In the last issue of Truckin's SUV, we were on the hunt for more power. We were aware of most of the aftermarket performance products for the popular GM Tahoe/Yukon SUV, so we chose to bolt on the latest offering from Vortech engineering: its 5.3L V-2 supercharger unit. The folks at Vortech had started installing its new kit on our test mule, an '01 GMC Yukon. In the Apr. '02 issue, they had installed the essential components necessary for the installation and started the actual supercharger installation. Follow along as we complete the installation of this new Vortech supercharger unit, and see how much power it adds to the mix.
At this point in the installation,...
At this point in the installation, run the other two wires into the OE fuse box. The yellow wire should be attached to the fuse tap on the OE fuel-pump relay. The red wire should be attached to the positive battery terminal.
The upper fan shroud was reinstalled...
The upper fan shroud was reinstalled using all but the top two OE bolts. The Vortech 3-1/2x3-inch sleeve was installed onto the MAF sensor outlet. The Vortech inlet duct was slid into the top of the sleeve and lowered onto the radiator.
The 180-degree inlet duct...
The 180-degree inlet duct was attached to the Vortech supercharger with the supplied hose clamp.
The flex hose was secured...
The flex hose was secured between the two inlet ducts with the supplied hose clamps.
Vortech supplies a 3/8-inch...
Vortech supplies a 3/8-inch hose mender to remove and cap off the throttle-body nipple. Then the valve cover breather hose was attached to the hose coming off of the inlet duct.
The Vortech-supplied upper...
The Vortech-supplied upper radiator hose was cut and attached to the ends of the radiator tube with the supplied clamps. The water and the radiator-pump outlets were fixed and secured to the Vortech-supplied clamp.
The cast discharge duct was...
The cast discharge duct was slid onto the Vortech supercharger and the throttle body, along with the rubber sleeve and the elbow. The clamps were then tightened and trimmed, and the OE engine cover was filed smooth for clearance before reinstalling.
The supercharger bypass valve...
The supercharger bypass valve was installed between the 1-inch heater hoses that connect to the cast discharge duct and the inlet duct. Next, the Vortech-supplied 5/32-inch hose was run from the open-tee fitting above the fuel-pressure regulator to the bypass valve.
The fitting for the oil drain...
The fitting for the oil drain hose was threaded into a hole on the side of the oil pan. The Vortech-supplied 9/16-inch drill bit was used to drill the final hole. The new 3/8-inch hole was greased and then threaded. The area was cleaned, and the supplied sealer was applied to the elbow before it was installed.
The nipple was attached using...
The nipple was attached using sealer on the elbow and then clamped on the return hose.
The small casting above the...
The small casting above the oil filter was removed, and the existing hole was drilled and tapped. The casting was reinstalled, along with the 90-degree fitting, followed by the installation of the oil feed line. We drained the existing oil and installed a new oil filter.
The Vortech fuel pump was...
The Vortech fuel pump was mounted on the framerail below the OE fuel filter. The wire we placed here earlier was then attached, along with the ground wire. The OE fuel line was removed from the fuel-filter outlet and attached to the fuel pump outlet with the Vortech-supplied fittings.
The negative battery cable...
The negative battery cable was reconnected, and fresh oil and coolant were added.
Once in the driver seat, the...
Once in the driver seat, the Vortech-supplied reprogrammer was connected to the ALDL connector located under the dash, and the Vortech engineers proceeded to follow the instructions on the reprogrammer. This takes about five minutes.
After the OE ECU is reprogrammed,...
After the OE ECU is reprogrammed, you are ready to roll. The Yukon was run on the dyno to get some comparison numbers. After the supercharger install, the Yukon pumped out 272.9 hp at 5,350 rpm and 287 lb-ft of torque. This was an increase of 72 hp and 59 lb-ft of torque over stock -- not bad for a day's work.