I hope this topic has not been covered - if it has, would someone please guide me?

After over a year with my MCS I am finally ready for the pulley upgrade to 15%. Doing some research online I find that there are a number of alternatives and they all sound like they have their benefits.

I would like to do this upgrade myself and figure that there would be some experience out there that I can benefit from as to which is the better pulley and which tools are the best?

The pulleys that I have found are the Alta (altaminiperformance.com), the one from Helix (helix13.com), the Eurosport (OutMotoring.com), Mini Mania (minimania.com) and the Mini-Madness (mini-madness.com).

The tools are the non-drill pullers from Mini-Madness, Cool New (coolnew.co.uk) and OutMotoring. Also the belt tensitoner from Out Motoring.

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers

 

it has been covered. u should try a search. i have alta, it was 165 bucks at the time. imo they are all pretty much the same.

 

I have the MiniMania pulley. I did the install myself many months ago. The only difficulty I had was with their friggin' "drill-out" removal tool. Use a pulley puller, and you will do fine. The Alta pulley seems to be the most fool proof of the bunch. The Mania requires precise alignment. If I had to do it again, I'd use the Alta.
If you can find the puller as a rental down there, rent it rather than buy...

 

Since I just did the pulley myself on Christmas Eve, I'll respond.... I wouldn't do any pulley other than a bolt on like the Alta Pulley if you plan to do it yourself. Too many things to go wrong when your doing something for the first and probably only time. A shop that has installed many may prefer the heat on type.

I installed the Alta and bought it from Randy at webbmotorsports.com. He will loan you the tool for free if you buy the pulley from him. Great deal and you will need the pulley tool to remove the pulley. If you follow his "How To" on installing the pulley, it's actually very easy. I think doing the pulley was easier than installing the B&M Short shifter the first time.

The only difficulty I had was getting the belt tensioner removed. Without the belt tensioner tool you have to use a prybar to compress the spring and pin the tensioner to remove it. Took me several tries to get it pinned and requires a second set of hands.

 

Supermini,

Thanks for the input, I assume from your description that the tensioner tool would be a good idea?

Cheers

 

>>Supermini,
>>
>>Thanks for the input, I assume from your description that the tensioner tool would be a good idea?
>>
>>Cheers
A three foot piece of channel iron will work... :smile:

 

Oz--
Bryan at Terry Sayther Automotive, here... FYI, we have the ALTA pulley for $151.99

www.TerrySaytherAuto.com

 

Helix13 makes their own pulleys of both bolt on (Alta) style and press on (heat up) style in sizes of 15%, 17%, 19% and custom. Part prices are $100 for press on and $120 for the bolt on. You'd still need the pulley removing tool but call him and ask about that.

If you choose the 15% pulley you can reuse the stock pulley belt. If you go with the 17% pulley you can reuse the stock belt or switch to a smaller belt. With the 19% you'd need the smaller belt.

No final dyno tests have been done yet on the 17% or 19% pulley but for consevative estimates figure a little more HP with the 17 or 19% and roughly 2-3 ft lbs of torque more for the 17% than the 15% and for the 19% about 5-6 ft-lbs torque more than the 15% pulley. But also more heat is generated.

 

I've got the Helix13 press fit. Now they have both the press fit and bolt-on style, in 15%, 17 %, 19%, and I think smaller .

 

>>it has been covered. u should try a search. i have alta, it was 165 bucks at the time. imo they are all pretty much the same.<<

IMHO, they are not all alike. The P&D pulley, which comprises most of the non-Alta brands, like all of the P&D products is painstakingly designed, carefully manufactured on the most modern CNC equipment and subjected to many levels of QC.

I wouldn't have anything else on my car.

Besides, Alta doesn't even make a 19%.

 

Blue,

Sorry, perhaps I'm still hung over... P&D being who's?

Any reports about the Eurosport?

Cheers

 

Ask someone who has done many pulley installs of both the bolt-on and interference fit design. Randy at webbmotorsports.com will provide great insight as well as the helix guys. It seems like the bolt on design is most used, at least at the Detroit Pulley party I believe that was all taht was used (I was only there one day).

I had the 15% Alta done by Randy, it is a tremendous improvement. It is about the same as what is done on the JCW kit from what I have read. There have been some interesting threads on the 17% and 19%, questioning how that will affect the water pump cooling and the RPM capability of the supercharger itself?!?!? I am NO expert.

If you can have the pulley changed at a 'pulley party', it is great fun, and well worth the $ to have it installed. Not to mention getting talked into additional modifications that you don't need, but absolutely want....

Cheers

 

After all the discussions I've read regarding this and other issues, I'd lean towards Helix. From what's been said, they have Choice product with Great Service and are cool guys to boot.

whatever you choose, good luck

-WCC

 

Hi Fishey,

Thanks for the advice. I am sold on the bolt-on especially since I want to do this one myself.

I don't think we have "pulley parties" here in Australia yet - but perhaps we might do a "pulley bbq" - everyone would be up for that! 'Might even roast some prawns and sausages over the heat from a 19% pulley at full throttle!

