The 4 hour pulley install ended up taking 4 days. I bought the Cravenspeed 15% pulley and their puller, which is the one that has the center bolt and doesn't require an additional puller.

Following the instructions posted on the board (Thanks Randy!) I started dismantling. I was down to the pulley and installed the puller being sure it was properly aligned. Then the trouble began. I tightened down the bolt and the pulley started to move. After about moving about 1/4 " it got harder to turn the bolt. Having read that it takes quite a bit of strenght to pull it I cranked on the bolt and heard a sickening sound! The bolt sheared off flat with the puller. I called Craven Speed and they mailed me out a stronger bolt that day to replace the broken bolt. Having a couple of days to wait for the new bolt, I had plenty of time to figure out how to get the old bolt out. I broke off two easy-outs and numerous drill bits trying to get the bolt to move without success. When the new bolt arrived and I still hadn't been able to remove the puller from the pulley, I reverted to my trusty hacksaw. I was able to get the saw blade in between the puller and the pulley and saw through the bolt. Now the bolt was broken flush on both sides of the puller. After more attempts to remove the bolt, I surrendered and took it to a machine shop to have it drilled our and re-tapped. An hour and $30 later, I was on my way home with a functioning puller. This time I greased up the bolt, tightened it, backed it off and then tightened again. A few cranks and the pulley was finally off. The new pulley went on without a hitch and I removed the tensioner to install the Alta tensioner stop. Replaced the tensioner (not an easy job), added a new Gatorback belt and released the tension. The new belt showed a full hole on the tensioner which was good. I replaced all the parts and bolts that had come off, reconnected the battery and all was well. All was well, but I was afraid to start the engine. After all the issues I had been through, I was sure the belt would come flying off with the pulley right behind as soon as the engine turned over.

I finally screwed up the courage to fire it up. It started and idled properly. I had left the hood up so I could carefully check the alignment of the pulley and belt with the engine running. To my shock and amazement, it looked perfect. I took a four mile trip right then and everything stayed together. The next day, I ventured out for a 60 mile trip and again everything stayed put.


The lessons learned from this:

If everything goes as it should, its not too tough a job as long as you have the right tools.

If using the one-piece puller, be sure the center bolt has 6 hash marks on the head.

The tensioner is a pain to reinstall unless you have tiny hands. With the one piece puller, you can remove the pulley with the tensioner still in place.

Follow the instructions posted on the forum.

Allow extra time for problems.

Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to document my experience.

Randy

 

Even though you are in the Gen 2 forum and no one here cares about your pulley, because they don't have them, I am glad to see your post. My son just got an 05 and we just ordered a pulley for it. We rented the puller from Alta, but didn't get anything for tensioning. Do we need something? We did get a new belt.

 

Well heck. I just noticed it ended up in the wrong forum. Well, anyway, It is easiest with the tensioner tool made for the Gen 1 Cooper S. Others say they can make do with a pry bar, but the tool is a good thing to have as you will need it everytime you have to change the belt.

Randy

 

Posts are sometimes hard to interpret so please understand that I mean no disrespect when I say:

What you should have put first on your list was to never force a bolt. Always better to go easy and when in doubt, back it out.

Now, having offered that pearl of wisdom you can probably guess how I learned that lesson. Yep, been there, done that, more than once.

 

Thread relocated to 1st Gen section.