Supercharger Installation - Installing A Vortech VTS In Our '64 El Camino

1964 Chevy El Camino Supercharger Install

The '64 El Camino has been dubbed El Guapo by Pete Waydo, an engineer at Vortech. It has an '04 GTO LS1 with an MSD MEFI 4 controller, a Keisler A41 automatic overdrive transmission, and a 10-bolt with axles and a limited-slip from Randy's Ring and Pinion. For more on the swap, read the how-to article in the May '08 issue or online at CarCraft.com. The general swap components are from Street and Performance and use its pulley system and headers. The motor mounts are from Holley.

The '64 El Camino has been dubbed El Guapo by Pete Waydo, an engineer at Vortech. It has a

Have you heard a twin-screw blower yet? There is nothing in the world like the giant slide-whistle scream of the new batch of positive-displacement superchargers for late-model engines. It's like being duct-taped to the hood of Scotty Cannon's Pro Mod with your head in the bug catcher. The whine turns to a whistle, then a shriek as the engine starts to make power.

We love 'em, but up until now, you had to own a newer Cobra Mustang, GT500, or Corvette to share the fun. Now, Vortech Engineering has introduced a Lysholm twin-screw tuner kit for use on anything with an LS-series engine swap. Since the '64 El Camino shop truck has a GMPP LS1 and a Keisler A41 transmission, we got to play with the first one. This is a tuner kit, so you'll need to know how to wrench on your car, or take it to a guy who does, to get the whole thing to work. But trust us, it's worth it.

The kit is designed for any LS-based engine with cathedral ports like truck engines or the LS1 or LS2, unless you have an L92 (square-port) head on it. The Vortech VTS uses a Lysholm head unit mounted on a charge-air cooler. The VTS is different from the high-helix Roots because instead of rotors, it uses a twin-screw design that compresses air inside the housing. Intake air is fed through the back of the head unit, then forward through the screws and down to the manifold through a window in the front of the housing. Theory says that if you ran a Roots-style and a screw-style side by side with the same rpm and same cfm, the screw-type would be more efficient with less temperature gain, which means more power. The charge-air cooler adds density to the air charge, allowing more air and fuel to enter the combustion chamber, also creating more power.

The 2.3L VTS kit is designed to supply 7 to 8 pounds of boost with the supplied 3.8-inch pulley, providing as much as 5 pounds as low as 3,000 rpm and works using a stock LS1 fuel pump. It is advertised to deliver 40 percent more power but is capable of much more. The limit of boost and power is going to be determined by the octane of the fuel you use and the fuel system's ability to deliver it.

We got the VTS installed on the car, but deadlines prevented us from getting the car to the dyno, so we are going to split this job into several issues. Since the El Camino already made 380 hp at the wheels, we should be seeing close to 500 with the VTS. That should keep us competitive in traffic.

The Vortech tuner kit consists of a Lysholm Twin Screw positive-displacement blower, upper and lower manifolds, injectors, a fuel rail, an idler pulley, and brackets and spacers for use with an F-body front engine accessory drive (FEAD). It also comes with the little parts like nuts, bolts, and gaskets.
The Vortech tuner kit consists of a Lysholm Twin Screw positive-displacement blower, upper
The entire job is just like swapping an intake manifold. The difference is the LS1 manifold has no water running through it and a rubber seal integrated into it, so there is zero mess-no China wall of RTV, no oil, no water. We stayed clean for once.
The entire job is just like swapping an intake manifold. The difference is the LS1 manifol
The VTS sits on the valley pan, requiring the bolts to be changed to small button-head style. On some early LS1s and trucks, there is a steam tube running in the valley as well. The VTS kit has the fixes included.
The VTS sits on the valley pan, requiring the bolts to be changed to small button-head sty

The shark fin needs to be trimmed off the Vortech-supplied intake gasket for it to fit. Side cutters work. The gaskets are included in the kit and are for a factory LS-powered GM truck.
The shark fin needs to be trimmed off the Vortech-supplied intake gasket for it to fit. Si
One of the two end clips also needs to be clipped off to use the stock gasket. The center clip holds the gasket in place during installation. That is all the custom work that is involved.
One of the two end clips also needs to be clipped off to use the stock gasket. The center
Once the gasket was installed, we centered the VTS and lowered it in place. The only trick here was finding an inch-pounds torque wrench that went to 89 in-lb for the manifold torque spec. Our ft-lb torque wrench only went as low as 10 ft-lb, so it was off to Sears for some tool shopping.
Once the gasket was installed, we centered the VTS and lowered it in place. The only trick

The other gasket you need is for the throttle body because, again, the stock LS manifold has the gasket integrated into it. This is a Delco part that will be on the shelf at the dealer.
The other gasket you need is for the throttle body because, again, the stock LS manifold h
You'll need to grab the manifold absolute pressure (MAP) sensor off of the stock manifold for use with the VTS. Our controller does not use a mass airflow sensor (MAF), so this and the throttle position sensor (TPS) run the show.
You'll need to grab the manifold absolute pressure (MAP) sensor off of the stock manifold
There is a hole for the MAP sensor on the back of the new manifold, and the kit comes with a mounting bracket.
There is a hole for the MAP sensor on the back of the new manifold, and the kit comes with

