Supercharging the Right Way...

Well, the day is finally approaching...I've been wanting a supercharger since I picked up my Tundra back on July 31st 2017. My wife finally caved and gave me the green light. I have never owned a supercharged or turbocharged vehicle before, but have always been toying with the idea. I've got so many questions and hope those of you out there with a supercharged Tundra can point me down the correct path doing this the right way and avoiding any mistakes that you may have made while going down this road.

My truck is a 2017 Crewmax 5.7L Flex Fuel 4x4. Current performance mods (if these really even count) are the TRD Dual Exhaust and TRD CAI which will be removed when the Magnuson goes on since it comes with it's own airbox. I'm planning to run the Magnuson with the Bully Dog tune that comes with it. No smaller pulley or anything that will put too much strain on the stock motor. I want the power, but daily drive the truck and it MUST remain reliable. I drive roughly 20K miles per year. The truck currently has 50K on the odometer. I've heard great things about OV Tuning and would like to run that over the Bully Dog, but really don't know where to start.

I'm planning to get the Magnuson within the next 2 months. I know I can go through Sparks Parts with the 5% discount, but don't really like their name branded on the supercharger. I'm wondering if Magnuson will do some type of Black Friday deal and if that would be the best time to buy, otherwise I was going to buy from Right Toyota in Scottsdale, AZ. Right Toyota is who I planned on using for the install. I spoke with them about a year ago and they seem to have done the most installs around the valley. The downside of purchasing through them is I will have sales tax, but it might be worth it if there happens to be any problem with one that I brought over the internet. If purchased through Toyota and they do the install I would imagine they'd take car of any defects or issues on the spot.

So, my questions begin...I'll just list out some thoughts I'm having and you guys feel free to point me in the right direction.

1. What maintenance is required if any on the Magnuson? I hear the oil gets changed, but not until 100K miles on the unit.

2. Do I need to keep an eye on the coolant reservoir every oil change or anything else that I need to check or worry about?

3. Catch Can - Is it a good idea? I was thinking about the Radium Engineering Catch Can. PCV, Crankcase, or dual kit? Or not needed? http://www.radiumauto.com/Tundra-Catch-Can-Kit-2007-P933.aspx

4. Coolant Reservoir - I've heard the plastic one that comes with the kit has been know to leak. Is this true? If so, I was looking to add the Figs Engineering Coolant Reservoir. https://www.shopfigs.com/v3/TANK-COOL-FAB-MAG

5. Premium Fuel - I've always run the premium fuel in my truck. We only have 91 Octane out here which is the minimum necessary. Will 91 be an issue?

6. Gauges - Are gauges needed for monitoring? If so, what is recommended?

7. Tuning - I've heard many of you are not fans of the Bully Dog. No clue where to begin here. I've heard great things about OV Tuning. Thoughts?

I guess that's about it for now. If the catch cans, coolant reservoir, or gauges along with anything is recommended I'll probably start to pick those items up here shortly. The Magnuson depends on any sale or if you guys think it's best to purchase where I have it installed I'll go that route.

If there are any additional things I should know please speak up. I want to do this the right way the first time.

Thanks for reading all this, looking forward to your thoughts.

Tagging members who I've noted as being supercharged or having experience below:
@Kerch71 @white_sherpa @Vector W8 @Spvrtan @1UPPER @Crunch527 @imDementeD @HulkSmurf14 @Alltime @4Runner @Deuxlatch @Cuzin Eddie @ZPMAN @Nick T @Midway @RitcheyRch @rockcipher @ColoradoTJ

 

Ordered mine today, 2017 crewmax ffv, about 20k miles a year, currently at 55k. I’m going to be doing custom tune. Be interested to compare results as we go. Keep us posted!

 

Congrats and look forward to following your progress!!

Sub'd

 

I second a group buy or some deal for Tundras.com members.

I just need a small discount to pull the trigger and buy one.

 

Nice. Didn't you just get some headers installed or am i thinking of another member? Id love to get mine on a dyno as well. It would be interesting to compare.

 

I believe Magnuson did a black Friday sale last year. Dont quote me, but i think they offered $500 off.

 

I have little to offer but mine has 60k miles with sc and havent done a damn thing to it. Bought truck used with it (gamble). Toyota tune. I dont bag on it. weather ranges from -35 to +35 degC.
You will enjoy it

 

Thanks for the good info Chris. I forgot to add methanol injection to my list. Ive heard they are not good for the coating on the internals of the supercharger, but that is just hear say. I dont think id want to be tuned for it, but adding it as a safety net could be a good idea.

 

about 3 weeks ago lol

 

I'm getting a dyno and hptune from Virginia Speed next month. I plan on asking alot of questions and will definitely share the experience. Haven't really done anything with the SC since I bought it, but I know I can increase the performance.

