Supercharging the 1.8L and 2012 Cruze LS restoration

22491 Views 124 Replies 12 Participants Last post by MP81, 6 mo ago

landrystephane92

Discussion Starter · Jul 2, 2021 (Edited)

So welcome to my build log, this is sort of a build log slash restoration log, I'll make a list of things I want to do and things I've done. My goal is to restore this car as I can with better upgraded parts and eventually install a supercharger. I'm open to any and every comment or suggestions! I also want to thank all my sponsors, I really appreciate the support!

A 2012 Chevrolet Cruze LS with
2002 Mercedes C230 Kompressor supercharger
2006 Mini Cooper S bypass valve
2003-2009 Nissan 350Z CF intake vent
2019-2021 Mazda 6 front lip
what's next?

AEM Performance Electronics | Aftermarket Performance Parts

Font Rectangle Electric blue Vehicle registration plate Symbol

FIVE8 INDUSTRIES - READY. SET. LOWER.

Rectangle Jersey Automotive design Sportswear Font

EZ Lip: Universal Spoiler Lip Kits | Stick-on Front Splitters

DIP OUTLET | Canada's source for Plasti Dip

All underlined items are hyperlinked to the post showing it.

General things done

K&N Intake
New NGK Iridium plugs
Cruze big 3 kit
Tuned with HPTuners MPVI2 (added launch control and changed redline)
CDV Delete (want to do the accumulator too eventually)
EZLip Pro
Universal spoiler
Debadged
Chrome delete
Restored ECO wheels (2nd post)
New summer tires, Continental ExtremeContact DWS06, 235/50ZR17
Five8 coilovers (+sponsorship!) - Five8 Industries Installation log
Walker 24442 resonator, Totalflow 20015 Muffler 2.25" ID, Trubenz 2.25" OD aluminized
New shift boot and shift knob
HyperDip wheels Bronze Gold
Sylvania zXe H13 headlight bulbs and Yearly headlight restore
New fog lights and yellow wrap
Mazda 6 front lip (and install the EZLip pro on that)
Carbon fiber 350z bumper air vent
Upgraded front brakes with PowerStop Z23 kit (post 2)
Replace faulty rear wheel speed sensor

General things done that have been replaced or removed

~~Front bumper plastic bezel custom cutout for intake air (the blank bezel where the fog lights go)~~
~~Installed Chinese lowering springs~~
~~Second cat and muffler delete~~

Things to do

Bedline most of the underside of the car to prevent further rust (steel brush, rust inhibitor, then undercoat)
Install dual 3.5" double wall exhaust tips
Aluminium braze portions of the charge pipes together (budget TIG welding anyone?)
Install Boost Gauge (2nd post)
Install AFR Gauge
Design and make SC mounting bracket
Design and make SC in/out ports plate (Part 1)
Design and make bracket for extra pulley
Cut out new gasket for the SC in/out port plate
Repair drivers side rocker panel (Post 2) (Post 3) (Post 4)
Repair rust above rear wheel well where the rear bumper mounts
Change transmission oil with the good AMSOIL stuff
Fix defrost
Change engine oil
Check toe alignment
Check headlight alignment
Check for exhaust leaks

Things I'd like to do

Light tint on rear windows
Swap to LEDs (everything but headlights)
Coolant flush

Supercharger specific things to-do list | Excel log : Supercharged Cruze

[_] Air fuel ratio gauge - Sponsored by AEM Electronics
[_] Mercedes gasket no. A 111 098 03 80 (will need to make my own, even the Mercedes dealership can't get it anymore) (traced and cutting)
[_] fuel regulator?
[_] serpentine belt (need to finalize design and see if I'll be using an extra pulley for more contact area)
[_] custom designed brackets to fit the supercharger where the AC compressor is and have an extra tension pulley for more contact area
[_] custom in/out plate (cheaper version of the creative spridgets one, maybe re-use part of the OEM one?)
[_] injectors (maybe?)
[X] Charge piping (2.5") (2nd post)
[X] Design and make BOV to Bypass adapter and gasket for the adapter plate
[X] boost gauge - Sponsored by AEM Electronics (2nd post)
[X] supercharger (Eaton M45 from 2002 Mercedes C230 Kompressor)
[X] intercooler (2.5" tubing variant)
[X] Intake piping (re-use K&N intake)
[X] Cone filter (3") (re-use K&N intake)
[X] gauge pods, custom 3D printed (2" (52mm) single gauge pod. by oldmatedave)
[X] Charge tubing to mount BOV to adapt for bypass valve
[X] Mini Cooper S bypass valve
[X] 1.5" flexible radiator hose to plumb bypass tract.

