Hi everyone,

So I read a quite a few threads (some of them are epic sagas) about superchargers not engaging and loss of power on the SRT-6/SLK32. I am having the same issue, sadly, and am at my wit's end on this. The symptom is familiar, but after trying almost all the things I have read here, I still am losing power. Here are my symptoms:

Supercharger clutch disengages after warming up, mid-throttle, about 30 seconds of constant boost later, it cuts out and Priuses pass me with no problem.
My car is a 2002 SLK32. It has the NeedsWings DCAI, 178 pulley and PSK, along with a Eurocharged tune and an Eisenmann exhaust. These mods were all done years ago and have had no issues until now for some reason.
My Relay Control Module had been modified by Tighed1 years ago and I have a brand new spare also that I have swapped back and forth to test with.

Here's what I have done recently to try and fix this issue (in chronological order):

1. Replaced IC pump (old pump was a CM30 that I had installed 4 years ago). Replaced it anyway with a new CM30. Resodered connections and heat shrunk wires.

2. Installed NeedsWings Coolant Iso Kit. Ran it through a heat cycle and closed the valves.

3. Tested the car, same issue. SC disengages half way home every time after about 30 seconds of mid-throttle uphill at about 50mph.

4. Checked all fuses under the hood and in the dash. Replaced Intercooler pump fuse (5a) with a new 10a fuse just to be sure.

5. Replaced Intake Air Temp sensor with new OEM from dealer ($50). Changed out the Relay Control Module (K40) with a brand new one.

6. Connected my tablet to the ELM427 bluetooth OBD2 adaptor and ran a real-time IAT reading for my next test

7. Intake air temp readings (with new sensor) show 27C cold, slowly warms up to about 50c, then uphill climb it increases 95C (200F)! At 95C the SC disengages the clutch for safety. I remind you this is mid-throttle, normal city driving, nothing out of the ordinary.

8. Limped home, IATs started dropping. At 70C the SC came back.

9. Came home, let the car cool down, checked all fuses under the hood and in driver's side dash area again. All are visually good as far as I can tell.

From what I can tell, the SC is functioning as it should, and the ECU is telling the clutch to disengage for safety, like it is supposed to. My issue now is why are my air temps coming in at 95C? I have a NeedsWings DCAI, the ambient temp today is 67F, which is chilly for SoCal standards! So I've decided that the pump isn't even running at all (despite being new) which means no power getting to it, hence checking and rechecking all the fuses.

Now I'm not an electrical guy nor am I super comfortable probing meters and paper clips into fuse areas or anything, so I'm kind of at a standstill.

Is there an easy way for me to send DC current directly to the IC pump (preferably from under the hood and not having to get to the pump directly?) I read on this forum to jump the left side of fuse 13 and 14 with a paper clip or a DC amp meter but on the fuse chart those two fuses on my car state they are for the "diagnostic socket" and "soundbooster"???

After reading Sweet02's saga thread completely many times hoping to find something I haven't tried yet, the only thing I can think of is maybe reflash my ECU (I do have an Eurocharged tune) but that has worked for me since 2010 with no issues and has never been reflashed since it was done, so I can't see how it can be a software glitch like he described how he solved his issue eventually.

I do have a multimeter but don't really know how to use it. The needles are too large to put into the fuse blocks to test anything.


Any suggestions at this point would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

 

due to the use of the c30, i assume you had to wire in the pump,, so maybe the pump is running backwards, it would still work and circulate the water , it would just go backwards through the intercooler and have more heat that way.. just reverse the wires on the pump and make sure that is no it. jim

 

Yes, Try Jim's suggestion first, if that don't work :
There are 2 nuts at the rear of the under hood fuse panel ( driver's side ), one has always hot 12v, the other is switched.
Connected a properly sized wire ( same size as is on the CM30 now ) to the switched terminal with an inline 10 amp fuse and run it down to the pump.
( disconnect the negative battery terminal while making this connection )
Take both wires off the pump, meter them in ohms, the one with 0 ( or close to it ) ohms reading is the ground wire.
Connect the new wire to the positive terminal, reconnect the ground wire and cut off or tape up the OEM hot wire.
You will now have an "always on" inter-cooler pump.

