How often do you add oil to your supercharger?

When I bought my Mini, the PO said he had filled it within the last 10k.

It looks like this maintenance item is a big PIA to take care of.

 

IMO it is just buying time.. the whole setup is a Sealed system, you go down in fluid when the seals start to fail. So if you keep topping it up, that should accelerate as the seal keeps failing and eventually the gears will start running dry and eat themselves.


other strategy - buy a new SC and then you will have ~100k+ miles of no need to refill the fluid.


My SC lasted 130k miles.. i refreshed the fluid once (while i was in there) and didn't have any leaking.. that was just under 100.. i didn't maintain and then the SC let go. I got a new one and everything is good since. (i did have a defective one which let go at the track - gearbox exploded.. think a tooth failed = lots of smoke & noise)


phil.

 

Thanks, this car has 166k and I'm guessing the SC is the original one. Not sure tho.

 

And why would the car have an "oil catch can" for the supercharger?

 

oil catch can is for oil in the intake.. not the SC

 

Thanks man, I'll get it figured out eventually.....

 

couple more details - catch can catches motor oil that sneaks into the intake, so its something that you top up at every change.. SC oil is in a sealed unit and normally not changed.

 

I could have sworn you drain the catch can at oil changes, not top up. My goto sources don't bother with the catch cans though.

The blower oil gets changed if you want it to keep on truckin'. I used the blower oil from Chevy. I'll see if I can find out what it was. I know it was 2 quite small bottles. Also if you change the blower oil it gives you an excuse to replace your water pump.

 

Yea, I'm kinda confused. The Bentley shop manual shows how to add/change the SC oil. I'm guessing the fill plugs are for something????

 

Bmw may say it's lifetime. Eaton may have thought ahead. Those would be the fill plugs. Unfortunately pulling the blower makes it easy to drain/refill.

 

I highly recommend changing the fluid and all seals unless you want to buy an sc... I have the original supercharger to my car and its still running good at 128k. I Changed the oil when I got the car at 69k and did it again at 110k and did all the seals and gaskets on the second time around. Still seems quiet and making full boost so despite what people say about "buying time", its a valuable maintenance item. oil is like $12 or so per bottle and requires two bottles each time. Use the AC Delco brand, Outmotoring.com sells it.

Big job but fairly inexpensive compared to buying a new or rebuilt supercharger.

For reference, ECS has all the seals needed and there are tons of DIY's around if you plan on doing the fluid change.

 

AC Delco that's the one! Also available at any Chevy parts counter.

 

excellent video on how to change your SC oil:

 

Yea its right here AC delco SC oil :

Part # 12345982

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/12345982/



&


11657540124KT SC ( NON JCW ) They all have the updated Teflon coating.

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/11657540124KT/






And the SC Seals kit. 11610020836KT

Supercharger Service Kit

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/11610020836KT/



Thats all the main parts for reference.

 

So, it looks like a big PIA.....but I'm going to do it.


Question is, how often? PO changed it within the last 10k.

 

BTW, ECSTuning seems to be a top notch parts supplier.


I've enjoyed buying various parts from you folks!

 

Non mini sc (other gm eaton units) say to do it (refill the snout oil) every 10 years/100,000 miles...

 

Thanks