Just got into a green 2000 ssei, 89k on odometer but engine was replaced with a fresher motor with only 25k. I already read about replacing the dex coolant so I'll do that. I do have a few questions though.

What should my boost gauge read at full throttle? Its currently at maybe 3 or 4. Is this psi or bar?

What should my oil pressure gauge read at idle?

Any tips to make this engine/trans/car bullet proof besides regular maintenance?

I'm going to be using it for highway commute 140 miles round trip 3 days per week and I'd Love it to last a long long time.

Thanks for any/all advice and tips.

Welcome!
FWIW, my oil pressure sits a little under 40 at idle.
I'm sure a SSEi owner will chime in with an appropriate boost gauge read out.
As for making her last, you've already got the Dex-kill on the way out so you're set in that department.
Check out 00beast's maintenance list. It's the second post in this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=29056&p=290259&hilit=maintenance+list#p290259

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-Car Guy Carl
"Penelope" - 2003 SLE - 247k Miles
"Sydney" - 2000 Honda S2000 - 98k miles

What he said! lol
My boost pegs at about 8 or so on a stock pulley. Oil pressure on a 59k mile motor is about 40 at idle in gear, 80 max on throttle. Gotta love low-miles cared for cars.
Keep it up nice and it should reward you with many thousands of miles of happy ownership. I have a friend who's dad has a beat to death 160k mile GTP (L67 same as ours) and it keeps ticking, in a good way of course.

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Will
88 Cutlass Ciera Brougham International | 120k mi | White w/ Dk Claret Int. | Roller to be S2 L67/4T65E-HD | 1 of ~5100 3.8 FE3 Int'l series
91 Riviera | S2 L67 Swap/4T60E | 127K mi | Antelope Met. w/ Tan Int. | Saved From Death By Crusher
92 Bonneville SSE | L67/4T60E | 77K mi | Med Slate Grey w/ Two-Tone Grey Int. | Low Miles Time Capsule
92 Lumina Z34 | LQ1/4T60E | 177k mi | Torch Red w/Grey Int. | Rusty In Odd Spots
99 Tahoe LT | L31/4L65E | 276k mi | Spiral Grey Metallic w/Grey Int. | Truck for Truck Things and Portable Concert Hall
03 Park Avenue Ultra | 212K mi | White Diamond Met. w/ Shale Int. | Southern Time Capsule
05 Acura RL | 155K mi | Carbon Grey Pearl w/Ebony Int. | The Super-Hooptie Daily

Boost gauge reads in PSI (unless you're in Canada?), should be around 7 PSI. Check for vacuum leaks.

Oil pressure is subjective, each car is a little different. I'm guessing your car reads 120? Your sensor is probably bad, replace it with an AC Delco.

Will, there is no PCM intervention on the Oil Pressure. The pressure is regulated mechanically by a spring, the pump, the filter and the weight of oil you're running.

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Bye Bye:

RIP sandrock

Thanks for the input, I checked my gauges a little more closely (only got the drive it about 15 miles since I got it) my oil pressure is right around 40 psi at idle, good deal....but my boost gauge at full throttle, is only getting to around 4 psi...What's up w/that? And that's at WOT. If I need to start checking for vac leaks, can someone let me know exactly where to start?

Am I to assume that if my boost gauge is only reading 4 psi at WOT that my supercharger isn't producing all it could or is my gauge just not reading correctly?

This is my first non-naturally aspirated car so this is all pretty new to me.

Loving the car so far, although it does appear that the AC isn't working, so I'll need to troubleshoot that...other than that it's in great shape.

The supercharger cannot fail to make the boost. It either does or doesn't. In other words, it's producing full boost but the car isn't LETTING it, or your gauge isn't reading it, or the supercharger may not be working AT ALL. Nothing in between.

Your car has two MAP sensors. One is used to determine the right fuel mixture (along with other sensors), the other is solely for the purpose of a boost reading on the gauge (Series 1 is excluded from this, the L67's from that era only use one for boost indication only).

What does your gauge read at IDLE? That's also a possible indicator of a vacuum leak. The most commonly overlooked one is the T fitting under the nosedrive of the supercharger in the passenger side END of the lower intake manifold. In basic terms, you need to start checking ALL vacuum lines and fittings, as well as gaskets for leaks. This would include fuel injector o-rings as well.

Click the red link in my signature to learn a little more about the supercharger itself, and how it works. Since you have a problem, and this topic is turning mechanical, I'll move it to the proper section for you.

