candymanjl

here's a little more detailed version of my Kenne Bell install

some big boxes


lots of parts...








at this point all the stock parts are removed, the cylinder heads are taped up, and all the connectors are labeled. just follow KB's directions, they're very good through to this point.


here's the new opening for the intake after cutting.


random shot of the bumper off the car, it comes off pretty easy compared to my old S2000, about 30 less screws and bolts.


you need to stay a little organized or you'll go nuts finding parts. I ended up with a couple of piles of stuff. first I spread out all of the new Kenne Bell parts to make things easier to spot. then I had a pile of the stock parts that aren't reused, finally I had a pile of the stock parts that do get reused. this seemed to work well, once you get done with disassembly there's a lot of parts to manage between the new stuff and old stuff. one of the bigger bags that the Kenne Bell parts came in ended up being my stock parts bag. when you're all done all of the stock parts that don't get reused will fit into the bigger of the Kenne Bell boxes which is what I did.


my reused parts pile...


new parts...


that weird shaped black bracket is the new idler pulley bracket. the different holes are for different idler pulley locations for running different boost pulleys. in the directions they tell you to use the top hole to mount the idler pulley, that's if you're running the 5psi pulley from the non-intercooled kit. for the 4" 9psi pulley you'll need to use the 3rd hole down or you won't have enough belt tension.


as apart as it gets after the disassembly part of the directions...


the MAF, filter, and intake hose mounted. during reassembly when the headlight goes back in you'll more than likely have to unbolt this assembly to get the headlight back in, that's what I had to do.


it's a little tight, cut a little extra space if you need to. also you'll want to place a rag between the intake hose and the neck on the radiator. I didn't at first and the hose was starting to get rubbed through. once the radiator hose is back on you don't have to worry out it.


hard to tell but this is the lower ECU connector. once the ECU is relocated it's a little tight to get the bottom plug back in because of the AC line. if you can't get the plug back in you can just take the back cover off. I didn't want to leave the wires exposed so I clipped a couple of little tabs and put the cover back on the other way around and then it fit around the AC line. the middle and upper connectors fit fine without any mods.


here's the driver's side wiring loom spread apart, you need to do this to move the throttle body wiring around to the new location.


heat exchanger mounted up. this is the only part of their directions that were a little jacked up. they released a new, larger, intercooler pump, this changed the directions a little. basically you'll want to mount the new pump to the passenger side bracket before mounting the bracket. putting the pump on afterwards like you would do in the directions is a little bit of a PITA. I talked to Kenne Bell said they're going to add a supplement to the manual to make things easier.


all ninja like


intercooler in place


and the big daddy I put everything in myself, it's not that heavy. the intercooler can be put in from either side. the blower is easier to put in from the driver's side since you have to line it up with the bypass valve.


mmmmmmmm...


that's more or less all the tools you need right there. add a couple jacks and the tools to get the wheels off and you're set. make sure you have allen keys that have one end rounded so you can get to things at an angle. if you get the stage 2 you have to swap the stock TB's electrics to the new TB. it's pretty easy, just follow their directions.


getting close!






the boost-a-pump, new kits come with the BAP set to 17V all the time, not just in boost. this saves you a lot of time and work running the boost sensor up to the engine bay which is nice my only complaint was that to mount the BAP far enough to the driver's side to not interfere with the trunk plastic I had to extend one of the power wires and the ground wire. before driving the car I verified that it was outputting 17V to the pump by metering it, that's the only way to test it.


they kinda scared the crap out of you with the supercharger oil too much can kill it but too little can kill it as well. it seems as though too much oil is the most common cause of blower failure, they explain it all in the manual. if you're running the 9psi pulley then you fill it to between the two marks on the dipstick. if you're running high boost, 15psi+, then you actually don't put in as much, they tell you in the manual. the oil is hard to see on the round dipstick, harder than checking the engine's oil with the flat dipstick. I found it easiest to check the dipstick with a bright light wiping the dipstick clean each time. I added about half the bottle then started to check the level, adding a little each time. this is how much was left in the bottle when the blower was filled to the right point.


and onto the "done" pictures










Autometer Carbon Fiber boost gauge with two Aeroforce gauges, Aeroforce gauges are awesome!


engine bay all cleaned up with my covers back in place. a little trimming around the throttle body and the intake hose and the panels fit back in fine.