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New Edge Mustang Supercharger - New Kit On The BlockTork Tech's Impressive New Blower Kit For The '99-'04 4.6 Two-Valve From the February, 2009 issue of 5.0 Mustang & Super Fords By Eric English Photography by Eric English
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Horse Sense: Since Tork Tech uses a number of major manufacturers to supply parts for its kits (Bosch, Lucas, Ford, and more), it doesn't control the manufacturing source for every item. Nevertheless, it's nice to know that all the items Tork Tech has specifically manufactured for this application (i.e., intake manifold, plenum, idler bracket/crossbrace, throttle body, assembly of aftercooler and intercooler, and so on) are built right here in the good ol' USA. Consummate speed freaks that we are, the invitation was something we felt compelled to investigate. It was a call from Ron Feddema of Vancouver, Washington's Fast Specialties, asking if we'd be interested in checking out the installation of a new 4.6 Two-Valve supercharger his shop had helped R&D with emerging manufacturer Tork Tech. With a two-day visit to the Pacific Northwest behind us, we think it's safe to say that we've seen the best blower setup being produced by a company you've never heard of. OK, so there aren't many unknown companies building a supercharger system, that's true. Nevertheless, the bottom line is that Tork Tech has put together a compelling supercharger kit for '99-'04 GT owners, and it has an obvious challenge in making a name for itself as it enters a well-established market. The main man behind Tork Tech is Charles Warner, an experienced industrial engineer who is better known for marketing blower components for Thunderbird Super Coupes and Lightning trucks under the Magnum Powers banner. After a 10-year track record with such products, he was ready for a new challenge. Charles brainstormed with Fast Specialties on tapping into a market ripe for a new supercharger product. It didn't take long to settle on the '99-'04 4.6 Two-Valve Mustang, as its limited displacement and modest performance capabilities make it a perfect candidate for the Roots blower Charles knows and loves. A plan was hatched with him doing the design work and Fast Specialties assisting with prototype testing. Development lasted for 21/2 years, and Ron tells us production and marketing began several months before our visit. At $4,499 for the complete intercooled kit-the company figures it will be the most popular of four configurations-the bang for the buck is undeniably stout. Charles chose to base the new offering on an Eaton M112-derived Magnuson Generation IV supercharger equipped with a cast of impressive ancillaries, such as a dedicated eight-rib blower drive; large, single-blade oval throttle body; 42-lb-hr injectors; SVT Focus fuel pump; 90mm mass air; and healthy aluminum heat exchanger. As mentioned, we took Fast Specialties up on its offer to show us the ropes: in this instance, installing the straightforward kit on Tork Tech's newly purchased '99 GT company demonstrator. Technician Travis Hall made quick work of the process despite our interruptions asking lots of questions, taking pictures, and so on. Ron figures installation by a pro shop can be accomplished within a day. How about a decent backyard wrench? It's definitely doable, though it will take more time than the pros need. Check out the photos and captions as we highlight some of the important features and installation issues associated with Tork Tech's new supercharger. While hardly a household name at the moment, our experience with Tork Tech's '99-'04 Two-Valve kit leads us to believe we'll see a lot more of this company in the future.  Installing a Tork Tech supercharger...  Installing a Tork Tech supercharger essentially boils down to replacing the stock intake, changing the front dress, installing the heat exchanger/plumbing, and replacing the fuel pump. As far as disassembly goes, it's pretty straightforward stuff, which the Tork Tech instructions guide you through. A shop manual would be helpful as well, but in the end, we won't waste space giving you a blow-by-blow here.  With the intake off, be certain...  With the intake off, be certain to temporarily duct tape over the intake ports to ensure nothing falls inside. With everything stripped away, this is a good time to install a fresh set of spark plugs. Torch Tech recommends NGK TR55s, though they're not included with the kit.  It'll be a happy day when...  It'll be a happy day when the delivery man drops three Tork Tech boxes on the front step of a '99-'04 Two-Valve owner. A majority of the components are seen here, and Tork Tech packages most of them in preassembled form, meaning there's little question as to which bolt, clamp, or hose, goes where. In fact, there is little bagged hardware.  While the intercooled blower...  While the intercooled blower is delivered as a fully assembled unit, a disassembled intercooler/intake manifold allowed us a detailed look at what sits under the supercharger. Note the casting is a multi-piece modular design, which incorporates side manifolds, allowing for future adaptation to various cylinder head variations. Tork Tech already has billet spacers available to adapt to a 5.4 Two-Valve should a customer want to blaze a new trail.  