Anyway, I'm down to the Helix, Eurosport or Alta bolt-on pulleys...

Cheers!

 

>>Blue,
>>
>>Sorry, perhaps I'm still hung over... P&D being who's?
>>
Helix is one.

But then again Philadelphia is quite a hike 4 u.
Eric does mailorder. :smile:

 

On a related note, who besides Randy at Webb motorsports loans/rents out a pulley removal tool?

I can't see buying one if I'm only going to use it once

 

>>Supermini,
>>
>>Thanks for the input, I assume from your description that the tensioner tool would be a good idea?
>>
>>Cheers

A tensioner tool would be a good idea, but not necessary and I'm not sure where you could get one anyway. I think even Randy had to weld up his own tool. You will need to have a Crow's foot puller to attach to the P&D Pulley Removal tool. Most Autoparts stores have a Harmonic Balancer/Crow's foot puller and they cost between $10 and $20. If you need to buy one, don't get it until you get the Pulley removal tool in hand because you have to make sure the puller will span the tool. I don't remember what the distance is but I know I had to hunt for a puller that was large enough. Most of the Steering wheel and harmonic balancer pullers I found at Discount Auto Parts/Auto Zone/NAPA didn't fit. Eventually found one at another NAPA Auto parts store.

 

>>I hope this topic has not been covered - if it has, would someone please guide me?
>>
>>After over a year with my MCS I am finally ready for the pulley upgrade to 15%. Doing some research online I find that there are a number of alternatives and they all sound like they have their benefits.
>>
>>I would like to do this upgrade myself and figure that there would be some experience out there that I can benefit from as to which is the better pulley and which tools are the best?
>>
>>The pulleys that I have found are the Alta (altaminiperformance.com), the one from Helix (helix13.com), the Eurosport (OutMotoring.com), Mini Mania (minimania.com) and the Mini-Madness (mini-madness.com).
>>
>>The tools are the non-drill pullers from Mini-Madness, Cool New (coolnew.co.uk) and OutMotoring. Also the belt tensitoner from Out Motoring.
>>
>>Any help would be appreciated.
>>
>>Cheers
Hey OZ, I've been doing the same research and have picked the Helix bolt on because the machinist that makes them for Helix is a MINI driver too. In an earlier thread he ( Jim ) replied directly to my questions about materials and design of his pulleys. Randy Webb has provided a How to with pictures on his web site, very good stuff! http://www.webbmotorsports.com/forum...topic.php?t=17
I am going to do my own install in the spring after it warms up and more feed back has been received on the 17, 19 and 22% pulleys effect on intake/engine temp. I believe the 17% will probably not present a problem but the jury's out in my book on the 19, 22%. Also looking into water injection to aid charge cooling, another interesting site,
http://www.aquamist.co.uk/
Cheers Mate............ norm

 

norm03s

I just looked at the photos/instructions and there is NO WAY I will even think about doing this myself. That's why money was invented -- to get someone to do what I can't.

Earl

 

>>norm03s
>>
>>I just looked at the photos/instructions and there is NO WAY I will even think about doing this myself. That's why money was invented -- to get someone to do what I can't. :smile: norm

 

Norm -

Save your money. The water injection does not do anything on a stock or 15% car. Several of us tried. Maybe it will help with the 19% and New York summers.

Besides, with all of the damp, cold air over there it's like getting water injection fro free! :smile:

 

>>Norm -
>>
>>Save your money. The water injection does not do anything on a stock or 15% car. Several of us tried. Maybe it will help with the 19% and New York summers.
>>
>>Besides, with all of the damp, cold air over there it's like getting water injection fro free! :smile:
Yes we have that! Just going to hold off on pulley till warm/hot weather. Did you try water injection on the outlet side of the intercooler? We could get really off track on this WI subject and I expect it will be revisited when more people have the 19/22% pulleys and we get into our East Coast Summers. You know I asked if anyone out there in a warm/hot climate had installed a 19/22% but I guess they are too new to get any feed back on yet. Just looking ahead because I won't be buying a 2K intercooled or even a 1K for that matter. I will find something else that works. .......... norm

 

Amen to that. I have the 19% pulley and know that RDR is working on a more effective air to air intercooler for around $500. If it's good, that sounds good to me!

 

I, for one, lament the lack of underhood space in the S. I sure would love to just dump a huge block of dry ice on the 'cooler and fill the front wheel wells with burnt rubber.

That front-mount intercooler sure looks pretty, but my wallet is tougher to convince than my eyes...thank goodness.

Should I just go to Helix, do a 19% and get dyno data before/after? I think it would be valuable - and maybe I could get some sort of deal on the dyno runs (sure, Eric has a vested interest in his product, but he SHOULD get to advertise it, right?).

Gotta scrounge for cash...

 

Yeah MartyR, I agree! everybody gets something out of the deal Helix could post the results on the their WEB page. I'll be waiting and want to see those results. .......... norm