Stiff clutch and TOB squeal-

Valeo single weight flywheel clutch set up, seals and other bits.

Front control arm bushings-

They're beyond the point where they should have been replaced. I want the front end to feel and sound tight. I know I want to have polyurethane bushings. I'll cross that bridge separately maybe someone could offer their two cents on what to buy.

Slight Supercharger Noise at idle-

I'm going to replace the oil in the S/C because I acquired the car at 125xxx and now I'm crossing the 129xxx mark without any knowledge of any sort of S/C maintenance. Maybe some slight noise is okay. What shouldn't I be hearing? That's my question when it comes to the very faint "rattle-ish" noise.

Belt and Harmonic Balancer, potential for a reduction s/c pulley-

Belt is in dire need of replacement as it has shredded a groove off the outside of the belt. Balancer shows stress cracking and that's not something I want to come apart going down the road. Is it bad to go to a light weight crank pulley without the balancing properties? And while I'm there, will it be safe for the s/c to run a 17% pulley?

Everything above is a buffet. Take what you want, leave what you don't. I don't pay your bills, you don't pay mine. All advice is good advice.

Thanks in advance!

 

Good that you're doing the (preventative) maintenance. I'm in exactly the same boat, with concerns for the same parts. MY LCA bushings are going to be replaced; S/C pulley, belt and tensioner are next; maybe a new crank pulley if it looks like it's ready to go; maybe the Valeo clutch kit soon, as I have some minor chatter at idle with the pedal let out. I have around 105K on mine ('04).

I have read from both camps regarding the lightweight crank pulley, and I like the idea of less mass for easier spinning but there are some risks with that approach. My first and main concern is toward longevity, therefore I would recommend using the stock-weighted crank pulley and dampener.

 

Why is it that the lightweight aftermarket crank pulley would cost less than the OEM or like parts? I agree with you on running a balancer. I believe that the vw guys with 1.8t sometimes go to the non balanced crank pulley and suffer issues with bearings.

 

I believe it's mostly the cost of manufacturing and materials. The lightweight pulleys are pretty basic, while the harmonic balanced ones have a lot of design, engineering, manufacturing and heft to them. And that heft keeps things running smoothly.

 

Ahh yes. So company overhead is the main thing that you pay for. Sounds good.

 

I've been happy with the Valeo kit since I put it in last year.

Everyone uses powerflex for the bushing, supposed to last the life of the car and aren't very expensive so can't go wrong there.

No comment on the pulley as I'm still pushing my luck with what I assume is the stock one at 105k miles.

Unless your sc is totally shot it can be hard to tell if the noise is actually coming from it. They are all naturally noisey, but if the sc is grinding, adding oil isn't going to save it. Im not saying dont check the oil, if you're taking the car apart already, can't hurt to do it. Hopefully it's just the tensioner pulley or one of the other pulleys.

 

Alright the noise that I hear at idle is like a chattering. But it doesn't necessarily sound like anything is hanging up. I've searched for videos of a bad s/c and all I get is extreme cases. Nothing seems to match.

Edit: And I'm not the kind of person who doesn't know what his car is doing. It just comes down to the fact that this is the first car that I've owned that uses a supercharger versus a turbo to get it's needed dose of forced induction.

 

While sitting there idling, push the clutch pedal in. Does the chatter stop?

 

My first sc car too. Mine was bad when I bought the car 2 years ago but I didn't know any better at the time :(

If yours doesn't sound like any of the videos thats awesome.

 

I will get to that in the am. I'm in PST.

 

Thats a good test, also being in a closed area, you can put the window down and hear it echo.

 

Things got busy but here is an update.

Slight chattery noise does not change with the the clutch being engaged or disengaged.

TOB sounds pretty bad. Especially while there is a load on the drivetrain.

I should be shot for vertical filming. Also r.i.p. eardrums.

 

Yea, when you depressed the clutch a little the rattle will be less. They when you let it go , the rattle will be more pronounced.

 

Get under the car and tap your cat with a rubber mallet or something of that nature. I can't hear video because I'm at work but your symptoms sound like the mild symptoms I have. Did a lot of reading to find possible problems, and sure enough when I tap my cat I can hear junk rattling in it. It's not bad on my car, I haven't decided if I want to cut it out and weld a new cat in its place, break the bank and get a nice shiny header setup, or just ignore it till its to loud to ignore.


Not saying that's exactly your problem it's just a good thing to check, and easy to check as well. Who knows that might be what's wrong with yours as well.

 

Had the exhaust out from the headers on back while I was installing a short shifter. Never noticed any debris shaking around in there

 

Welp it was worth a shot. You dropped the whole exhaust to change the shifter?? Did it have any rattles before the shifter install?

 

I had the car on the lift and I wanted to change the hangers on the rear. Just did it all at once. Yeah I've had these issues before the shifter.

 

Control Atm bushings - Do the Powerflex and never look back, well worth the cost, even if you didn't need them.

S/C noise - Are you sure it's not the idler pulley or belt tensioner?

S/C Pulley - Swapping to a 15% or 17% pulley will not change anything when it comes to S/C longevity, remember, most S/C issues aren't associated with the actual S/C bearings or rotors, it's the seal in the back between the S/C and W/P drive area that goes bad and let's the oil that is supposed to lubricate the W/P gears get back into the S/C, the W/P gears is what the rattle noise is when people talk about S/C noises. I ran my original M45 for an additional 50k miles from when I first started hearing a slight rattle.

Crank Pulley - IMPO, stay away from the light weights, some of them have been known to develop cracks and fail, IMO, spend the extras, get the ATI, never worry about it again.

 

Thanks Blwn! I think the general consensus is with the powerflex. I like the idea of ATI as far as the crank pulley. I just don't want to speed up the process of a potential s/c death. I plan on replacing the oil in the s/C before even pulling the trigger and buying the reduction pulley. Maybe it is an idler pulley. I need a better device to record the noise. My phone isn't good.

 

Get yourself an automotive stethoscope and go crazy listening all over the place, may really be able to help on Pinning it down.

 

Very Valid idea. One of those, why didn't I think of that idea's.

 

Yes,

old school. but helps find the noise.

https://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/Stethoscope/

 

Happens ALL the time, you get so caught up in the "what if it's major" or "what could it be" that the simple little stuff gets passed right by.