Those who installed a solid isolator outside of warranty coverage - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

SecondZ28 · 04-01-2018, 08:35 AM

Trying to decide if it's worth giving up the remaining 5 years of the supercharger warranty by installing a pulley (and thus replacing the spring isolator with the solid version to avoid failure.) My concern is some failures have seem to been bearing/rotor related and not due to the isolator.

Those who have just replaced the isolator on their own, and didn't use GM warranty to replace the entire blower unit; have you had any bearing/rotor issues since? Would you preemptively replace the isolator again, or wait for it to fail and let GM replace the supercharger?

PeteD · 04-01-2018, 08:45 AM

Unless I am mistaken, they can not void your warranty unless you have a supercharger failure and it was caused by the installed part.

JB'sZL1 · 04-01-2018, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SecondZ28

My concern is some failures have seem to been bearing/rotor related and not due to the isolator.

The question I have is:

How many of those bearing failures were caused by over revving the sc (by way of a smaller pulley)?

ZMEnow · 04-01-2018, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeteD

Unless I am mistaken, they can not void your warranty unless you have a supercharger failure and it was caused by the installed part.

It’s a direct drivetrain mod on the SC resulting in higher revs, you would be denied, unless you have a friend at a dealer that would not flag it..

DrkPhx · 04-01-2018, 09:34 AM

OP - I replaced mine when it was within the factory warranty and was to able get reimbursed for it. I filled out the factory notice I received and sent it back to GM. I don't think they offer that option any more. I have 28K miles on the car and it's holding fine with no bearing or other issues. Any reputable shop will insist on replacing the isolator with a solid one. Mine was completely cracked when I took it off and it only had 12K miles at the time.

silversleeper · 04-01-2018, 11:55 AM

I think the bearing failures were mostly because the spring on the coupler eats into the shaft, and the metal shavings got into the bearings and ruined them eventually.
People that did the coupler replace didn't have that problem.
I would rather replace it and likely have no problems, than wait for a problem then fix it. Maybe if you were going to rackup over 100k miles on your car a renewed sc unit with new bearings would not be bad thinking at say 60 or 80k miles. I don't know how many miles the bearings are good for but guessing well over 100k miles.

ZL1blue · 04-01-2018, 06:37 PM

After reading a lot about the stock isolator and the obvious engineering defect, I just replaced mine! I drive a 13 ZL1. Best thing I ever did hands down because I did a lingenfelter pulley upgrade, 1050 fuel injectors, and tune. I also added eibach springs and kook headers! Been saving up. Now I feel like its a new car! It was fun before, but now it just feels like what I think a camaro should feel and sound like. It’s not my dd though. Good luck with your decision!

SecondZ28 · 04-03-2018, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeteD

Unless I am mistaken, they can not void your warranty unless you have a supercharger failure and it was caused by the installed part.

Yea by increasing blower RPM’s beyond factory spec levels would definitely get coverage denied

Quote:

Originally Posted by JB'sZL1

The question I have is:

How many of those bearing failures were caused by over revving the sc (by way of a smaller pulley)?

True. However, I’ve read of people having issues even with the replacement units.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrkPhx

Mine was completely cracked when I took it off and it only had 12K miles at the time.

Yea they don’t offer the reimbursement anymore. That’s exactly why I’m thinking of doing it, only 12k and shot, that’s terrible. How many miles do you have on it since replacing?

SecondZ28 · 04-03-2018, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silversleeper

I think the bearing failures were mostly because the spring on the coupler eats into the shaft, and the metal shavings got into the bearings and ruined them eventually.
People that did the coupler replace didn't have that problem.
I would rather replace it and likely have no problems, than wait for a problem then fix it.

That’s what I’m leaning towards. I see you decided to do a lower instead of upper pulley, how come?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZL1blue

After reading a lot about the stock isolator and the obvious engineering defect, I just replaced mine! I drive a 13 ZL1. Best thing I ever did hands down because I did a lingenfelter pulley upgrade, 1050 fuel injectors, and tune.

That’s what I’m looking at, if I replace it then may as well go pulley, injectors, tune. How many miles were on your isolator? Was it trashed yet?

djnice · 04-04-2018, 12:09 PM

For a while the warranty replacement SC had a solid isolator. Are they now back to doing the spring isolator in the new SC?

DrkPhx · 04-04-2018, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SecondZ28

Yea they don’t offer the reimbursement anymore. That’s exactly why I’m thinking of doing it, only 12k and shot, that’s terrible. How many miles do you have on it since replacing?

28K miles right now with zero issues.

Vicster · 04-06-2018, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djnice

For a while the warranty replacement SC had a solid isolator. Are they now back to doing the spring isolator in the new SC?

Last Aug. I had my supercharger replaced with 10k miles on car, no problem hearing rattle noise. 2k miles later I pulled engine for rebuild / upgrade, new supercharger coupling had a spring in it, looked same as old one. I asked dealer and he checked the records it was an updated supercharger.