Installing the necessary peripherals...  Installing the necessary peripherals to the supercharger is done on a workbench. Here, the new 42 lb/hr injectors and stock fuel rails have been installed, and Travis Hall prepares to secure the generously sized inlet plenum. Tork Tech's Warner tells us he spent hours on the flow bench getting this piece "just right." Incidentally, this same plenum/TB combo bolts to many New Edge Saleen blowers as well, representing a substantial flow increase.  Among several items reused...  Among several items reused from the original intake manifold, in this case a service replacement, is the throttle position sensor. An impact driver is useful in removing the sometimes stubborn fasteners.  Throughout the install, we...  Throughout the install, we were impressed with the fit and finish of the Tork Tech components. These vacuum fittings on the back of the inlet plenum are just one example, sporting a nice OEM appearance. Note the bottom-side notch in the intercooler casting for the coolant line, which runs beneath the manifold.  Before and after pictures...  Before and after pictures show the minor clearancing required at the front of the valley on Windsor-built Two-Valves only. An unused mounting boss, which isn't present on Romeo engines, was relieved as shown with a die grinder.  Charles explains that upcoming...  Charles explains that upcoming intercooler castings (likely by the time you read this) will be altered to make this step unnecessary on Windsors and Romeos alike.  A traditional rubber coolant...  A traditional rubber coolant hose replaces the factory hard line that runs from the front of the engine valley to the heater core nipples at the firewall. Depending on year, there are variations to these firewall connections, some coming straight out of the firewall, others having a 90-degree bend. Either way, the coolant line is easily routed for connection.  One of the most innovative...  One of the most innovative and key players in the Tork Tech kit is this idler bracket/cross-brace assembly. Not only does it relocate and mount the alternator in a reverse position, but it also provides for the blower's dedicated eight-rib drive system. Much thought went into this design, which easily accommodates a larger crank pulley, and allows for easy accessory and blower belt servicing. Accessory belt length remains stock, so it can be reused if in good shape.  A view of the eight-rib blower...  A view of the eight-rib blower drive reveals plenty of belt contact to resist slippage. The standard pulley setup (3.25 inch blower) is good for 10-11 psi at peak boost, while 3.00 and 2.85 inch blower pulleys are optional.  This view of the intercooled...  This view of the intercooled supercharger gives you a feel for the height of the assembly-both above and below the intake/cylinder head flange.  Reversing the factory orientation,...  Reversing the factory orientation, the alternator is mounted backward on the idler bracket/cross brace, and yet requires no wiring modifications whatsoever. Removal of the stock pulley, and reinstallation using Loctite is recommended due to the opposite rotation.  Shown next to the standard-issue...  Shown next to the standard-issue 7-inch crank pulley, the new stock balancer comes with a milled face to assure it is perpendicular to the crank centerline. This was necessary as Ford's manufacturing process isn't accurate enough to mount the supercharger pulley without a visible wobble.  Be sure to enlist an extra...  Be sure to enlist an extra set of hands when installing the supercharger. Initially use a nose-up attitude, as seen here, to clear EGR plumbing and vacuum lines. Don't slide the assembly on the gaskets, as sharp edges in the casting can easily cut them. Once in position, set it straight down. It's possible to reuse the sturdy original intake gaskets depending on mileage and condition.  New intake manifold bolts...  New intake manifold bolts are some of the only loose hardware that accompanies the kit. Allen-head bolts are used at the front and rear of manifold for clearance purposes.  A slick EGR adapter means...  A slick EGR adapter means no alterations are required to the tough-to-access EGR tube. Also of note, no servicing of the A/C equipment is necessary during the install.  Coolant routing is heavily...  Coolant routing is heavily revised, but is shipped as a complete subassembly requiring only a thermostat installation and affirmation of all hose clamps security.  Modest revisions are made...  Modest revisions are made to EGR and HVAC vacuum lines near the firewall. Also, only two simple wiring modifications are necessary for the entire kit-one to reposition the intake air-temp sensor so it samples after the supercharger, and the other to splice in power for the intercooler water pump.  A new '03-'04 Cobra throttle...  A new '03-'04 Cobra throttle cable is supplied, and must be used to actuate the relocated throttle body.  The completed induction tract...  The completed induction tract looks like this...  ...including a single-blade...  ...including a single-blade throttle body, 90mm mass air meter, and S&B filter.  During our install, Tork Tech...  During our install, Tork Tech used a Ford GT fuel pump (on right), but has since switched to the 255lph SVT Focus unit due to its straightforward bolt-in nature. This fuel supply is deemed adequate into the low-400 hp range, after which you'll need to consider something more elaborate.  A heat exchanger is positioned...  A heat exchanger is positioned after some small tweaks to the power steering cooler lines. Four bolts along the bottom, and one at the top secure the unit.  The intercooler fluid reservoir...  The intercooler fluid reservoir and water pump are also delivered as a subassembly, and is easily installed to a bracket fitted to the idler bracket/cross brace. Coolant lines are now connected between the supercharger intercooler, the fluid reservoir and water pump, the heat exchanger, and back to the intercooler.  After Travis finishes a computer...  After Travis finishes a computer tune using SCT software, we're ready to rock! Not only does the finished product lay down impressive power, but it turns the industrial-looking 4.6 Two-Valve into an undeniably muscular piece from a visual perspective. Tork Tech's '99 GT demonstrator... Tork Tech's '99 GT demonstrator laid down about what we'd expect of an 88,000-mile original with fresh plugs. We saw peaks of 237 hp and 261 lb-ft of torque as measured on Fast Specialties' Mustang MD1750SE dyno. The final tune for an otherwise bone-stock GT was still undergoing massaging during our visit. Right after installation, tech Travis Hall had the car up and running a conservative program via SCT software, with 374 hp and 360 lb-ft at just more than 9 pounds of boost. The more aggressive tune shown here pumped out peaks of 406 hp and 399 lb-ft, but is frankly a bit more than Tork Tech wants as standard issue. Expecting many of these kits to be installed on stock short-blocks, the cookie-cutter tune will have a better margin of safety in deference to the 4.6's weak bottom end, more along the lines of 380-390 hp and similar torque. Nevertheless, the numbers here illustrate what can be achieved through your favorite local tuner with standard pulleys and pump gas. However, a beefy short-block is recommended. We took a 20-minute testdrive on the 374-horse tune and found it to be as docile and well behaved as any stocker--until the throttle met the wood. At that point, the similarities end and '03-'04 Cobra-like acceleration takes over, along with enough blower whine to remind you of the reason for the extra thrust. At press time, the following prices applied to Tork Tech's '99-'04 Two-Valve application. Note, there is a non-intercooled kit available for $600 less than the intercooled setup we previewed, but the intercooled arrangement is clearly money well spent. Also note that both kits can be had in "tuner" form, meaning there is no computer tuning, no mass air, no injectors, and no fuel pump. Tork Tech recognizes that some customers want to work with their own local shop for tuning, and may have previously purchased suitable high-performance gear which need not be purchased again. Tuner kits are intended for this group of enthusiasts. | Intercooled, Complete | $4,499 | | Intercooled, Tuner | $3,799 | | Non-Intercooled, Complete | $3,899 | | Non-Intercooled, Tuner | $3,199 |
Call it an opportunity rather than a drawback, but it's important to note an unmodified stock hood can't be used with Tork Tech's supercharger due to interference at the blower pulley and leading edge of the case. Two options are available to remedy the situation, with one being an aftermarket cowl hood. Tork Tech has verified clearance with a Cervini's product, and others are expected to clear as well. You always liked the look of an aftermarket hood, right? On the other hand, a cheaper and arguably stealthier option would be to fit a Tork Tech hood scoop. Similar in looks to the factory scoop fitted to some New Edge GTs, the Tork Tech scoop is longer in order to cover the necessary reliefs you need to cut when using a stock hood. If your GT had a factory scoop, the seven existing mounting holes are reused, and only two more need to be drilled. If your car never had a scoop, nine total holes will be drilled according to Tork Tech's included measurements. The scoop sells for $199.99 in a bare urethane finish. It's not unusual for small production changes to occur over the years of a given bodystyle, but the '99-'04 GTs seem to have an unusually large amount. Part of this is the two different variants of 4.6 Two-Valve engines used-Romeos and Windsors. Know what kind yours is when you place an order with Tork Tech, as the kit hardware has some minor, but important differences. Fast Specialties offers a couple of identifying hints, involving valve cover bolt count and fuel rail crossover location. Romeo engines have 11 valve cover bolts per side, while Windsors have 13. Romeo engines have a fuel rail crossover at the rear only, while Windsors have crossovers at both the front and the rear. For the record, Tork Tech's company demonstrator is Windsor-equipped.
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