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Click here for mod list for both cars
93 SSEi, 95 SLE (supercharged) 97 Buick LeSabre Limited
PontiacDad at WCBF '04: Cruise control? That's like surrendering!
Comprehensive guide to troubleshooting, rebuilding, and modifying Eaton Superchargers

Thanks I appreciate the help. At idle the boost gauge is on -10 or full left needle, so I think that's where it should be as the BCA should be opened and bypassing all the boost. I'm going to check the actuator arm to see if it's sticky...it's making boost but not enough

Sounds to me like you have an issue with the BCA and/or the BCS. Follow that testing procedure on my supercharger website and let us know what you find.

Don't rule out an issue with one of the MAP sensors yet though.

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Click here for mod list for both cars
93 SSEi, 95 SLE (supercharged) 97 Buick LeSabre Limited
PontiacDad at WCBF '04: Cruise control? That's like surrendering!
Comprehensive guide to troubleshooting, rebuilding, and modifying Eaton Superchargers

If one of the MAP sensors are the culprit, would I get any trouble codes or Check Engine lights? I have no trouble lights currently.

In case this discussion moves back to vacuum; the most common culprit is the rubber t-fitting on the fuel pressure regulator, where it connects to the black plastic hoses. To replace this, get a new "vacuum harness" that will also replace three additional vacuum fittings. These fittings are not sold separately; you have to get the harness. I just got one a few weeks ago for around $40. You can find the part number around the site here somewhere.

Also wouldn't hurt to replace your PCV valve, and make sure it has an O-ring.

Ken_W

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2000 SSEi "Gypssei" - 206k miles - Light Bronzemist Metallic - stock
1999 Grand Am GT - 168k miles - Red - stock DEAD -- transmission died
2004 Pontiac Montana Ext 2WD - 207k miles - Blue Black Metallic - stock

Pretty sure 00+ switched to one MAP Bill, which feeds both the gauge and the PCM. The older cars have 2.

I concur with a BCA/BCS issue.

_________________
Bye Bye:

RIP sandrock

seems to me the BCA is rather "sticking"...almost grinding, metal on metal feel. I just did a quick search on ebay for a new BCA and there weren't any found, so where can I find one other than a junkyard or GM dealer? I can try oiling it I suppose...just pull the vac tubes off and squirt some light oil in?

So to diagnose the BCA further, do I remove the lower or the upper hose and drive it? What am I looking for with one of the hoses removed? Full boost or no boost?

I'm pretty sure ZZperformance has them but a junkyard would probably work too.

$40 from ZZperformance..not bad at all.

interestingly enough, yesterday I noticed upon starting the car, the boost gauge was at about -7...so I though vac leak, today I looked at it quite a bit...start up -7, after it was warm it went to full -10, 2000 rpm part throttle, it was -5, full throttle it got up to about +3 or +4, but definitely not past +5, at this point, I'm thinking it's the BCA as the full vac of -10 should (hopefully) indicate no vac leaks.

my vac lines are pretty old and feel like they'll break rather than pull off and go back on, so I'm going to wait until I can get some new line to start pulling lines off the BCA to verify that it's not working but based off the sticky/grinding feel of the linkage I'm guessing it either needs major lubed or replaced.

Where do you live? At higher elevations, like Denver-ish altitudes, my gauge reads noticeably lower. When I was stock, it would max out at about 4-5 PSI.

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Inferno Red 2009 Dodge Caliber SRT-4 125k

Nothern VA...sea level

actually 310 feet above sea level...

Finally got time to diagnose the BCA. When I pull the upper hose off it does close the valve but there isn't much travel of the shaft, quarter to half an inch tops...how much travel should there be in an m90 BCA shaft?

If you realy want to see if the supercharger is working take the belt off and drive it and i don't mean around the block. Drive it around a little stop and go and highway. Now go home and put the belt back on and tell me you don't feel a huge differance. Also this vehicle is designed to use premo gas asin 93 oct. One more thing, the computer on these cars also learn how you drive it, if you are an easy driver it will learn that and get good gas mileage asin about 17 to 18 miles per gallon. If you are a leadfoot then the computer will learn that also and be the ready position for the full throttle. The reason i say that is because mine did the same thing whem my wife drives ours she as an easy driver ans then i get into it and hit the pedal and i'm like did somebody pull a plug wire on me. The best thing about this car is it looks hot just by looking at it on the roadway and knowing that it's there when you need it.