I just spent 7 hours at a semi-local mechanic (European Motorsport, ~an hour away) for a Service inspection 1, a pulley install (Alta 17%), belt and BRISK plugs.

1st off, my stock pulley would NOT come off, so they cut it off. No big deal, im replacing it. Not to long after, i hear that awesome whine. Good news to my ears, since its running, so it shouldn't be too much longer.

But then the mechanic comes in and says that the new pulley is about 1/8th of an inch too long, so the belt wants to jump off of it.

Well Great.

They call Alta and are told that they get a call like this about every 2 months, and say that its due to how the superchargers are manufactured. So they say to put the stock pulley back on.

But they cut mine off.....

So the entire team of mechanics are looking at my car trying to figure out what to do. Luckily, they are good friends with a machine shop down the road, and decide to take it there to see if they can shave off the 1/8" i need. Luckily, the shop was able to do it. The finished result looked pretty good. I wish i had my camera to snap pics. They get it installed, i hear the whine again (that sweet sweet sound).

But no time for the service inspection. So i just have them do an oil change (i really needed it) and install the plugs. Mechanic took it for a test drive (And did a victory lap), and im on my way.

This thing pulls. and whines. Its awesome.

/rant. Just thought Id share my day, and let this serve as a slight warning to any future pulley owners.

Now to get these tires M&B'ed and get my windshield replaced.

 

Congrats on the upgrades and glad it worked out for you.

 

Glad it all worked out for you and hope you didn't have to wait too long for all of that, but it sounds worth it. Good to know about what Alta said... kind of interesting if you ask me. Had they not cut your old pulley off and you were able to put it back on, did Alta say they were going to do anything to help you?

 

Yeah, i was there for 7 hours.

I personally didn't talk to them, the mechanic did. I doubt Alta would do anything for me, since i bought the pulley from a NAMmer, (albeit brand new). Also, i wasn't there because a different mechanic took me to Taco Bell for lunch.

But i would highly recommend EM to anyone in that area. They seem to know their stuff, and are VERY customer-oriented. (See Taco Bell, He Paid)

I got kinda worried when they couldn't get the new one on, but i left there very happy.

 

WHAT, NO NO NO, I'm not buying this. I've done over 300 pulley installs myself and the supercharger shafts are ALL in the same place otherwise the belt would come off the stock pulley.

My guess in when pulling the pulley the entire shaft got pulled out slightly. Most of the time I see people mess up and push it in when pulling the stock pulley.

Glad you got it fixed, but something went wrong.

 

Ohhhh.

Thats good to know. I think i might call or email the shop to give them a heads up.

Should i be worried then? since the shaft is not in the position it was before?

 

Thats exactly what we told the shop we suspected.

 

The plot thickens. I'll definitely be emailing the shop with this new information.

Im happy with the fix, just would have liked to know what exactly was wrong.

Thanks Way and Jarid.

 

Grab a flashlight and check just below your pulley, on the case of the supercharger to be sure that there isn't moisture there (oil). If there is, you should not drive the car until you at the very least get the seal in the nose of the charger replaced, or you will risk damage to the needle bearings. It would take quite a lot of torque to move that shaft, and there are no 'manufacturing inconsistencies' from Eaton, I would keep a close eye on your charger. Shaving off the end is not necessarily the most elegant solution to a tweaked blower shaft.

 

Hmmm, ill do that in the morning.

Oh, and they shaved the pulley, not the shaft.

Thanks.

(Great responses, from Way, Alta and Helix, Thanks again)

 

Helix is right look for oil.

I don't think it takes that much torque to move the shaft, It's been more common to see the shaft pushed back into the supercharger.

 

Well, ******.

Started her this morning and i got a nice death rattle. Calling thew shop to see what they are gonna do about it.

Any ideas on whats wrong? I cant see under the pulley, so i cant tell if its leaking, but i can see the tensioner looks like its moving. (that might be the sound?) Not sure how to explain it.

 

guaranteed when they were pulling pulley off they hadnt lifted engine enough and were pressing against frame rail and pushed sc shaft toward drivers side .

 

Its interesting Alta told your shop what the problem could be.

The shop didnt say anything to you, about the conversation they had with Alta, did they?

Sounds like they could be at fault. Wondering how they will answer.

Keep us posted.

 

The shop told me that Alta had said it was due to how the S/C is manufactured.

They are closed on the weekends, so i'll have to call them on monday.

What should I say? And i'll need to get it towed the hour drive it takes to get there...

Having my car broken makes me sad.