I replaced with a solid coupler as there was shaft wear evident from spring after 2k miles.

HDRDTD · 04-06-2018, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vicster

Last Aug. I had my supercharger replaced with 10k miles on car, no problem hearing rattle noise. 2k miles later I pulled engine for rebuild / upgrade, new supercharger coupling had a spring in it, looked same as old one. I asked dealer and he checked the records it was an updated supercharger.

I replaced with a solid coupler as there was shaft wear evident from spring after 2k miles.

If I remember correctly, the original isolator was spring loaded, and the spring wore grooves into the shaft that worried people even though Eaton explained it was designed that way on purpose.
The next coupler (the one that originally replaced the original isolator) was a solid coupler.
Then, they redesigned the coupler, going back to a spring loaded coupler, but THIS design was grease packed.

Of course at my age, I probably have it wrong.

DrkPhx · 04-07-2018, 07:53 AM

^^^ You're exactly right. You haven't lost your mind yet.

04-01-2018, 08:35 AM	#1
SecondZ28 Drives: 2013 ZL1 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Illinois Posts: 807	Those who installed a solid isolator outside of warranty coverage Trying to decide if it's worth giving up the remaining 5 years of the supercharger warranty by installing a pulley (and thus replacing the spring isolator with the solid version to avoid failure.) My concern is some failures have seem to been bearing/rotor related and not due to the isolator. Those who have just replaced the isolator on their own, and didn't use GM warranty to replace the entire blower unit; have you had any bearing/rotor issues since? Would you preemptively replace the isolator again, or wait for it to fail and let GM replace the supercharger? __________________ '13 ZL1 '06 TBSS '98 TJ '87 GN

04-01-2018, 08:45 AM	#2
PeteD Drives: 2012 2SS Victory Red with white st Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: NC Posts: 1,612	Unless I am mistaken, they can not void your warranty unless you have a supercharger failure and it was caused by the installed part. __________________ My YouTube channelhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCid...AUbfN2HOE71B9w

04-01-2018, 06:37 PM	#7
ZL1blue Drives: 2013 ZL1 Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: PA Posts: 103 View My Garage	After reading a lot about the stock isolator and the obvious engineering defect, I just replaced mine! I drive a 13 ZL1. Best thing I ever did hands down because I did a lingenfelter pulley upgrade, 1050 fuel injectors, and tune. I also added eibach springs and kook headers! Been saving up. Now I feel like its a new car! It was fun before, but now it just feels like what I think a camaro should feel and sound like. It’s not my dd though. Good luck with your decision! __________________ 2013 ZL1 Tint, wheels, Michelin PSS, Kook LT headers, HF cats, 1050injectors, 5% pulley, Mcleod 1000hp clutch, 160 thermostat, spark plugs and cables, Eibach springs, hurst shifter, CAI, Anderson carbon hood, carbon rockers, front and rear carbon valence, carbon spoiler, Oracle side markers and side mirrors, stainless door kicks, carbon strut tower brace, carbon supercharger cover, southern car parts engine bay kit, seperate clutch reservoir, kenwood DDX990 4s with appple car play.

04-04-2018, 12:09 PM	#10
djnice Drives: 13 ZL1 SIM, 99 Z28 Black Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 708	For a while the warranty replacement SC had a solid isolator. Are they now back to doing the spring isolator in the new SC? __________________ 2018 C7 Z06 - WGG, M7. / 2013 ZL1 - SIM, 6 spd, RotoFab CAI, Can. / 1999 Z28 - Black, 6 spd, K&N, Subframe. / More Fun Stuff - www.inlandspeed.com

04-01-2018, 09:34 AM	#5
DrkPhx Drives: 2013 Triple Black ZL1 / 2006 TB SS Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: MN Posts: 2,250	OP - I replaced mine when it was within the factory warranty and was to able get reimbursed for it. I filled out the factory notice I received and sent it back to GM. I don't think they offer that option any more. I have 28K miles on the car and it's holding fine with no bearing or other issues. Any reputable shop will insist on replacing the isolator with a solid one. Mine was completely cracked when I took it off and it only had 12K miles at the time.

04-01-2018, 11:55 AM	#6
silversleeper Big Crow Drives: '13 ZL1 Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: California Posts: 1,487	I think the bearing failures were mostly because the spring on the coupler eats into the shaft, and the metal shavings got into the bearings and ruined them eventually. People that did the coupler replace didn't have that problem. I would rather replace it and likely have no problems, than wait for a problem then fix it. Maybe if you were going to rackup over 100k miles on your car a renewed sc unit with new bearings would not be bad thinking at say 60 or 80k miles. I don't know how many miles the bearings are good for but guessing well over 100k miles.

04-07-2018, 07:53 AM	#14
DrkPhx Drives: 2013 Triple Black ZL1 / 2006 TB SS Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: MN Posts: 2,250	^^^ You're exactly right. You haven't lost your mind yet.