 

Depending on how worries you are about warranty in your truck and on the blower, I would purchase it from the same dealer that will be doing the instal and any warranty issues. @T-Rex266 might have something to add

 

These are some of last year's sales for Magnuson. I'm sure they'll offer up something soon. Free shipping is pretty significant.

 

1. At 100k would be good to look the blower over and change the oil. However the real issue is the coupler will most likely shit itself long before then. The coupler is what connects the pulley shaft to the gears that spin the blower. It's like 1.5" in diameter and is super derpy and made of plastic. It's meant as a cushion from impulse loads to the blower gears. I got my blower used and APPARENTLY it had 5000 miles on it but it needed the coupler the instant I installed the blower, and I'm not the only one. It's a pretty cheap part, you pull the nose cone off and the coupler is just sitting there and you swap it. Magnuson's manual says you need to remove the whole blower, but you can do it without removing it if you have some swivels (assuming you do your own work). Some people get 10k, some 30k, some 80k on a coupler. But I would expect to have to replace that sooner rather than later. There can be issues apparently if you don't fix it fast, and you'll know it needs it since the blower will sound rattly at idle.

2. I mean you shouldn't HAVE to, but who doesn't check all their fluids at a minimum every oil change?

3. Catch can is a good idea, albeit not required. I saw Victor (I think) with that 1000hp build mention lots of fuel from nitrous through the blower can be bad for the Teflon on the rotors. Based on that I would get one just to avoid any extra shit going through the blower. With that said I don't have one yet.

4. Yes, my coolant reservoir kind of leaks. More like initially leaked a hair and then dried up and seems fine. I saw this when I installed it (used unit) and cleaned everything but it didn't change it. It's not like you're losing coolant, just the lid doesn't seal great. Your call if you want to upgrade it, not necessary imo.

5. 91 is not an issue. At higher elevations the octane levels usually go down anyways. I live at 6000ft and only have 91 octane but my OV tune is setup as if it were 93 octane. Also for future reference, octane level is not the end all be all. I have friends who would've rather left their vehicle behind on the side of the road and run out of gas than run a lower octane gas. Likewise I've seen members that carry like $300 of octane booster if they get to a gas station that doesn't have 91+. If you're out camping it's common in super remote areas to not have premium. I had it happen to me about a week after getting my supercharger on. The key is don't be an idiot, if there is only 87 octane your engine will run that fine and retard the timing if it notices knock. As long as you're not hammering it your engine will be 100% fine. You're safe with 91 octane, you're safe to like 80% throttle with 87 octane is how you should think of it. The ECU is smart, be smart too and you'll be fine.

6. AFR definitely. I have a dual AFR/Boost gauge since I didn't want gauges everywhere. I installed it before the blower so I had a baseline for AFR before the blower installed. But again, this was installed on a 200k+ vehicle and a used blower. TorquePro will tell you afr to an extent, though it's range of readings isn't very far (like max rich it'll read is like 11 or something). Boost gauge can be helpful to monitor the health of the blower and belt slip, but honestly is pretty useless otherwise. A digital boost gauge like I have seems fairly useless too, the value jumps everywhere where as an analog gauge can't react fast so gives a more consistent reading. I would definitely do afr, or at least monitor it on torque pro. If you're afr afr is shitting itself so is your engine in a moment.

7. I had the TRD tune and then the OVTune. I went to lengths to get the TRD tune over bullydog. I read lots and lots of reviews and a solid 50% of them said bullydog did literally nothing and if anything was detrimental (one person even said it was pulling timing). So to play safe I got the TRD tune. My plan was to Dyno tune with a HP Tuner, but thats kind of a bitch where I live so when I saw and researched the OVTune I got that. It seems like a good mid point where the tune can be tweaked to the truck versus a 100% canned tune like the others. With things like gear lock it also offers features that a Dyno tuner flat out won't be able to add on. Best combo would be OVTune followed by HP Tuner and a dyno tweaking it perfectly.

 

Good point. I also have the extended warranty from toyota for 7 years or 100k miles so having everything done by toyota makes me feel a little better. Id hate for them to start denying warranty claims on other items and just blaming it on the supercharger.

 

Great info. Much appreciated!

