I know as far as brands there is always going to be evryones favorites. Im just trying to make my best possible purchases.

Intakes-
With Altas sale for thanksgiving, I was considering their intake, looks good and seems to work as it should with good results. Can get it farely cheap right now.

Then there is cravenspeed which i just noticed, their new design incorporates a hole to use your own hose to use for the original grill intake. But there intake doesnty come with an intake inlet hose at all. Expensive.

For those who have altas intake, is there enough room to cut a hole as craven did to use the grill intake inlet? And do you guys think that woulkd be a good addition along with the hole in the firewall plate?

Now for pulleys? Im really lost here, there are so many companies claming theres is the best. But from what you guys have seen who really is the best? Can get the alta pretty cheap right now as well. However I wasnt sure if I should go with a 15% or 17% what do you guys think?

 

So I actually received my ALTA intake and installed it today and I can say I'm very happy with it. (I got it with the Thanksgiving day discount). I hear the supercharger whine like no other.
Other people on the forums will probably agree that the ALTA intake makes the supercharger whine alot louder than the other intakes on the market. Although I have not tried them or heard them in action.

When installing the alta intake, you actually reinstall the bottom portion of the oem stock air box. The inlet scoop in the grill still feeds air to the intake, if that's what you are asking about.

 

Thats exactly whart I was asking about, I think I mght just go ahead and order it.

 

Ya the alta is a great pick, don't worry too much about getting the silicone inlet hose yet tho if your not ready to spend the money. It's mainly just for looks and doesn't add any real performance to the car IMHO.

 

I might consider skipping on that then. I want to get the pulley and intake but funds dont permit. That would save a bit though. Maybe I can

 

Def. get the pulley first, if your trying to decide between 15% and 17% just go with the 17%. Otherwise you'll be wondering later if you get the 15%.
Check out our supercharger Pullies, ask anyone that has it they will tell you it's great, and we have them in stock.

As for the intakes if your looking cheap we have a pipercross intake for $125.
The HP difference in intakes is like splitting hairs.

Don't get sucked into holiday sales hype. Save your money and get the best.

 

For pulley's I would stay clear of aluminum. Our superchargers get extremely hot and different metals have different rates of expansion, bad things can potentaly happen with mixed types of metals.(Like bolts backing out of the collar that goes on the S/C shaft, or the pulley siezing on the collar if you ever need to remove it.) WAY, MINI MANIA,CRAVEN SPEED,M7 all use stainless steel which is best IMHO.

Intakes, take your pick or make your own they all have about the same result.

 

+1
Air intakes are a matter of taste/choice/convience/cost...all seem to perform about the same, with some variations in sound and filter type...
The OEM intake hose is actually pretty smooth on the inside....silcone ones are kinda rough from the wrapping from when they make it...and the hard to reach bottom end tends to slip off...so they look good, but do little to help HP, and in some cases can hurt engine life.

 

I personally have the $95.00 mini mania intake, and it added a ton of power (i know from my butt dyno), sounds great, looks great, and is great qaulity. cheapest CAI out there, but only for the cost. I would have gone for the alta, but this was so much less expensive, i figured it would be a smarter choice. Only took 10 minutes to install, the alta takes a lot longer because of all the stuff you have to fiddle with. as far as pullies go, im gonna go for a 15%, as the 17 supposedly (i talked to a mechanic about it) over spins the supercharger, to where it cant push the air in any more. But if you never get over 5k rpm, your probably fine with a 17. Personally, i will be going for the alta pully.
hope this gave you some considerations
-Austin

 

Ordered my ALTA pulley on turkey day, got the package with the new belt, and the tensioner stop. Gift exchange this year, they know about the ALTA intake. So hopefully christmas time ill have a new intake

Quick question though? Does anyone know of any way to get the supercharger pulley off without one of the mini tools? Any tricks?

 

http://www.gomiata.com/mxmitrdograp.html

Do you think this one may work?

 

Nope that thing would bend and pop off. You realy need one of the S/C pulley tools, and let me tell you its a PITA even with the tool. I had to heat mine up just to get it to break loose.

 

Many vendors will loan you a pulley puller...if you buy the pulley from them. One of the reasons I like WMW. You need the puller if you want to instal the pulley....the alternatives are not pretty...and all potentially costly.
IMO return the cheap one you got, and buy one with the use of the puller...it will still be cheaper than buying a puller....
Remember the old english saying..penny wise, pound foolish...or the Spanish version, nothing is as expensive as going cheap....

 

Nope...you will end up cutting it off with an angle grinder after you dammage the oem pulley...even the mini specfic one will bend the pulley a bit...it is on there very tightly....
Cutting it off is risky....and time consuming, even if you are good at it, and have the right tools...that is why the mini specfic tool is made...no other options work in an even ok way.

 

So the alta pulley puller isnt any good? The ALTA pulley is ok right?

Anyone willing to loan me a different pulley puller?

 

Its on sale for a reason.

 

And they make up for the low price by expecting you to have to spend $$ on a puller...the orgional bait and switch...
Others give you a better stainless steel pulley, and will let you borrow a puller...
I hate to sound like a cheer-leader for any one vendor, but WMW has chimed in a few times, trying to help...and he has a great product, great price (IMO), and let you borrow a puller if you buy his pulley...
Where has Alta been? Not trying to help you, and you spent $$ with them...

 

Has anyone acctualy had any problems with the ALTA pulley? People may say due to the metals expanding and what not, but has this acctualy happened to anyone on this forum?

Not saying it couldn't happen, I understand how metals contract differently. I already bought the ALTA package though. Is it possible to return it? Or am I going to have to get it, sell it and loose some money?

 

The ALTA pulley puller is a pretty good pice, only problems are: its size, and the fact that you still need a puller to use it!

The ALTA puller is realy more of a oversized sleeve that fits over your stock pulley so you dont F*** it up and makes it come off the shaft straight. You still need to go to the tool store and get a 4" crows foot (bolt on type) to get the pulley off, and ALTA doesn't supply one even though its nessicary.

I have an ALTA puller adapter myself, I payed $100 to use it twice (Oh dont forget the $30 for the puller to make it work). Live and learn I guess, we all do dumb things once and a while.

 

boom, proof, dont use arm pullers. period.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...lley-tool.html

call way and see if theres anyone he recommends to do the install in your area or if they'll let you borrow the tool from them, my failure to do that landed me in heaps of trouble. way was very helpful the whole way through

 

The Miata SC has a keyed pulley vs. the MINI's pressed on pulley. Two different animals.

 

I will get a pulley puller, but as far as the pulley goes, has anyone actually had any problems with it? I haven't heard anything bad...

 

As long as the puller is mini specfic, and is the right one...jcw cars use a different puller than a S.
The "low profile" ones make the job much simpler...you will nor have to jack the motor up as high.... single most pita thing (and most $$ dangerous thing ) about diy'ing a pulley....
Don't fall into the trap that just cuse it is from company x, it is good...all companys have their dogs, and their stars.....

 

The fact the ala tool requires a 2nd tool to work makes it more $$ to buy and use....
Be sure to use the best bolt you can find for the puller...the preassure is so high, it can destroy lower grade bolts.....
True with any puller...

 

I've been running the Alta pulley for some time with zero problems...