The other sensor on the manifold is for manifold air temperature. Our controller doesn't use it, so we left it unplugged.
The other sensor on the manifold is for manifold air temperature. Our controller doesn't u
The VTS has ports for the vacuum brakes and two for emissions control devices, including PCV. We capped two of them and ran the third to the valve cover vent.
The VTS has ports for the vacuum brakes and two for emissions control devices, including P
The fuel rail comes with a 9/16-18 female, and we had an Earl's -6 line feeding the LS1 from the Rock Valley fuel tank. To connect the two, we used an Earls' PN 949086 90-degree fitting.
The fuel rail comes with a 9/16-18 female, and we had an Earl's -6 line feeding the LS1 fr

Another hitch we ran into is the switch GM made to EV1-style injectors. We bought a set of EV1 male to EV6 female adapters for the MEFI harness from Five O Motorsport.
Another hitch we ran into is the switch GM made to EV1-style injectors. We bought a set of
Most LS1 engines have a coolant vent tube that runs under the manifold and will interfere with the VTS. Vortech includes this handy bypass that solves the problem. Our LS1 already had the bypass installed from the factory.
Most LS1 engines have a coolant vent tube that runs under the manifold and will interfere
Past experience has shown us that the F-body FEAD will crash into the steering box on a Chevelle during an engine swap. The solution is this system from Kwik Performance in Springfield, Missouri. It mounts the alternator high like a Y-body (Corvette) system without the price.
Past experience has shown us that the F-body FEAD will crash into the steering box on a Ch

The VTS kit will work with an F-body FEAD if you happen to have an LS1 swapped into a '67 to '69 Camaro, and it will work with a Chevelle using the Kwik brackets and the Vortech idler pulley bracket that come in the kit.
The VTS kit will work with an F-body FEAD if you happen to have an LS1 swapped into a '67
Note the black spacers provided by Vortech in the kit. The idler pulley is the only addition to the FEAD needed.
Note the black spacers provided by Vortech in the kit. The idler pulley is the only additi
The factory F-body power steering pump needs to be plumbed with a remote reservoir. There is no way around it. We used a 5-inch pulley to clear the steering box. We will get more into the pumps, pulleys, and options in the next installment of this series. Until then, check out the LS accessory drive swap guide in the May '09 issue.
The factory F-body power steering pump needs to be plumbed with a remote reservoir. There

The Kwik system is designed for the F-body alternator. Senior Tech Editor Jeff Smith discovered that the Camaro and truck alternators are interchangeable.
The Kwik system is designed for the F-body alternator. Senior Tech Editor Jeff Smith disco
The VTS comes with a charge-air cooling system that runs water under the head unit then out to a cooler that needs to be mounted where air can flow through it. We'll install that in part two of this series before we put the car on the dyno.
The VTS comes with a charge-air cooling system that runs water under the head unit then ou
The last part we needed before the engine made noise was a throttle cable. The factory Chevelle parts aren't even close, so we used an LS1 throttle cable and Chevelle pedal assembly from Lokar.
The last part we needed before the engine made noise was a throttle cable. The factory Che

You're gonna need a hood. The rise on the VTS is more than 2 inches-about a foot from the core support-so we are going to fit a 4- or 6-inch cowl to see if it clears. More on that next time.
You're gonna need a hood. The rise on the VTS is more than 2 inches-about a foot from the
This is the assembled system using all factory F-body FEAD parts and the Kwik Performance kit.
This is the assembled system using all factory F-body FEAD parts and the Kwik Performance

Parts
Description	PN	Source	Price
Throttle body gasket	12570168	ACDelco	$6.50
Fuel fitting	949086	Earl's	$30.57
EV1 male to EV6 female adapters	N/A	Five O Motorsport	$74.00
Kwik alternator, P/S drive	K10168	Kwik Performance	$287.00
VTS Tuner Kit	2310010	Vortech Engineering	$5,500.95

SOURCES
Kwik Performance Springfield MO 417-955-1467 www.kwikperf.com	Autotronic Controls/MSD Ignition 1490 Henry Brennan Dr El Paso TX 79936 915-857-5200 www.msdignition.com
Lokar 10924 Murdock Drive Knoxville TN 37932 877-469-7440 www.lokar.com	Earl's 1801 Russellville Road Bowling Green KY 42101 270-781-9741 www.earlsplumbing.com
Rock Valley Antique Auto Parts Route 72 & Rothwell Rd Box 352 Stillman Valley IL 61084 815-645-2271 www.rockvalleyantiqueautoparts.c om	Keisler Engineering Knoxville TN 888-609-0053 www.keislerauto.com
AFCO Racing Boonville IN 800-632-2320 www.afcoracing.com	Vortech Engineering 1650 Pacific Avenue Oxnard CA 93033 805-247-0226 www.vortechsuperchargers.com
Holley Performance Products/Brands 1801 Russellville Rd. Bowling Green KY 42101 270-781-9741 www.holley.com	Street And Performance Mena AZ _____ 479-394-5711 www.hotrodlane.cc
Painless Performance Products 2501 Ludelle Street Ft. Worth TX 76105 800-423-9696 www.painlessperformance.com	Five O Motorsport Lakewood CA _____ 562-394-7218 www.fiveomotorsport.com
GM Performance Parts P.O. Box 33170 Detroit MI 48232 800-577-6888 www.gmperformanceparts.com