 

I think they messed up the SC when they were pulling the pulley off. They pulled the shaft out 1/8".....then had to cut it off. This most likely caused the the supercharger to fail in some way....perhaps the bearings inside are not in the correct races, or it tore a seal.....the shaft should not be able to move.
Maybe it is ok....maybe the tensioner is failing if you are lucky....but from your story, and the info directly from Alta on this site...


For your sake, I hope it is just the tenionsier going bad.....but it sounds like the shop was in over their head....and it may be worse.
I think the shop messed up in several MAJOR WAYS.
1) Screwed up the removal of the pulley....forgivable, it happens.
If they messed up by trying to use a generic pulley puller..most likely...then it is unforgivable...they should never have accepted a job without the tools to do it!! Pullers that are made for pulling SC pulleys on the MINI are common, cheap, even free from some vendors on loan if you buy a pulley from them!! People HAVE cut pulleys off before...it works....but they must have beat on the pulley or something to try to get it off...VERY BAD.
2)Lied to you about talking to ALTA, saying they should put the old one on!! Then said it happen frequently.... Then blamed it on the SC manufacturer, rather than saying "WE MESSED UP"...but it is simple geometry...the new one goes in the same spot as the old one!! They were trying to spread the blame, and trying to make themselves look like hero's!! I can just hear them saying.."they said to put the old on back on....but we were so good we got it off...we will make it work somehow!!".
ALTA KNOW that the very act of pulley removal destroys it most of the time, even with a proper tool...and they are hot fitted...very hard to do in a shop, and they would NEVER suggest this!!!!
3)THEY WERE GOING TO MAKE IT WORK NO MATTER WHAT!! The entire team of mechanic were looking at your car because they KNEW they screwed up!! Rather than find out what they did wrong by getting the part they broke fixed, they elected to try to find a way to "make it work"(EDIT>>>>I see they machined the pulley>>>) Did they rely think a precision made piece of machinery would work for long after they just destroyed it internally?! They either elongated the shaft of the SC, or they messed up the gearing, bearings, etc.....it is just nutz!! EDIT___Now if you ever need a rebuilt SC, they owe you a pulley too!!!

Like I said I hope I am wrong.....but it sounds like the shop screwed the pooch on this one. Used, lower mileage SC can be found on E-bay, or on the NAM marketplace, and from various wrecking yards from totaled cars, serviceable for about 500, no core needed. Dealers are selling freshly overhauled unit for about $1600 +core, $2200 ish new..special order only.
Good Luck!!

 

By all accounts, installing a pulley on an automatic car is harder, since there is less space to work....but still, they should have been able to do it....many members have DIY'd it...not super easy, but with the instructions that ALTA PROVIDES...Simple for a PRO.

 

Any updates?

 

any info.....

 

Was it a V2? https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-problems.html

 

Update:

The noise went away upon running the car for a minute or two, so i dont know what to think. It hasn't made any strange noise since.

I've started to keep my eye out for a used S/C.

And yes, its a V2.

 

Instead of making a new thread, here's another update.

Last Week: On the highway to the airport to pick up a friend, belt shredded. Dealer said tensioner failed.

So i bought a new tensioner and installed it myself, along with a new belt.

Today:

P1688 - Electronic Throttle Control Monitor Level 2/3 Mass Air Flow Calculation

P1682 - Electronic Throttle Control Monitor Level 2/3 Idle Speed 'A' Calculation Fault

Got both this morning upon starting the car. SES and stall. Parked.

There is a fairly loud metal-on-metal sound upon cold start. It goes away once warmed up, and still seems to be producing boost (no guage.)

I have the feeling its my supercharger, because of some complications when the shop installed my 17% pulley. Seems like where the sound is coming from.

How can i know for sure? I'd like to know for sure so that i can get the shop that broke it to pay to fix it.

I'm getting afraid to drive my car :(

 

it sounds like the shop needs to buy you a new super charger to me. Why don't you call Alta and ask if they remember the conversation at that date. You need to have the motor lifted after the mounting bolts are taken off to get to the SC pulley. It's sometime best to do it yourself or find some NAMERs in you area that have done this and get some help. I would not drive your MINI if possible.

 

I know the shop needs to pay for it, i just need a way of getting definite proof that it is in fact the supercharger.....

Ill take a video tomorrow morning of the noise (if it makes it)

The Shoebox is my DD, and the shop that broke it is over 60 miles away...

 

You need to find the paperwork the shop gave you and READ THEIR FINE PRINT.

next, call the shop and explain to them (if the fine print says that they will be liable if it wasnt done correctly) their contract and tell them you need this this and that replaced.

If they try pulling ****, get a lawyer.