not run anyway. We replaced the rings on my old engine,
replaced one piston due to a crack in the skirt, did a valve job and installed
it with the same systems used for Connolly's engine. It ran fine from the get
go and still does.
Connolly's engine was returned to him at my cost. He refused it. We asked for
arbitration assistance from Chrysler since Connolly worked for Chrysler and he
was recommended by Chrysler tech people. Chrysler refused responsibility, but
did tell me they learned that Connolly gave me a used engine. Connolly refused
any attempt at settling this issue and insisted we were at fault with his
quality engine.
I brought the engine back and opened it. The Ross pistons were absent and in
their place were TRW over the counter pistons you could buy for half the amount
I paid. The engine serial number was partially obliterated. The engine had not
been balanced. The heads had rust where rust should not have been and they had
not even been milled. The intake valves were not seating correctly and all of
them had blow by. The exhaust valves stems were pitted. The chambers had been
worked on, but it looked like a job done by a child with uneven contours and
wavy lines. The engine was obviously rebuilt and not done professionally.
It is hard for me to believe that a person who works for Chrysler and
recommended by Chrysler would do this kind of work. Certainly fraud should not
be condoned by Chrysler. Chrysler states they are hamstrung due to the union.
At the very least he should have hung his head, said he was sorry and returned
the money I paid him. Yet, he insists he does quality work and gave me a new
engine. We asked for an invoice to prove his claim and he cannot provide it.
Connolly commited a fraud and Chrysler is allowing him to get away with it.
Building a performance engine on my truck was a source of enjoyment for me. I
was willing to spend the money. Everybody has had troubles with mechanics at
some time, but most of them will back up their work. If you cannot trust
Chrysler who can you trust.
I have heard that Connolly did some work on a truck in Florida. I feel that
Connolly has done this kind of thing before. The BBB states this is the only
complaint made against him. I feel the industry should know about him and he
should be shunned. I would appreciate any information about him concerning out
of state advertisements, out of state work, etc.
Allen Cates
Alan Short wrote:
> Another don't feel bad, My R/T went 16.2 @ 84 first pass! I almost sold
> it right then. Glad I didn't now. Alan S.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Subject: Re: DML: Re: Vortech Group Buy... was: Vorteched R/T
> Date: Thu, 3 Dec 1998 23:46:57 EST
> From: Kabuki2@aol.com
> Reply-To: dakota-truck@buffnet.net
> To: dakota-truck@buffnet.net
>
> In a message dated 98-12-03 13:14:17 EST, you write:
>
> << Oh, come on, that makes me feel slow, my big a** SS/T only does 15.8 @86.
>
> Well, guess I need some more power!
>
> Bill >>
>
> Don't feel bad .. my SS/T went 16.4 stock...
>
> :/
>
> ttyl
> Patrick
--*My office Telephone #: 318-988-2236 (Automatically beeps me. Leave a message)
*My office Fax #: 318-988-2411 *Company Web Site: http://www.setac.com
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