 

From my research and understanding are the following (my opinion) answers:

1. As far as maintenance, swap out your plugs every 25k miles & replace the oil in the S/C itself every 100k...for good safe measures, I'd consider 75k-90k...at least, that's what I will do...thus far, I have only 37k on my current setup.
2. You will not need to keep any eyes on your coolant reservoir so as long as there are no leaks. The TRD S/C is plumbed into the factory setup and constantly runs when the key is set to IGN...I always look for Ss&Gs if there are any pooling or stains but I haven't had any indications the system is leaking and the reservoir is always where it needs to be. I've heard on 2nd generation Tundras, the radiator can be a problematic are since their sue of plastic end tanks...just keep a random eye on everything.
3. I 100% recommend a catch can...only one (for the PCV) is what I would recommend. This is especially crucial to keep your intake manifold and intake system film-free...I've had my Radium Catch Can installed for about 500 miles and it has JUST started becoming visible on the dip stick. Certainly more important with forced induced engines as you get more vapor, etc. Keep them lungs clean! The other can will likely NEVER see oil as it's plumbed merely into the intake charge tube...if your PCV is controlled and the vapors are "caught" properly, you should NOT see anything ever in the intake hose. Again, merely my opinion...
4. My Coolant reservoir is made of Aluminum and I'm sure if it was a plastic tank, the heat cycles will make the plastic shrink and swell much more than the aluminum counterpart...I'm not sure why Magnuson would change their coolant reservoir to plastic to only save $100 or so...perhaps a call to Magnuson to confirm would help you rest better at night?!
5. Premium Fuel...yes, only use premium if you're S/C'd but if N/A, only use Premium once a month or once every 5k miles...I will use BG44k every oil change through my fuel system to ensure I'm getting the most out of the fuels around me...Winter fuels will change (if you even have winters with snow, etc.) and so will your requirements with a S/C...be sure to consider a supplemental fuel additive during these winter fuel months.
6. I wouldn't say any other gauges would be necessary unless you want to show everyone around you...perhaps a phone BT link could suffice if you need "more" than you have on your display already?! I say gauges are a waste of money and will only distract you when driving in low-light times of the day...
7. I had the TRD Tune originally and it was robust and raw...the OV Tuning I now have is FAR more refined and smoothed throughout the entire power band. I may not be getting "better' efficiency, but this isn't a Prius. With the OV Tuning, the transmission is shifting superior to the TRD Tune as well as unlocking some REALLY handy features like the Gear-Lock, etc. Obviously, with a but more time, OV Tuning will release their logging software for even finer tuning of your setup. I'km looking forward to maximizing the tune I currently have soon!

You will be SO mad if you ever drive another Tundra without the S/C once you have yours installed...it is INSANELY better on drive-ability, power delivery where you need it and even long distant driving where I netted over 18MPG (hand-calc'd)! One thing you will notice, at least I did, the Average MPG on the dash is so far off that you will almost need to use the app Fuelly to track if you're interested in knowing the stats on your efficiency...I wish they could alter the ECU to better read the actual results versus me needing to hand-calc every time...small potatoes though...I'm not sure I could ever own another v8 without a S/C after owning and driving mine...I couldn't be happier in what I have!

Moral of the story: DO IT!!

 

Great post and comments! Sounds like I'm headed in the right direction. Can't wait to get the ball rolling.

 

Just ordered the Radium Engineering Dual Catch Can Kit. Found a decent deal on the dual kit, so I figured I'd go with that instead of just the PCV single.

 

@Tundyfundy There's one left, I PM'd you the link.

 

One cannot go wrong adding more protection to the engine! Well done!

 

Thanks. Sounds like some are saying only the PCV is needed. I did a little research online this weekend and I would have to agree. Some of the videos I watch didn't really show any collection in the crankcase catch can, but I'd rather have it than not even if it doesn't accumulate much over time. The dual kit was only $130 over the single, so I thought why not.

 

1. What maintenance is required if any on the Magnuson? I hear the oil gets changed, but not until 100K miles on the unit. 100K to change the oil in the SC

2. Do I need to keep an eye on the coolant reservoir every oil change or anything else that I need to check or worry about? Only every once in a while I check mine once a month. I have had a little leak out of the hose clamp area around the reservoir. But its quick and easy to top off.

3. Catch Can - Is it a good idea? I was thinking about the Radium Engineering Catch Can. PCV, Crankcase, or dual kit? Or not needed? http://www.radiumauto.com/Tundra-Catch-Can-Kit-2007-P933.aspx. I dont run one on mine, its personal preference. I have not had any problems for over 45,000 miles.

4. Coolant Reservoir - I've heard the plastic one that comes with the kit has been know to leak. Is this true? If so, I was looking to add the Figs Engineering Coolant Reservoir. https://www.shopfigs.com/v3/TANK-COOL-FAB-MAG The plastic one works just fine if there is nothing wrong with it. Otherwise you are spending money just to spend money on something prettier.

5. Premium Fuel - I've always run the premium fuel in my truck. We only have 91 Octane out here which is the minimum necessary. Will 91 be an issue? 91 should work fine depending on your tune. I would recommend using the Bully Dog tune as they developed their tune in conjunction with Magnuson (who developed the SC with Toyota). Its the safest bet. If you have an unlimited budget and time to rebuild your engine then a custom tune can be fun. I would play it safe and say the 550 hp Bully Dog tune is pretty formidable.

