Supercharger FAQ

PT Cruiser Club Customizing Tip

"Adding a supercharger to the PT Cruiser"

Supercharger FAQ by PTCCmike ichael J. Challis - PT Cruiser Club President and Founder
Chrysler Certified Professionals- Gold Level Technician.
Nationally Recognized Chrysler Top Tech Award Winner
ASE Certified - Master Auto Technician

What is the performance gain?
The performance gain is about 50 HP, transforming the 150 HP stock to a quick snapping 200 HP. To rapidly accelerate I only have to put the pedal down halfway, put it down all the way and easily reach speed limits before you know it. For the first time all the stuff dumped out of the storage pocket below the radio while it made a 2-3 shift in the automatic. I have tested the maximum boost at 10 PSI at 6,000 RPM. 0-60 on a supercharged automatic PT Cruiser is 7.8 seconds, manual trans equipped 0-60 time is 6.9 seconds. After driving it for a week with the boost gauge installed I have a grasp of how I like it.
I like it!! Under normal driving the boost rarely goes high because the supercharger is in bypass mode. Even when driving a bit aggressive the boost rarely has to get higher than 5 psi. The only time boost goes over 8 PSI is at wide open throttle. The supercharger adds so much HP and torque that you do not really need to go wide open throttle hardly at all.

How much does it cost?
I purchased this supercharger from www.pttuning.com.
Retail price is $3,650.00 for the parts (labor is extra)

How long did it take to install?
It took me 21 hours to install. The first time always takes longer, I was taking notes for the web site, with more practice I could reduce the time several hours. There is not alot of room under the hood of the PT, but once installed, people comment "It looks stock". It comes with step-by-step instructions that are pretty good, but I recommend having a qualified technician install it. There are many items that need to be modified by grinding, drilling and tapping threads etc. The transmission and engine dipstick tubes need to be relocated / bent into a new shape. It all fits so tight under the hood, there is not much room to install it without removing the A/C refrigerant, grille, A/C condenser and radiator.

Was it a pain to install the belt and pulleys, what about replacing them later?
Installing is not too bad. The good thing about the supercharger belt is that it can be bought at a Napa store, a small serpentine, I saved the sleeve with the part #. The belt has a spring tensioner for ease of installation and long life. Servicing the supercharger belt later requires removal of the right front wheel, the plastic inner fender and the passenger side headlamp assembly (about a 1 hour job)

Should I break it in?
Yes, take it easy for the first 60 miles. After the first test drive put it back in garage and inspect for coolant, P/S or oil leaks and check the levels. Check the supercharger oil level (do not overfill). The supercharger takes 5W-50 Synthetic oil that is included in a bottle with the install kit. I did not use the whole bottle to fill it. For the first 100 miles turn off the radio and listen to the sounds. Listen for detonation / ping on acceleration, try to avoid any detonation / ping by backing off the throttle a bit if it occurs. I had this experience during the first 60 miles: I was experiencing engine ping/detonation on accel so I took it easy on the throttle (50-75% max), at around 60 miles the ping went away with a puff of brown exhaust. I determined that this was carbon build up on top of the pistons/valves from the stock combustion process. The supercharged process has higher pressures so it cleaned out this carbon naturally.

Does it reduce your gas mileage?
Mileage is not affected much because the supercharger is so efficient (premium gas is required though). While hot rodding around a lot I got 18 MPG in my supercharged automatic PT Cruiser. On a 400 mile highway trip with family and cargo, I averaged 22.1 MPG

Do you have to put premium gas in it?
Yes, I use 92 octane

Does it need more fuel, higher fuel pressure or volume?
The supercharger includes an auxiliary fuel injector to keep the fuel mix from getting too lean under certain boost conditions. The fuel injector is located on the back of the supercharger. This aux. injector allows higher boost pressure because it reduces ping and cools the exhaust temperatures. No fuel pump modifications are required.

Does it void the factory warranty?
It is illegal for a Dealership to void your warranty simply because you have modifications to your vehicle. It is the Dealerships responsibility to prove that any modification was the reason for a failure. With that said, some Dealerships are more performance orientated and willing to work with customers. It would be a good idea to consult with your local Dealership regarding their warranty specifics. Some performance oriented Dealers will install a Supercharger.

