could someone tell me how the s/c is lubricated? is it a sealed bearing deal or is it as i read once (lubed by the oil in the intake tract) ? i find the latter hard to believe.

 

I think its sealed, it's possible to get at the fluid, but the thing has to be removed. I wouldnt worry about it, and just replace your s/c at say 75k to be safe, thats my plan. 38,000 miles to go.

 

There are gears in the 'nose' of the SC that are enlcosed - though there is a small access port. Same with the rear gears that drive the water pump.

There is speculation that the oil that leaks through the EGR serves a positive purpose as it 'lubes' the lobes, but it doesn't lube so much as helping to 'seal' the interface of the lobes with the casing.

 

That might be alittle early! I'm still running my original and I currently have 154000+ miles on it (120,000+ with 15% pulley)

Nik

 

But go to redline in 1st all the time. For cruising im always above 3500rpm. I have the 15%, but slamming it as I do, it might not last to 120k

When the s/c fails, it stops the water pump (i guess) and it would most likely fail at high rpm or when I'm having fun. And an engine with no coolent pressure tends to die really fast.

 

When your SC starts to go Tango Uniform you'll know it. It will get very noisy. I'd wait until it's actually needed before going through the time & expense to change it out.

Thanks for the update Nik. That makes me feel much better.

 

So the supercharger does not have fluid in it to keep it lubed, like the Eaton M90's? i would think it would.

 

Yes, it is lubed with a synthetic lubricant. I said the gears were enclosed, I forgot to include that the enclosures contain lube.

 

The s/c can fail if the front gears chip or shatter, the rear rotor bearings fail, or the water pump gears chip or shatter (I've heard of a few cases on NAM of the latter due to lubricant loss.)
It's doubtful that it would fail catastrophically (as Crashton said, they get noisy if the gears wear), and if it did, you'd know it - it would not be 'silent but deadly'. I can't see a scenario where the wp would stop spinning long enough to overheat without you knowing it.

 

Pics below.

You can use the GM supercharger fluid. Just use an an anaerobic sealant on the case to re-seal it. Just like a tranny.

 

It seems there is more than one question being asked, there are sealed bearings on both ends of the central case, there is lubrication in the nose and the water pump drive that can be user maintained, but the lobes do not require lubrication. Some superchargers have contact on the lobe ends with the case and others do not; there is sufficient atomized lubrication in the charge air to provide enough lube on the friction surfaces and some lube migrates from the end case reservoirs.

Some background on damage caused by dry water pump drives and a how-to for changing the oil in both ends. https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=74674

 

we found that in one of our cars that over heated, the gears that drive the waterpump on the rear of the supercharger had eaten themselves! THere was no lubricant in the housing either. I saw a similar article by Matt Richter in the latest MC2 magazine.

Here is a pic to show what I'm talking about:

 

 

Happened to me ! Water pump gear lube dryed, gear grinding each other, serious noise alarm! replaced before total failure. Looked just like the pic above.

 

well this is all very encouraging ; thanks. guess i should be careful with questions . but this is good to know thx all .

 

HERBIE,

Remember that TV show, You asked for it.

 

yes , yes i do . well it's double edged. ... don't have to service it , but; .....