 

Regarding your problem, obviously the coolant flow through the intercooler is not doing the job so something is wrong there. Your old CM30 pump may have been faulty and then when you replaced it with the new CM30 pump maybe (as Jim suggested) you wired it backward and the pump is running backward. That would fit your symptoms . . .

When you get it sorted out, I would suggest installing the separate intercooler resevoir tank (as referenced in the links below). You'' be able to see the coolant pumping through that clear hose and removing the reservoir cap see it spitting into the reservoir tank. You'll KNOW that your intercooler pump is working properly.

https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum/...p-dsc01163.jpg

https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...tml#post667031

Good luck . . .

 

So this problem was occurring before you changed the pump. The CM30 pump is not the preferred pump now, the Bosch 10 is the preferred one, no matter.
How did this start? Did you do any changes or did it suddenly start happening?
I would also open the isolation valves in case there is an air pocket trapped.

 

I do not have Ice in this WATER tank, it is cooled by the air condenser take a good look. jim

Temp Of Water In Tank After The Intercooler Video by amx1397 | Photobucket

 

Ok I did more troubleshooting and found out this:

I fabricated the "always on" mod as depicted on this forum. As soon as I turned the key to the 2 position, the 10amp fuse blew.

I took the tire off again and disassembled the harness supplying power to the cm30.

I hooked alligator clips directly onto the pump's leads (leaving the pump installed) and hooked the clips onto a 12v power source (emergency jump starter battery pack). Nothing. No hum, no vibration, nothing.

I used a voltmeter (finally figured out how to use one, I know I know I'm lame) and tested the car's battery, 12.7v. the emergency jump starter battery pack, 12.8v. Ok both batteries I tested it with are showing at least 12 volts.

I replaced the blown fuse in the always-on mod harness and left the pump disconnected electrically. I turned the key to the 2 position and the fuse stayed good. ok so far so good.

I measured the pump end of the wiring harness while the key was in the 2 position and I got a stable 12 volts there.

So there are no shorts in the wire from the fuse box to the pump
The always-on mod is working correctly as designed.
The pump seems to be dead. Which really makes me mad because it's brand-new!
I know it happens, but I just cannot believe my luck in purchasing a brand new non-functioning cm30 to replace my current non-functioning cm30.

Ok so its new pump shopping time.

Bosch 010 seems to the the good bet these days?
I also read Meziere WP-136 is good, although may cause leaks due to added pressure?
Ford lightning pump? Is this the same as the bosch 010?
I think I'm done with Johnson CM30s after two that gone bad.

 

get it from Rob at Needswings.com then you know you got the correct one.

 

Good job of tracing back / diagnosing the problem! AND you learned how to use your multi-meter too!

When I bought my first CM30 pump years ago it arrived DOA too! Had to take it back out and install another one! I HATE IT when that happens . . . I feel your frustration . . .

Your thought about some other pumps causing leaks due to higher volume / higher pressure was just a theory that was floated around years ago. No one actually showed that to be a problem. The issue turned out to be sloppy manufacturing and sloppy touch up repairs done by the manufacturer on MANY of the OEM intercoolers.

 

Glad you found it to be "just" a bad new pump. I'd stick with the Bosch 010 myself.
As an aside, I replaced my pump way back when and noticed no improvement in IAT's. After splitting the I/C circuit from the cooling circuit, I had the same lack of results. No difference. Then I added remote reservoir and sprayed water everywhere under high boost. That's how I found my leaking intercooler. I'm not saying yours is leaking just that when you don't get the same results as everybody else, there's a reason to be found.

Les