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Just bought the A&A kit for my C5. Let me say that I am impressed with the quality of the components and the packaging and labeling of the pieces. I was told by a local distributor that it was an easy installation for anyone with normal mechanical skills, and a few tools if you follow the instructions completely.
Let me say that the instructions are OK but not all inclusive. Key points are not mentioned that can add hours to the install. In regard to tools needed, I have two large tool boxes full of tools that I have accumulated over 50 years of doing every automotive repair imaginable and used a good portion of them to do this project. I used a two post car lift so did not have to shimmy on my back to do this job and it was still a task. I can not imagine doing this with the car on jack stands.
The biggest obstacle is the install of the crankshaft pin. Removing or moving the equipment (rack/pinion, fan assembly, ABS controller, etc.) in order to get to the area and then having or renting an impact wrench with enough power to remove the bolt and then drilling the hole is time consuming and not easy even for the above average owner.
All this aside, the kit is worth the money but I believe the cost of a professional experienced in the install if worth the $1000 to $1500 extra cost over the kit price is money well spent. Good luck and happy driving.
I disagree. Currently installing a rebuilt transmission and twin disk using jackstands. Also installed my blower on jackstands.
Previous car installed an Incon twin turbo kit on jackstands.
I have a good time with it. Sometimes pizza and beer with good music goes a long way. Personally there's no way in hell I let someone else wrench my car. I did have my transmission bench built but it was with a friend (that own a trans shop) and I was there for some of it.
I let a shop change a clutch and the stuff I found now going back through it made me sick. Stripped TT to bellhousing threads (had to helicoil 2) , didn't check the input shaft run-out which was bad and killed the pilot bearing (purchased new input shaft), shield not installed after changing front TT bearing (changed all 3 bearings, new GM couplers an new shield). Wiring not secured/routed properly and didn't rebuild the box (that I paid for) while it was out. Transmission still popped out of 2nd occasionally. Turns out all they did was change syncros which do nothing for popping out. Required changing the 2nd gear and collar plus they didn't use new bearings.
In ratio of labor that one outsourced job was 1/20th of all the gear wrenching on my hobby cars over the years and it was a ******* abortion.
I disagree. Currently installing a rebuilt transmission and twin disk using jackstands. Also installed my blower on jackstands.
Previous car installed an Incon twin turbo kit on jackstands.
I have a good time with it. Sometimes pizza and beer with good music goes a long way. Personally there's no way in hell I let someone else wrench my car. I did have my transmission bench built but it was with a friend (that own a trans shop) and I was there for some of it.
I let a shop change a clutch and the stuff I found now going back through it made me sick. Stripped TT to bellhousing threads (had to helicoil 2) , didn't check the input shaft run-out which was bad and killed the pilot bearing (purchased new input shaft), shield not installed after changing front TT bearing (changed all 3 bearings, new GM couplers an new shield). Wiring not secured/routed properly and didn't rebuild the box (that I paid for) while it was out. Transmission still popped out of 2nd occasionally. Turns out all they did was change syncros which do nothing for popping out. Required changing the 2nd gear and collar plus they didn't use new bearings.
In ratio of labor that one outsourced job was 1/20th of all the gear wrenching on my hobby cars over the years and it was a ******* abortion.
Never again. If I want it done right....
I hear you and agree that if you have had that many problems with others doing your work I would also do it myself. The key here is to find the right installer. Someone who has done a few of them and has a good reputation via word of mouth and your suppliers recommendations. If you are living nowhere near any such installer then by all means give it a try. If you live in a heavily populated area your sales person should be able to point you in the right direction. This is also true of your dyno tuner.
Plenty of vendors here that would do great and I agree.
This clutch shop was highly recommended yet the surprises later speak otherwise. Also on the twin turbo car before I learned how to tune I had a known local tuner set mine up. He incorrectly put the wrong injector size conversion in ratio and it collapsed a piston ring land when it leaned out before tuning was even done.
The 2 times anyone had touched my cars turned into utter failure, costly failure, hence my spouting off about doing it yourself if at all possible.
I also agree that installing a blower isn't for the faint of heart. Definitely advanced skills/tool selection required.
I installed my A&A kit on jackstands with one arm in a sling(until I absolutely needed a second hand, then I dealt with the pain). It definitely isn’t the easiest install I’ve done due to how cramped the bay is but it’s not something I’d say the average hobbyist shouldn’t attempt. The vast majority of it was done with basic hand tools and I just used a breaker bar and a pipe for leverage to break the crank pulley loose. I honestly had more trouble trying to fit a pulley puller in there than anything else.
for me it's worth it to have a professional install and tune a supercharger kit than do it myself unless I have the skills, patience, time, tools (but I don't) ..... I have to pay
Having the right tools and some patience is key.
My garage is about as small as can be and I was able to remove the rack with no problems. Satisfaction of doing something yourself is priceless.
Having the right tools and some patience is key.
My garage is about as small as can be and I was able to remove the rack with no problems. Satisfaction of doing something yourself is priceless.
I am no longer allowed to complain about not having enough garage space. That is just painful even to look at that cramped space. My hat is off to you sir.
