Saleen SC self install thoughts
02-15-2009, 08:08 PM
#1
3rd Gear Member
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Northern Indiana
Posts: 519
Saleen SC self install thoughts
Last week my 18 year old son and I (mostly my son) installed a Saleen SuperShaker, as many of you have probably already read about. But I had a couple people pm me with questions about the install, so thought I would post basically what I sent for those thinking about doing a self install.
Saleens instructions were pretty good with lots of pictures, although a few sections didn't follow the perfect order. Sample: had us put fuel rails/injectors in and then connect the electrical connectors, when the unit was sitting on the bench, and the connectors were in the engine bay. Obviously we waited until the unit was in place before connecting LOL.
The torque specs are listed. You can view the install manual on Saleen's site. We also used a link on taco bills how tos: https://mustangforums.com/forum/4-6l...-and-vids.html
While I would not call this easy at all, it is basically a bolt on. The big picture is overwhelming, but step by step, page by page, you make progress. My son seriously was the lead on this install, and i am very proud of him for getting it done. While I would definitely say he is mechanically inclined (heading off to college this fall for mechanical engineering), he does not have automotive experience other than digging into his truck and my Mustang, using internet research, and lots of ambition/no fear. We did go into this knowing we had a couple of friends willing to stop by and help if needed, and Brenspeed 20 minutes from our house, and of course only a phone call away.
Someone with more experience could do this much faster than our approximate 16 hours. They probably would not have done the following, as we did:
My son says we need a "pulley removal tool", so when taking back the tools borrowed to replace my Steeda UDP's with the originals, we asked autozone about this tool. Nothing looked like it in their book, so we went to NAPA as well, with no luck. Once home I looked closer at the instructions, and notice it said "retrieve" the tool. "Kevin, it says retrieve so to me that means they should have supplied it, did you look in the bags?" He said yes but by the tone he used I thought he didn't look very good, this is a kid who can't find the jelly in the fridge LOL! Anyway, I find it in the first bag I pick up. So I didn't include that hour driving around and searching in our 16ish hr install, but the story continues and I did inlcude this time.
Using the tool in an impact wrench, simply remove the pulley. Ah, but wait, the pulley will spin so we have to hold it to be able to loosen. After a bit with no luck of loosening, but not letting that pulley spin, I say just put the dang impact on without holding the pulley and see what happens. It came right off. When you are experienced and have worked with these type of things, you don't have things like this happen.
I guess if I had to say the the biggest steps I was concerned about, it would be the little bit of wiring/rewiring. Not a good idea to mess up in these newer cars, and I suppose we could have caused damage that would have cost more to troubleshoot or repair than the cost of the install.
Hope that helps enough to help you decide which way you want to go. Depends on how comfortable you are with this type of work. Even after the first 6 hours, I still had the thought in the back of my head that said I could have dropped off at Brenspeed and drove home the next day, no worries. After having done it with all good results, am I glad we did it together, father and son.... 110% for sure YES!
Saleens instructions were pretty good with lots of pictures, although a few sections didn't follow the perfect order. Sample: had us put fuel rails/injectors in and then connect the electrical connectors, when the unit was sitting on the bench, and the connectors were in the engine bay. Obviously we waited until the unit was in place before connecting LOL.
The torque specs are listed. You can view the install manual on Saleen's site. We also used a link on taco bills how tos: https://mustangforums.com/forum/4-6l...-and-vids.html
While I would not call this easy at all, it is basically a bolt on. The big picture is overwhelming, but step by step, page by page, you make progress. My son seriously was the lead on this install, and i am very proud of him for getting it done. While I would definitely say he is mechanically inclined (heading off to college this fall for mechanical engineering), he does not have automotive experience other than digging into his truck and my Mustang, using internet research, and lots of ambition/no fear. We did go into this knowing we had a couple of friends willing to stop by and help if needed, and Brenspeed 20 minutes from our house, and of course only a phone call away.
Someone with more experience could do this much faster than our approximate 16 hours. They probably would not have done the following, as we did:
My son says we need a "pulley removal tool", so when taking back the tools borrowed to replace my Steeda UDP's with the originals, we asked autozone about this tool. Nothing looked like it in their book, so we went to NAPA as well, with no luck. Once home I looked closer at the instructions, and notice it said "retrieve" the tool. "Kevin, it says retrieve so to me that means they should have supplied it, did you look in the bags?" He said yes but by the tone he used I thought he didn't look very good, this is a kid who can't find the jelly in the fridge LOL! Anyway, I find it in the first bag I pick up. So I didn't include that hour driving around and searching in our 16ish hr install, but the story continues and I did inlcude this time.
Using the tool in an impact wrench, simply remove the pulley. Ah, but wait, the pulley will spin so we have to hold it to be able to loosen. After a bit with no luck of loosening, but not letting that pulley spin, I say just put the dang impact on without holding the pulley and see what happens. It came right off. When you are experienced and have worked with these type of things, you don't have things like this happen.
I guess if I had to say the the biggest steps I was concerned about, it would be the little bit of wiring/rewiring. Not a good idea to mess up in these newer cars, and I suppose we could have caused damage that would have cost more to troubleshoot or repair than the cost of the install.
Hope that helps enough to help you decide which way you want to go. Depends on how comfortable you are with this type of work. Even after the first 6 hours, I still had the thought in the back of my head that said I could have dropped off at Brenspeed and drove home the next day, no worries. After having done it with all good results, am I glad we did it together, father and son.... 110% for sure YES!
02-15-2009, 08:18 PM
#2
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Kaiserslautern, Germany
Posts: 1,418
Im glad you got some bonding time with your son before he goes to school. I would install my own and just might depending if I get a Whipple, Vortech, Paxton, or Saleen I have a little less than 3 months to finally decide what Im gonna get... I want to be ready before Mustang Week in Myrtle Beach this July with wheels and the supercharger installed... Thanks for posting Bob
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