6. Gauges - Are gauges needed for monitoring? If so, what is recommended? Only if you like looking at them. Again if you use the BullyDog Tune you should be good. I was running Torque and monitoring all sorts of sensors for the first couple of years. It came in handy when I was using the Unichip and exposed a lot of issues. Running the BullyDog sorted all that out and it became boring to read everything all the time. Not necessary.

7. Tuning - I've heard many of you are not fans of the Bully Dog. No clue where to begin here. I've heard great things about OV Tuning. Thoughts? Stick with BullyDog. They were the GO TO for Magnuson.

 

Thanks for the info! I'm getting a little closer. I did go ahead and purchase the Radium Engineering Dual Catch Can setup. Just received it in the mail yesterday. I planned on running just the PCV can, but found a deal on Amazon for $380 for the dual shipped to my door, so I took it. Glad to hear your success with the Bully Dog, I read others who had some problems - maybe those were solved in recent updates? I'll keep updating my progress along the way. Thanks again for your input!

 

There were like 3 of us that originally ventured down the SC path with our FFV's 4 to 5 years ago. We were the "early adopters" we had a lot of growing pains. At the time we took TRD SC kits and put them on our FFV's not knowing what to expect. We then had to figure out the fueling issues, like which fuel injectors to use (the ones in the SC kit, Something custom, or just leave in the FFV injectors), We also had to find specifications from the OEM supplier of the FFV fuel pump and determine if we would have to replace it with the kit pump or if we would need something custom, turned out if you could trigger the pump to run in high flow mode you could out perform the SC kit fuel pump with the FFV pump. Running the only available piggy back ECU from UniChip was also a nightmare as the fuel curves were not controllable. It was an on off switch. So that proved to be challenging and we were running in to less than optimal air fuel ratios throughout the RPM band. So having Toyota discontinue selling the TRD SC and letting Magnuson have the code to provide ECU tunes was a blessing. Magnuson partnered with BullyDog and wrote a tune for FFV Tundras with an SC. It became a major relief. Also Magnuson and BD upped the conservative tune from Toyota and added 10% more power over the Toyota factory SC tune. So it is fun when you come up against a Toyota pure TRD install and can out pull them.

 

It did seem that a lot of the threads I found with issues were a bit older. To be honest, I was reading up on anything that I could get my hands on which can sometimes provide false info or lead someone down the wrong path. This is the reason I wanted to start this thread and solicit feedback from you guys on here with the first hand experience. . I wanted to supercharge my truck shortly after buying it in July 2017, but after reading some of the problems others had I sort of put the idea on the back burner. I kept floating the idea around as I never gave up on it and now am finally deciding to take the long awaited plunge.

 

@1UPPER had the SC done on his truck and the shop that tuned it did a pretty amazing job from what I know. He was getting really good MPG after the SC too. Not sure if he had the BD and BD tune or something else but whatever his set up was, is what I would try to replicate if I ever got a SC. It sounds like you have done a ton of research on this and have pretty much everything nailed down already but he, or the shop he used may be helpful in fine tuning and the little things that may get overlooked.

 

1. What maintenance is required if any on the Magnuson? I hear the oil gets changed, but not until 100K miles on the unit. 100K to change the oil in the SC per TRD for mine.

2. Do I need to keep an eye on the coolant reservoir every oil change or anything else that I need to check or worry about? I check mine with every oil change. I've noticed no leaks from the OEM plastic one..

3. Catch Can - Is it a good idea? I was thinking about the Radium Engineering Catch Can. PCV, Crankcase, or dual kit? Or not needed? http://www.radiumauto.com/Tundra-Catch-Can-Kit-2007-P933.aspx. I don't have one on my set-up. I think is personal preference. I added the TRD unit to my Tundra on 01/15/2016 with 10863 miles. The truck currently has 17349 miles. Is my weekend only vehicle.

4. Coolant Reservoir - I've heard the plastic one that comes with the kit has been know to leak. Is this true? If so, I was looking to add the Figs Engineering Coolant Reservoir. https://www.shopfigs.com/v3/TANK-COOL-FAB-MAG I've noticed no leaks with my OEM plastic one and will keep that until I start having issues..

5. Premium Fuel - I've always run the premium fuel in my truck. We only have 91 Octane out here which is the minimum necessary. Will 91 be an issue? I was told to only use 91-93 octane with my TRD tune.

6. Gauges - Are gauges needed for monitoring? If so, what is recommended? Only if you like looking at them. I don't have any additional gauges on my set-up. I actually prefer the stealth appearance. I don't want people knowing what's under the hood.

7. Tuning - I've heard many of you are not fans of the Bully Dog. No clue where to begin here. I've heard great things about OV Tuning. Thoughts? I have the stock TRD tune on mine and have had no issues.