Just bought the A&A kit for my C5. Let me say that I am impressed with the quality of the components and the packaging and labeling of the pieces. I was told by a local distributor that it was an easy installation for anyone with normal mechanical skills, and a few tools if you follow the instructions completely.
Let me say that the instructions are OK but not all inclusive. Key points are not mentioned that can add hours to the install. In regard to tools needed, I have two large tool boxes full of tools that I have accumulated over 50 years of doing every automotive repair imaginable and used a good portion of them to do this project. I used a two post car lift so did not have to shimmy on my back to do this job and it was still a task. I can not imagine doing this with the car on jack stands.
The biggest obstacle is the install of the crankshaft pin. Removing or moving the equipment (rack/pinion, fan assembly, ABS controller, etc.) in order to get to the area and then having or renting an impact wrench with enough power to remove the bolt and then drilling the hole is time consuming and not easy even for the above average owner.
All this aside, the kit is worth the money but I believe the cost of a professional experienced in the install if worth the $1000 to $1500 extra cost over the kit price is money well spent. Good luck and happy driving.
Having done my own SC install, I agree. It's not complicated but you will need to make some fitment decisions and trim, cut and wiggle things around to get everything lined up.
When you take into consideration the cost of tuning the car, the professional install is a no brainer. A FI tune will cost 600-700 at the tuner alone.
My car was already heavily modified when I installed the S/C and I ended up around $700 for the tune,
Last edited by johnodrake; 02-13-2018 at 07:16 AM.
Reason: ad homenim
Doing your own work is great. Learning all about it even more fun.
Yet, it isn't worth walking away from the kids and wife, which are far more important.
With that said, I took my car to a shop recommend by A&A. That recommendation cost me over 12K. Even if the "best" shops recommend, you never know what you will get. I thought I could listen to their recommendation and I couldn't have been more wrong.
Last edited by Water_Walker; 01-17-2018 at 09:41 PM.
With that said, I took my car to a shop recommend by A&A. That recommendation cost me over 12K. Even if the "best" shops recommend, you never know what you will get. I thought I could listen to their recommendation and I couldn't have been more wrong.
Just bought the A&A kit for my C5. Let me say that I am impressed with the quality of the components and the packaging and labeling of the pieces. I was told by a local distributor that it was an easy installation for anyone with normal mechanical skills, and a few tools if you follow the instructions completely.
Let me say that the instructions are OK but not all inclusive. Key points are not mentioned that can add hours to the install. In regard to tools needed, I have two large tool boxes full of tools that I have accumulated over 50 years of doing every automotive repair imaginable and used a good portion of them to do this project. I used a two post car lift so did not have to shimmy on my back to do this job and it was still a task. I can not imagine doing this with the car on jack stands.
The biggest obstacle is the install of the crankshaft pin. Removing or moving the equipment (rack/pinion, fan assembly, ABS controller, etc.) in order to get to the area and then having or renting an impact wrench with enough power to remove the bolt and then drilling the hole is time consuming and not easy even for the above average owner.
All this aside, the kit is worth the money but I believe the cost of a professional experienced in the install if worth the $1000 to $1500 extra cost over the kit price is money well spent. Good luck and happy driving.
Is your supercharged car on the road- First impressions? Do you need new tires yet?
Last edited by Toys4Life C5; 01-21-2018 at 02:49 PM.
Is your supercharged car on the road- First impressions? Do you need new tires yet?
Just test drove my C5 A&A installation. It's and automatic. Dyno tuner did a great job and graft shows 500+ RWHP. This is from an LS1 rated at 350HP at the engine, wow. Has the CARB approved large drive pulley so more is possible if wanted. Test drive was exciting. It was a cold day and am running Michelin run flats so traction was limited. Could not really flog it due to excessive tire spin but once traction came in it pulled like a Clydesdale. Constant torque, never came out of the seat before I shut it down at 100+.
i am currently in the market to purchase a supercharger...still doing research. When i do i doubt anyone other than me will do the install. no has touched my engine other than myself and another close buddy for over 10 years. in that time I've done an engine swap, multiple cams, headers, clutch, etc. in the past I've had enough bad experiences that i just dont think i could bring myself to let a shop do it. plus it is easier to rationalize the cost of the mod when you throw in the savings from installing yourself. just my .02
i am currently in the market to purchase a supercharger...still doing research. When i do i doubt anyone other than me will do the install. no has touched my engine other than myself and another close buddy for over 10 years. in that time I've done an engine swap, multiple cams, headers, clutch, etc. in the past I've had enough bad experiences that i just dont think i could bring myself to let a shop do it. plus it is easier to rationalize the cost of the mod when you throw in the savings from installing yourself. just my .02
Can you tune it yourself? That's an important consideration.
I rebuilt a whole car on jack stands. Bought a salvage narrow body vette to make a track car (kept getting kicked off the track in the C5 vert). So the pics start from bringing it home, to removing the entire drive line, to mocking it up, painting, then rebuilding. Car ran an 11.3 NA. before winter teardown and mods. Turned out good for a $20K investment.
Never knock jack stands. Have to look at it as a hobby!
01-06-2018, 12:15 PM
Installing A&A kit at home
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