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Blasirl

· #18 · Jul 3, 2021

Mr_Pat said:
We used the mercedes charger but the variation was clutched. We had it on several different honda motors back in 2000 ish lol .. It couldn t keep up with the 18 GSR motor at the upper rpms.. but your not spinning your motor up to almost 8500

Old Video my bud did after we had initially figured it all out . again 20 years ago lol so forgive the grphics. You have the right plan in my opinion if your putting it where the ac comp was easiest location to work at .

I have been asking people for years why we couldn't set up a switchable SC using some form of AC clutch and here it has been possible all along...sproing!!

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Blasirl

· #19 · Jul 3, 2021 (Edited)

Maqcro1 said:
Seems like a fun project. Take a lot of pics and make a decent write up of what you did. Only thing I can’t agree on in the placement of your gauges. Someone out there makes an “A pillar” with built in gauges.

ZZP does:

Cruze Dual Gauge Pillar Pod

A gauge pillar pod. Material is the same as stock.The color matches your stock pillar and has the same texture. Not spray painted like other designs and also not a generic black ABS like other gauge pod manufacturers have.

zzperformance.com

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Blasirl

· #57 · Mar 23, 2022

landrystephane92 said:
Installed the back and as expected, one side is higher than the other with the same adjusted height.

Passenger side is half an inch higher, so I'll have to adjust that one night this week.

I would've started the front, but I still need to get those hats (strut mount) off. I'm gonna go to the garage tomorrow and ask them to just disassemble my stock strut and then install the hat on the coilovers. I also installed my summer wheels (all season tires).

Also I think fitment is really good for stock wheels.

View attachment 296434

Is that a rust through hole already? That will be the first one I personally have seen so far if it is.

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Blasirl

· #58 · Mar 23, 2022

landrystephane92 said:
So I just had a chat with the guys as DipOutlet.ca and they'll be sending me a hyperdip kit to make my wheels bronze gold! can't wait!

Speaking of wheels, too bad you weren't a bit closer, I'd pay you to do a set for me, that is as soon as I locate a set of ECO rims anyways.

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Blasirl

· #60 · Mar 24, 2022

landrystephane92 said:
Yup, it's the only "real" rust on the car (the rocker panel is from improper lifting of the car).

I'm going to be going over all of the rust during the course of the summer and spring and addressing it. Hope to give a good coat of bedliner under the car too progressively.

I love plastidipping stuff. I got really lucky to find these wheels tbh, it just so happened I was browsing a sonic/cruze group from the province and the guy posted those with lowering springs for sale, I bought them on the spot. Tires had one summer left in them, but for $250-300 CAD, meh! Springs on the other hand, wheren't the best investement 🙃

I just want a shiney set myself. I have about 10 cans of plasti-dip, but have stopped using it as I don't seem to have the best luck with it.

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Blasirl

· #62 · Mar 24, 2022

landrystephane92 said:
Plastidip has it's learning curve for sure, I'm excited to try out hyperdip instead, seems it's quite different from plastidip, it's thinner and less viscous, so more like paint as opposed to heavy layers with plastidip.

You will need a pretty big tub to be able to dip a rim into it and some strong arms.

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Blasirl

· #93 · Apr 29, 2022

landrystephane92 said:
I put in a lot of work yesteday night to fit the exhaust parts I have better, lowered the car and in my tired self, I had routed the exhaust between the z-link and the cross member to which it attaches to, so it did not clear with the coilovers. I raged a bit let's just say.

On another note, I took the stock intake casted tubing and cut it to prepare it to braze some plate to it to create the inlet and outlet for the supercharger itself.

Next big step is taking measurements from the mounting points off the AC mount, something I have not been able to find online. With these measurements I can then finish adapting it for the supercharger.

Hopefully this weekend, I get some time to work on it.

Big things coming in the coming weeks. Routing the charge pipe from the throttle body up to the intercooler and braze some sections where possible. Mounting the supercharger (make the bracket). Finish my adapter plate for the boost gauge and AFR gauge off the template I made this weekend, then heat shape it to fit the trim.

View attachment 297218
View attachment 297219
View attachment 297217
View attachment 297216

Looking good so far. I am adding these references just in case you have not seen them:

Cruze Dual Gauge Pillar Pod

zzperformance.com

I cannot find a link, but ones like this also exist:

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Blasirl

· #95 · Apr 29, 2022

landrystephane92 said:
I'm not much of a buy and install guy, I'm more of a, if I can make it then I'm making it sort of guy. I also don't care for permanently modifying the car instead of adding parts I can later remove.

All are removeable and replaceable. You could 3d print the one with no link though.

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