jbperformance
Member
JBP is new to the Mazda community. I am usually so busy with re-manufacturing twin screw, centrifugal, and roots style superchargers that it is difficult to have another presence in a forum community. I have received soo many calls lately from Mazda Miller engine owners relating to problems with the IHI Supercharger. Chances are if you have not had a failure, you know someone who has. To add to the misery, replacement cost is rather steep and rebuilding choices are limited and seem somewhat un-reliable.
The problem with rebuilding these units is that the bearings and seals are not readily available on the market. The parts that are readily available and ‘fit’ into this unit are not properly rated to handle the conditions that the supercharger will deliver. This is why we have not stepped into this market. This means that custom bearings and seals need to be manufactured at a high investment cost. High investment cost means high parts cost. Since this unit is oil fed in the front and the rear, this also means twice the number of seals to fail and twice the cost to rebuild. JBP has looked into remanufacturing these parts. The cost to do so will be rather high to our standards at about $600 to $700 USD compared to other models of superchargers. Add in the above average rebuild labor for these units, and we are looking at a full rebuild cost of $1,200 to $1,800 USD.
In our opinion, it is not economical to rebuild a poor design. The supercharger has oil chambers and arteries surrounding the case. These arteries clog or gain deposits which slowly choke off the oil supply. Seal failure soon follows. To add to it, the oil is always heating the supercharger walls and contributing to a higher than normal temperature of the intake charge.
We know there are not many choices on the market right now to help with failed superchargers. The fact that IHI used proprietary parts and built features into the supercharger to try and prevent it from being repaired prevents a rebuild from being a sensible solution.
The purpose of this post is to gauge interest in whether JBP should create a parts kit OR whether it would be more beneficial to develop an aftermarket supercharger kit based on an American design that is well prove. We are considering international availability, but may be affected by mounting of accessories on vehicles in other countries. The choices are below. If you wish to respond, please do so sincerely and from a perspective of what you would pay, and not what you wish for. I am considering that many individuals are just trying to keep their daily driver road worthy. When responding, please indicate on a scale from 1 to 10 with 10 being the solution that you would choose if your supercharger failed and you needed to repair or replace it. You may choose more than 1, just scale it accordingly.
1. Offer up proprietary parts and optional rebuilding services. Parts will be manufactured by US company, most likely SKF. $600 to $700 USD
2. Aftermarket Eaton supercharger kit using a self-contained, well known, and reliable roots design using common components on the market. It would be factory boost level only. Estimated cost would be $1,200 to $2,000 USD.
3. Aftermarket self contained twin screw design with the ability to dial in boost at higher levels $2,000 to $4,000 USD without fueling and tuning components. These components will be added in separately.
4. Self-contained centrifugal blower configuration designed by JBP: $1,500 to $2,000- with boost ranging from stock to 22psi.
Please realize that a solution may take 4-6 months from production to testing and no pre-orders will be accepted. Should we come to market with a proven design, we will become an Authorized Merchant and Sponsor and release it here first.
The problem with rebuilding these units is that the bearings and seals are not readily available on the market. The parts that are readily available and ‘fit’ into this unit are not properly rated to handle the conditions that the supercharger will deliver. This is why we have not stepped into this market. This means that custom bearings and seals need to be manufactured at a high investment cost. High investment cost means high parts cost. Since this unit is oil fed in the front and the rear, this also means twice the number of seals to fail and twice the cost to rebuild. JBP has looked into remanufacturing these parts. The cost to do so will be rather high to our standards at about $600 to $700 USD compared to other models of superchargers. Add in the above average rebuild labor for these units, and we are looking at a full rebuild cost of $1,200 to $1,800 USD.
In our opinion, it is not economical to rebuild a poor design. The supercharger has oil chambers and arteries surrounding the case. These arteries clog or gain deposits which slowly choke off the oil supply. Seal failure soon follows. To add to it, the oil is always heating the supercharger walls and contributing to a higher than normal temperature of the intake charge.
We know there are not many choices on the market right now to help with failed superchargers. The fact that IHI used proprietary parts and built features into the supercharger to try and prevent it from being repaired prevents a rebuild from being a sensible solution.
The purpose of this post is to gauge interest in whether JBP should create a parts kit OR whether it would be more beneficial to develop an aftermarket supercharger kit based on an American design that is well prove. We are considering international availability, but may be affected by mounting of accessories on vehicles in other countries. The choices are below. If you wish to respond, please do so sincerely and from a perspective of what you would pay, and not what you wish for. I am considering that many individuals are just trying to keep their daily driver road worthy. When responding, please indicate on a scale from 1 to 10 with 10 being the solution that you would choose if your supercharger failed and you needed to repair or replace it. You may choose more than 1, just scale it accordingly.
1. Offer up proprietary parts and optional rebuilding services. Parts will be manufactured by US company, most likely SKF. $600 to $700 USD
2. Aftermarket Eaton supercharger kit using a self-contained, well known, and reliable roots design using common components on the market. It would be factory boost level only. Estimated cost would be $1,200 to $2,000 USD.
3. Aftermarket self contained twin screw design with the ability to dial in boost at higher levels $2,000 to $4,000 USD without fueling and tuning components. These components will be added in separately.
4. Self-contained centrifugal blower configuration designed by JBP: $1,500 to $2,000- with boost ranging from stock to 22psi.
Please realize that a solution may take 4-6 months from production to testing and no pre-orders will be accepted. Should we come to market with a proven design, we will become an Authorized Merchant and Sponsor and release it here first.