How would the supercharger affect the engine life of the PT?
The manufacturer says "This unit has been through extensive testing and certification on a PT cruiser. The combination of the unique bypass valve and reasonable amounts of boost, engine life is not effected. The system is so efficient and produces such useable torque, that you are rarely at full throttle for any length of time. When you are at cruise speed or idle, the bypass allows the engine to breathe normally, no boost. Only when you depress the throttle aggressively does the bypass close and you have instant boost." At first I was worried the boost is too high, I do not want to damage the engine. I have the supercharger installed and it puts out 10 lbs of boost at shift points, full throttle. I am not worried anymore because under normal driving the boost rarely goes to maximum as the supercharger is in bypass mode. Even when driving a bit aggressive the boost rarely has to get higher than 5 psi. The only time boost goes over 8 PSI is at wide open throttle. The supercharger adds so much HP and torque that you do not really need to go wide open throttle hardly at all.

Do I have to make any internal modifications to my engine?
The manufacturer says that no internal modifications are required. The unit bolts on and comes with all necessary parts to do the job. Some parts that are removed during install are modified, then re-installed. There are clear instructions included with each PT-Tuning Supercharger kit.

Is the supercharger noisy?
No, at idle I can not hear it and there is only a slight whisper under the hood at high rpm. I hear a different, more robust sound from the exhaust while accelerating though. Sounds Great!

Is it available for an automatic and the 5 speed manual?
It is available for both, the 5 speed will perform with slightly higher specs than the automatic. The automatic transmission may be tougher than the 5 speed because it is also used for V-6 applications in minivans, the 5 speed is not.

Is it street legal?
Yes, supplied is an additional engine management module that allows significant power boost while maintaining excellent overall drivability and is 50 state smog-legal. This supercharger meets CARB executive order No. D-231-18. It is smog legal in CA as long as you attach the supplied under hood exemption order sticker. The EO number on this sticker is referred to by the emission inspection station during vehicle certification.

PT's use 134a right? Can mechanically inclined (reclined?) do-it-yourselfers obtain r-134a to recharge the AC system? Would the car operate okay long enough to get to an AC tech to recharge the system?
Caution: The A/C Lines Contain High Pressure Refrigerant, Servicing Requires Qualified Personnel
The car runs fine without the a/c charge, there is a pressure switch that prevents damage, you wont have any cooling/defrost benefits until the recharge is done. Believe it or not some stores sell a R134a Do-it-yourself kit. I recommend having a shop recover the A/C into a R134a recovery machine, then after the job is done taking it back to them to evacuate it and recharge it. This is what I did and it cost $50. They put my original refrigerant back in, I did not have to buy any extra . If you try doing it yourself: you risk personal injury, can't save the refrigerant you remove and it is illegal to let it out into the air. So do it the proper way and have a shop do it, like I did, even though I am an ASE Certified Master Technician I do not have the recovery equipment at my house.

How does it compare to a turbo? Which is better?
Weather you use a turbo or a supercharger on a PT, the same result is boost which increases horsepower and torque. Engines take in fresh air and mix it with fuel to make the combustion charge. When the piston goes down air and fuel enters the combustion chamber to be ignited and create the force to turn the crankshaft. Supercharger or turbo, they both work as an air compressor that forces an extremely dense air/fuel mixture into the combustion chamber, thus producing a more powerful explosion. The difference is that a turbo gets its rotational force from an impeller in the exhaust manifold, a supercharger gets its rotational force from a belt that runs off the crankshaft. Sometimes a turbo will "lag" at the take off line because the impeller does not spin fast enough until about 2,000 RPM. A supercharger usually does not have this lag. I choose a supercharger rather than a turbo because it mounts in front on the PT, where there is less heat. A turbo adds heat to the equation since it runs off the exhaust for its impeller power. The PT-Tuning supercharger is a twin screw type that is very efficient with minimal heat build up. Too much heat in the combustion chamber can burn a hole in the piston. A cool dense charge will contain more oxygen and have more effective power, this is why some turbochargers use an intercooler. An intercooler is a radiator like core that turbocharged air passes through before it goes into the intake. An inter-cooled turbo charger will usually allow higher boost levels and run cooler. The take off torque from this supercharger is phenomenal, it has power off the line. Sometimes a turbo will "lag" at the take off line, this supercharger does not.

Note: Please refer to the owners manual/service manual for service information and safety precautions, this is not intended as substitute for the service manual/owners manual. This information is subject to revision or change. PTCC accepts no responsibility for any damage or injury.

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