This new Camaro now has legendary ZL1 performance thanks to the addition of a Magna Charger LS3/L99 supercharger kit.
Supercharging has gained popularity among street-driven cars in recent years for several reasons. Efficient supercharger systems can reliably create legendary old school muscle car performance on a modern engine with minimal impact on fuel economy. Superchargers have evolved from the older systems that are difficult to install nightmares into systems that are simple to install and easy to maintain. As a result, the expense of a supercharger kit when compared to pulling, rebuilding and fine-tuning an engine is also a major consideration for buyers. A supercharger can produce about the same horsepower for less expense. Plus, unlike nitrous oxide, which requires frequent repurchase of juice, once a supercharger is installed there is no more expense or hassle associated with performance.
Supercharging delivers exceptional horsepower and performance gains with little of the traditionally associated hassles. Superchargers can produce a reliable 500, 600 or even 700-plus hp on an otherwise stock V-8.
If you are you looking to add some extra horsepower to your Gen 5 Camaro but are unsure which route to go, you should check out the Magna Charger LS3/L99 supercharger system.
The new supercharger technology is the same currently used on the new ZR1 Corvette, and we all know what a monster it is. The new system will boost the output to 492 rear wheel horsepower (rwhp) and 455 lb. ft. of torque with only 6 pounds of boost.
Some of the features of this supercharger system include a four-lobe rotor, a high-twist 160-degree helix that has improved efficiency, cooler discharge temperatures and reduced operating noise.
A unique bypass valve, which reduces parasitic drag during normal driving, helps this supercharger run more efficiently, and it also works well with the GM active fuel management system, which deactivates engine use under light throttle. The supercharger also has a self-contained lubrication system, making it maintenance free.
The system comes complete with a patented high velocity aluminum intake manifold, integrated water-to-air intercooler and all brackets and hardware needed for installation. It also includes a handheld programmer to reprogram the factory ECU and a full color instruction manual with step-by-step instructions for installation. All Magna Charger supercharger systems come with a standard three-year limited warranty. Magna Charger also offers an optional three-year/36-thousand mile powertrain warranty.
Chevrolet sold just 69 of the highly coveted ’69 ZL1 Camaros, and virtually none of them ever saw the street. By contrast, almost anyone can install a new Magna Charger supercharger system, and you can drive the car every day without a sacrifice in fuel economy or low-speed drivability.
Where the original ZL1 was a cantankerous 8-mpg anachronism, a Magna Charger-equipped Camaro is smooth, quiet and clean; equally ready to deliver top EPA mileage figures or smoke the tires in any gear—your choice.
List price for the Magna Charger supercharger system in black (as shown) is $7,450, but it can be purchased online from retailers such as hotpart.com for $6,487.
To see if the kit really is simple to install, we watched the crew at Magnuson Products, makers of the Magna Charger (in Ventura, California), as they performed the full-day installation on a ‘10 Camaro. They began the installation by disconnecting the battery, opening the gas cap to release fuel system pressure, unplugging the two engine control module (ECM) connectors, and removing the ECM, which must be sent to Magnuson for programming in a special shipping carton provided with the kit.
Follow the photos as we show you the highlights of this new supercharger system.
Source
Magnuson Products
Dept. MCP
1990 Knoll Dr.
Ventura, CA 93003
805.289.0044
www.magnacharger.com
-
- This new Camaro now has legendary ZL1 performance thanks to the addition of a Magna Charger LS3/L99 supercharger kit.
-
- Popping the hood reveals the Magna Charger (in black), which is clean and simple to maintain.
-
- The LS3/L99 supercharger kit includes everything needed to let your Gen 5 Camaro produce nearly 5492 rwhp and 455 lb-ft of torque at only 6 pounds of boost.
-
- Remove the engine cover and set it aside. It won’t be reused with the blower, however, you might want to sell it on eBay.
-
- Remove the air box assembly; it won’t be reused either.
-
- Unbolt and remove the OEM intake manifold.
-
- Remove the OEM intake manifold and carefully set it aside. Some stock intake components will be used later.
-
- After cleaning the heads and valleys, cover the intake ports with tape to maintain a clean environment and prevent debris falling into the exposed engine interior.
-
- With the air box cover and air filter removed for later use, release the two main radiator hose clamps, pull back the two ends of the engine barb and radiator barb, and twist and tuck the radiator hose out of the way.
-
- Unbolt and remove the fan shroud assembly. Set it aside for later reinstallation.
-
- Remove the harmonic balancer main bolt and install the supplied drill guide (using a 24mm socket and torque wrench set to 30 ft-lb), a use the small 3/8-inch drill with the supplied drill bit and suitable cutting oil to drill two guide holes to the second step of the drill bit. Remove the guide and clean and ream the holes (with the supplied reamer).
-
- Remove the drive belt by loosening the tensioner pulley bolt. Then remove the oil pressure sensor from the valley cover and set aside for later use.
-
- Remove the stock valley cover. It won’t be used again.
-
- Remove the existing O-ring seals and place them in the new valley cover.
