Ok Everyone,

I did a search and couldn't come up with anything in particular.

On the 15% Supercharger pulleys, which brands are recommended and which should we stay away from?

I have a good chance to get a great deal on a Mini Maniac 15% pulley, but I don't see much about them. And I have read tons of threads about certain pulleys and problems, so I'd like some input.

Which is the best? Which has problems?

Thanks a lot!

 

Add Craven and Helix to the list....
All are very similar if you are looking at the Alta classic...the one folks seem to like. The altav2 has a not sonpopular attatchment method that can be better in a few limited circurmstances...such as a slightly dammaged SC shaft from a prior botched install.
The pulley profiles are very similar...some slight varriaiotions in belt wear, but that is also dependent on so many other factors, it is tuff to say if one is better.
I think WMW has a great kit...
The pulley, a DT tennsioner stop, and a new set of plugs, one step cooler, the same as the JCW's....and free rental of the all important pulley puller!!
My local MINI guy uses Craven and Helix, both good...it is what he keeps in stock depending on the "deals".

 

Obviously we would recommend ours over the others. But I am biased. We've installed well over 400 pullies. I've installed every brand you can imagine. Our pulley is just slightly different than the others because after installing all the brands early on we found things we liked and didn't like about them. That is what sparked our design. First of all ours is ALL stainless. This way it will never rust or corrode. Also being all stainless steel it will expand and contract at the same rate as the steel supercharger shaft. 2nd we put a hole in the center of it. This will help you make sure it is fully seated when installing, and you can put a bolt through it to hold it while installing. 3rd the belt grooves have a lip on the front and rear of the pulley to hold the belt better. This really helps when installing the belt. And lastly we put the two extra holes in the pulley just to cut down on weight, but honestly weight isn't a big issue with a pulley. It's more of a marketing thing, cause the pulley is so small no average person could tell a difference.
Here is our pulley
http://www.waymotorworks.com/15-supe...ulley-wmw.html

If you don't like ours when we install them the Craven and Helix would be our next choices.

 

Hit the easy button and get Way's pulley kit.

- Andrew

 

x2, everything you need at a reasonable price

 

Way, just out of curiosity, have you pulled many JCW pulleys, and replaced them with 15%, and did it make much of a difference?

 

Ways kit is awesome!

 

I think Way usually says if yo have a JCW, go to a 17% I think...so you can feel the difference....
Heck, with the mildly ported JCW head, it should be easy to push the extra air in due to better flow, and less back pressure (more volume, so less heat due to reduced resistance to pumping the air in...you already have an exhaust too)....remember, boost measure how hard you are trying to push the air in....with a ported head, you need to push less boost to get the same HP out, or push more volume to get more boost to get even more HP!!

 

Flip side is for the track, my limited understanding is that 17% hits the point of diminishing returns--generates a bunch of heat at higher rpms after it maxes out the supercharger relatively early in the Rev range. I thought that 15% pretty much maxed out the supercharger at high RPMs, and while 17% will buy you torque down low, it's a tradeoff at high RPMs with the increased heat from spinning the SC past the point where it's still adding oomph. Most of the track people seem to stick with 15%, except those headcases across the pond...

 

Way's pulley kit FTW

 

All true...many folks have suggested in warm areas that the JCW could even be optimum....depends on how/where the car is driven.....
My gut feelings is that a jcw head with a 17 should have similar intake temps as a regular S with a 15. Since the jcw is making less bosst (thanks to porting), but more volume, the SC is operating more efficiently....making less heat. That having been said, I would not put a 17 on a car with plans to track/auto-x it, the belt wears a bit faster, can be thrown off eassier, and is operating out of spec at redline....it would be awsome on a daily driver!!

 

That's what I thought--I'm planning a slightlly more aggressive head/cam in the spring, I'm leaning toward just staying with the JCW pulley; that combo should still be plenty fast and reliable. I'm willing to give up a little oomph to error on the side of reliability, the car is already pretty darned quick as is.

 

I've got an 05 cooper s and I have been lookin for a while now at the 15% pulleys and the wmw lookis like the best deal out there. My only question and thought is do I have to get a new ecu or burn a chip for the stock one?

 

nope......
The 15% works very nicely with the programming on the stock ECU.
It is possible to get more with a Dino tune (also true without the pulley) but the change to the 15% reduction pulley will make you smile!!
Generally the more modified the car, the more it will benefit from a tune!! But untill you have a cam, head, injectors, etc, the tune is not needed, and nay not even deliver good bang for the $$,

 

so I can just mount the pulley and put on new plugs and it will run fine. That's great to know now I don't have to spend nearly as much money as I thought I would. Has any one put the puppy on their self or should I take it to a shop? If you have put it on yourself could you help me with some pointers?

