FAQ: Supercharger Noise (Bad Coupler)

hey im having some problems with my s/c. I am hearing some noise in the s/c and just changed the oil in the nose. the noise is still there so i think the gears were starting to strip b/f i changed the oil. is there anything i can do to make it last longer?it still has the 3.8 pully on it. I can get a brand new supercharger with a 3.6 pully from the manufactor for $750.00.

Could be the coupler or bearings (probably coupler). Or if you aren't 100% it is the SC then it could be a nearby pulley.

Make sure you have some supporting mods when dropping pulley sizes

And welcome!

We rarely see blower failures in these engines. Check the coupler and surrounding pulleys, as Troy mentioned. Would hate to see you spend that much, although $750 is a good deal... almost hard to believe!

As it was said above, it is probably the coupler. Make sure it isn't coming from a nearby pulley. Here are the instructions on how to replace the coupler http://www3.sympatico.ca/aepa/blowerinstall.html. It is for a Grand Prix, but the steps should be similar enough for you to figure out. This is from the link:
"If you’re not sure if your coupler is bad, remove the S/C belt and “rock” the pulley back and forth. You should not feel any play. If you don’t, your coupler is ok, if you do, follow the instructions to fix it."

no it is coming from the s/c not the other pullys.

hey thanks for the info ill see on monday if there is any play in the s/c pully. i have had the car on and put a screwdriver up to the nose of the s/c and thats where i heard the noise coming from so well see what happens. thanks for the link to.

Did you put enough oil back in? Did you use GM SC oil?

When the SC is level, the oil should come up to the threads on the oil fill port.I have heard nearly dry superchargers run and they are a bit louder. More of a whizzing then a grinding.

Dont buy a new SC, even if yours is shot you can find a low miles one for much cheaper. There are ported used ones selling 350.

i emptied my s/c oil and it was down a/b 1/2 way. i filled it up with new to the right point. it still makes the noise. it makes a little noise when the car is on and when i turn it off it makes a cha-ching noise in the nose of the s/c.

I would try changing the coupler if you havent tried that yet. It is pretty simple, especially with the write-up. If you think your snout bearings are bad (very rare), you could buy a lower miles snout. Swap the new snout in when you change the coupler.

Where in NY are you? Im on Long Island if you need help.

im in binghamton. your a/b 3-5 hrs away from bing prolly.

that's a pretty recent video of mine (from when I changed the timing set)
I hear the noise when its running a little bit sometimes.

I'm planning on waiting to port the blower to change it - next few months...

There's some slop in the turbine gears. Mine moved like yours. 4 hours later, with my blower in 3 pieces, I found my stock coupler to in good shape. 145k miles on the car.

For me, I would change the coupler any just for piece of mind.

mine was like that before the new coupler. it doesnt look reamed out, but it is enough to make noise.

i have a 96 SC Riviera and when i idle, i can hear a noise in the motor
it sounds like something is clanking around, its not very loud but its noticable
i heard it was the coupler in the nose of the supercharger
any suggestions??

it probably is the coupler. Order a new coupler, a supercharger gasket and 2 bottles of supercharger oil. You can order all of it through one of the main vendors (wbodystore, zzp)

the procedure is very easy. http://www.regalgs.org/coupler.shtml

The noise is a clanking like metallic?

You may want to replace the bearings as well as the coupler for peace of mind.

Check out Rolling Performance they have superfast shipping, usually the best prices and nicely detailed instructions (similar to RegalGS as linked above)

Overall it's an easy thing if you have a press available.

I'm not sure why, but sometimes when I rev my car up it sounds very boosty. It reminds me of my dad's GTP. Most of the time though, it's not so loud and noticeable (You can still here the more rough kind of sound it usually makes). I took a video of it awhile back when I still had my CAI on it (took it off because it kept falling off, meaning it was just sucking unfiltered air in).
Link

It's probably not that your SC isn't boosting, just that you aren't hearing it.

Putting the OEM intake tube back on quiets it down a lot. If you make a FWI the right way, it's going to be loud. Rivieras also have better sound insulation, so having the window down makes a difference. Smaller SC pulleys make a slightly higher pitch. If your dad's GTP has the Gen V blower, that's also going to make a difference in sound.

If it rattles at idle, you need a new SC coupler.

How much is that gonna cost and how hard is that to replace?

$30 + 2 bottles SC oil. I'll admit, it was an afternoon of work for me, but I work slowly. Depending on your level of mechanical aptitude, it could seem easy. You must remove the SC belt, alternator, SC snout, and drain SC oil. The SC pulley can stay on. Metric sockets/ratchet needed.

from:
https://rivperformance.editboard.com/racing-kill-stories-f10/fun-with-a-turbo-supra-t2999-15.htm#34539

Buapo wrote:

So she didn't replace the turbos... was it a huge lie on the dealership's behalf? I wouldn't be surprised...

ive been told more than once that "your SC is about to go, you need a new one"

dumbasses. if you dont know anything about the car, then STFU. Another reason I do all the work on my car myself.

I've been told by several mechanics that because I had the 3.8 supercharged, that the supercharger was likely to "cause problems" and not last very long. Kiss my ass, who do they think they're talking to?

The Eaton M90 is a quality product, and the tranny will go long before the supercharger (unless we're talking about the coupler... woo-hoo, a $30 part).

Buapo wrote:

The Eaton M90 is a quality product, and the tranny will go long before the supercharger (unless we're talking about the coupler... woo-hoo, a $30 part).

yea, the irony of their statement is kind funny. They tell you that strongest damn component on the car is the weak link.

When I got an estimate for the damage- the "experienced" bodyshop guy mentioned how much he loved working on these Rivs when he worked at an established body shop here in town but the thing he remembered was that our superchargers went out at about 50kmi. 'Tard...Who really thinks the Riv is an easy car to work on!?!? That's probably why you see so many modded Rivs and aftermarket support out there . Strike two- you can drop a M90 on the ground, kick it in mud, spit on it to clean it, and it will still work.