New bearings are lubed with oil and pressed onto each shaft; the new mechanical seal is pressed in place using Paxton's proprietary bearing and seal tools.
Internal parts of interest are the "wave springs" that sit atop the rear bearing ring on the impeller shaft (right), and help keep the bearings loaded once the gear case is sealed. The shim on top of the wave spring provides the necessary clearance between the bearings and the case. Wave washers are also used for preload on the pulley shaft.
Greg uses this depth gauge on our blower's new volute to measure the depth of the impeller when it's completely flush against the volute. From this measurement, Greg uses a formula to calculate which size spacer is required, as well as the setup height of the impeller.
A special fixture for the Novi 2000 is used to hold the blower in place and lock the impeller shaft while Greg torques down the impeller's fastening nut. Don't mistake this apparatus for a vise-it's not. It's another Paxton-designed piece of equipment that is used exclusively for this purpose to prevent any damage to the supercharger during this tightening process.
Greg pressure-tests our blower to ensure it is fully sealed and not leaking any air pressure. The needle on the pressure gauge holds steady at nearly 15 psi, so the project car's supercharger is signed off as ready to rock.
On the left is the curved-discharge volute; the unit on the right is our completed Novi 2000 with its new, straight-discharge volute. The volute measures 4 inches on the intake side and 3 inches at the discharge opening. If you want Paxton to perform the volute swap only (although we highly recommend having your blower serviced, too), the conversion from curved-to-straight discharge will set you back $238.95 for parts and labor.