 

It is a bit of an advanced DIY......
It is doable, but IMO, it is best to pay the 2 hours or so to an experienced MINI mechanic to do it....if the install goes wrong, you are stuck with an undrivable car....or a screaching belt, and problems later....
Another plus of having a MINI centric shop do the pulley, is you can develop a relationship with a place that fixes MINI's.......might meet a few other "MINI" folks there too!!
If there is a local car club that has a bunch of MINI's, there is usually a person or two that have done them before, and will do them for couple of six packs, and a Pizza....one for the job, one for after getting home!!!!
It is not a hard job, but you do need things that not every newer MINI owner has....a tourque wrench, belt-tensioner, jack (and a block of wood), and knowledge to disconnect the wiring harness to the computer, disconnecting an engine mount, etc. You actually have to jack the motor up a bit...and it is harder in an automatic S...less space to work...

On the MINI you MUST use a special pulley puller..... a universal WILL NOT WORK!

One tip...check you pulley....many folks have one and don't know it!!
The OEM is a black, hot pressed pulley....most aftermarket pulleys are stainless, and held on by several bolts.

 

Thanks. Yeah I still have the stock black one and I did look up how to do it and read some and said screw that I will find some one or pay some one to do it there is no way I would be able to. I mean yeah sure I have worked on car since I was 12 and yeah sure I've rfebuilt a motor with my dad about 4 times but that was a mustang not a mini.

Thanks again

 

Now I just thought of this what the differnce between the 15% and like the 16,17,and 19% pulleys? Is it just more torque?

 

The bigger the reduction, the lower the boost kicks in, but at a price...heat, and belt wear, and possibly reduced SC life...
The 15% reduction is perfect for most folks....Especially if you track or auto-x your car, or live in a hot location, or don't have 93 octane...with a 15%, and 91, tests showed that the timing will be retarded a bit most of the time....the mini does this on a cylindar by cylandar basis...but it will result in lower hp, and lower mpg.
The 17% gives you the kick just abbot sooner, but unless you live in an area with 93 octane, and cooler temps, and remember to change the belt yearly, you can actually loose a bit of hp on warmer days...also the 17% is not good to auto-x, or track, due to the fact you are running the SC faster than recommended around the redline...but IMO it is great for the street, unless you have lots of very hot days...it does seem to get rid of the hesitation with the ac on, that the 15% does not.
Beyond 17%....not a great idea IMO...you are just trying to push too much air with the SC....too many issues, and dangers to be a good idea....
The 16%....lol...a bit of an older desgin,...when it comes to the groves for the belt, and they seem to varry in size by 1%...so some are like 15%, some like 17%....very odd since most pullies are usually made on a CNC machine...maybe the seller has different manfactures...
Just be sure to use a tensioner stop...the Detroit Tuned one is the best IMO...a cheap item that can save you big $$if you break/shread a belt, which is more likely with a pulley.
There are thousands of threads on this...early on there was the debate on extra wear, etc...I can just say many folk take off the 15 and put on the 17, but not the other way....
IMO both are safe and relilable mods.

 

I've actually removed several JCW pullies and put on a 15% or 17%. The cars all made more power and had better response. I know there is alot of discussion on the JCW pulley making less heat and a whole lot of theory on if that works better. But let me tell you reality, the 15% and 17% pulley WILL make more power than the JCW pulley. Been there done it. I know what everyone has said about heat and supercharger effeciency sounds great on paper, but in the REAL world the aftermarket is better. That's all I'm gonna say, don't have time to argue with them about it.

 

Thanks for all the imput guys. I finally made a decision and made the leap....

Called Way yesterday and ordered my 15% with a new belt and stop!!!

I am so excited, talked the wife into letting me do it myself, I will be sure to post an update when its all done.

 

If it's possible, see if you can do a pulley party. We had one with a couple of members in our club about a month ago. Great hang-out experience. Don't forget the pulley puller. Make sure to get one that completely surrounds the factory pulley.

P.S. If you did not know, the JCW pulley is 10-11% reduction.

 

Congrats, I know I would have a pulley party like jumpingjackflash said.

I think my last question for now is does that 17% need a new ecu or chip? I just don't want to get in over my head because I plan on making the swap while I'm in school at WYOtech in Pennsylvania.

Thanks for all the info by the way.

 

It does not need, because most of the MCS is rich and this will help to lean the AFR to gain more HP do the tune.

 

As stated previously, the car will run fine...
A custom Dino tune will make more hp, but it will run fine.
The motor might run a tiny bit lean at high rpm's (near redline), but with a 17% reduction, you should not be spending much time there...
Jcw injectors work very nicely with a tune...heck, pretty good without and the 17%...the extra 2% reduction leans the car out a bit compared with the JCW and the 15%....with no tune this combo is too rich, but the JCW 380's and the 17% works great...when I got my tune, Jan even commented about this...better with a tune though!!