-
- The new valley cover is installed using the supplied hardware. Place a dab of black silicone in the recesses of the top surface of the new valley cover to hold the new O-rings in place. Then install the O-rings, along with the oil pressure sensor plug.
-
- Remove the upper radiator mounting bolts and brackets and the rubber deflector strip, and set them aside for later use.
-
- Prepare the new heat exchanger with the supplied adhesive-back foam strips. Attach the supplied hoses next.
-
- Guide the hoses through the two rectangular holes in the splash shield (just forward of the radiator) and slide the heat exchanger in place in front of the A/C condenser assembly. Mount the radiator back in the stock location, and reinstall the fan shroud assembly.
-
- With the coil connectors and plug wires disconnected, remove the coil brackets from the rocker covers and set them on a bench for modification.
-
- Remove the plastic wire loom covers from the coil bracket assemblies by unsnapping the connecting clips.
-
- Remove the OEM heater and water pump hoses at the firewall, and retain the clamps for later use. Cut the new, supplied hoses to length as described in the manual and install.
-
- After removing the MAP sensor and throttle body from the OEM intake manifold, remove the O-ring from the throttle body connector groove.
-
- With the O-ring installed in the groove on the supercharger inlet, mount the OEM throttle body on the supercharger and tighten it with a torque wrench to 106 in-lbs.
-
- Press the MAP sensor (removed earlier) into the sensor hole adjacent to the last intake manifold mounting hole (on the passenger side of the assembly). Slide the 1-inch piece of provided split loom onto the longest bolt for this location, and drop the bolt down through the MAP sensor.
-
- Snap the supplied intake manifold gaskets on to the new supercharger intake manifold.
-
- Using the supplied Lubriplate, lube the fuel manifold O-ring and insert it into the groove on the passenger side fuel rail. Install the new fuel supply manifold, and torque its bolts to 106 in-lbs.
-
- After removing the tape from the heads and applying a silicone spray or suitable non-petroleum lubricant to allow some sliding movement, two people carefully lift the supercharger assembly in place on the engine.
-
- After the spilt loom spacers are removed from the pre-installed manifold bolts and torqued to 106 in-lbs in a cross rotation pattern, connect the supplied MAP sensor extension harness.
-
- Once the other end of the MAP sensor harness is connected to the MAP sensor (located underneath the rear fuel rail crossover tube at the back of the passenger side of the engine), plug the fuel injector connections to the injectors.
-
- Remount the modified coil brackets to either side of the engine using the stock hardware. Torque the bolts to 106 in-lbs. Attach the mail coil connectors and stock plug connectors.
-
- Attach the supplied fuel line between the fuel supply barb below the ABS module and the new fuel rail manifold on the passenger side, then remove the fuel line safety clip from the OEM intake manifold and use it to attach fuel line safety clips on both ends of the fuel line.
-
- Use a sharp blade to carefully split and remove the end of the EVAP tube, and then remove the 90-degree fitting and install it in the supplied hose.
-
- Depending on the car, install the check valve sensor with the hose at the brake booster, and route the hose laterally toward the engine, parallel with the PCV hose.
-
- After additional hoses and wiring are connected following the guidelines in the manual, pull the two wires out of the MAF loom and attach them to the tan and blue wires. (It doesn’t matter which are attached to which) and cover in the provided spilt loom.
-
- Remove the OEM tensioner pulley, install the new, supplied pulley, and torque the bolts to 40 lb-ft. With the help of a friend, compress the tensioner, route the drive belt, and torque the tensioner bolt to 40 lb. ft.
-
- Using the provided self-tapping bolt and a 1/2-inch socket, prep and chase the hole just vacated for mounting the intercooler pump.
-
- After mounting the Adel clamp to the frame for the intercooler pump, slide the pump into the clamp and tighten the bolt.
-
- Attach the supplied mounting bracket for the reservoir to the center stud of the passenger side coil bracket.
-
- Attach the reservoir bottle to the bracket.
-
- With the passenger side hose from the intercooler heat exchanger routed up into the engine compartment, cut the intercooler pump discharge barb to fit and clamp it. Route the hose parallel to the heater hoses, and clamp it securely on the reservoir barb.
-
- After pulling the 5-amp IGN fuse from slot 15 of the fuse block, install the provided fuse tap on one leg of the fuse.
-
- Install the fuse with the fuse tap in the slot it came from in the fuse block. Strip the end of the yellow wire and crimp on the provided spade connector. Connect it to to the fuse tap just installed. Replace the fuse block cover.
-
- Push the new air inlet tube into the air box, and tighten all throttle body necks and clamps. Then, when the Magnuson Products reprogrammed ECM module is returned, snap it in place and plug it into the existing connectors on both terminals.
-
- Reconnect the battery and fill the intercooler system at the reservoir with a 50/50 mixture of coolant and deionized water. These are some of the critical points of the 200-step installation. Be sure to follow the manual carefully when doing the installation.
Tags: Camaro, chevrolet, Magnuson Products, Supercharging
