My Alta crank pulley came today so I started right in with the install, ...but..I didn't get so far

The pulley






Starting the install, I first removed the front passenger side inner wheel well. Very simple to do.



In the following photos you can see the crank pulley/damper. No way I can remove it without the proper BMW tools, which I ordered through my local Mini parts dealer for what I though was a good price.
Holder, part # 90880118460, $33.00
Puller, part # 90880118450, $36.00.

Tools should be in on Wednesday, so I should have this done by that evening.
I'll report back with observations shortly

 

Thats the Pulley I was talking about!

 

OK, the tools came this afternoon and I finished the Pulley install.

Pulled the stock pulley with ease with the correct tools. Placed the new Alta on the shaft. It only went on about 1/16" but enough to hold it in place while I heated it up with a torch. Once heated it slides on with ease. Torqued up the bolt and got the belt back into place.
Weather was real crappy so I could only start it up in the garage. Everything sound fine for now. Look forward to the test drive in a couple of days.
Note photos below.

Stock pulley, 7 lbs, 3oz


Alta Pulley, 14.8 oz !


Installed

 

onasled, thanks for sharing the details regarding the install. If you can, please share a photo of those 2 tools...

Can't wait to hear your driving impressions! The weight-savings is nice.

 

Can see the pic no more.

 

Maybe it's the angle of the pictures, but the Alta pulley looks to be larger in diameter than the factory pulley. Is it?

 

As I stated before the Alta pulley is the exact same size as the stock pulley.
I have had one of these on my car for four months now.
The throttle response is better and smother, also when accelerating from zero, the bog is reduced.


Dave

 

I can figure out where the 20 pound estimate came from!

7 pound stock pulley - 1 pound Alta pulley = 6 pounds of savings

This leaves 14 pounds to go. I can only assume that this comes from a lighter wallet from paying for this part! Does Alta let you pay for items in pennies?

 

Loosing that much "rotational" weight is like removing 100lbs from that car as I understand it.

 

Your driving impressions onasled?

 

Like everywhere else in the USA it seems, the weather is too crappy to get it out today. Should be able to get out this weekend. I'll post!

Here are the tools.
Top is of couse the belt tensioner tool
Middle is the crank pulley holder (needed while removing bolt and the pulley)
Bottom is the crank pulley puller
The three bolts are used with both the holder and the puller.

 

Exactly what I wanted to see. Thanks for taking the time to do so!

Well, weather permitting, a report is highly anticipated. I think we'll be curious to know if your MCS feels more free-reving because of this swap. And as a potential drawback, if you sense any lack of smoothness or wobble at idle or any RPM...

Weight-savings on a rotating mass is a good thing typically. I believe the impact of such is more so on a free-spinning object as opposed to one that is belt-driven. At least that is what I recall Randy explaining when discussing the SC reduction pulley comparisons...

Thanks again.

 

nice looking pulley

 

OK, drove the Mini today and have some feedback on the pulley.

So far there are absolutly no negatives that I can find now. Car runs as smooth as ever!
Throtle responce is noatably better as is power to the wheels. So far this mod is worth the money and I'm quite happy with it.

Wheel spin is now becoming a bit of a problem
A couple of videos here for a short laugh.

http://members.tripod.com/ghmyc_1m/MOV00003.MPG

http://members.tripod.com/ghmyc_1m/MOV00006.MPG

 

love the second one!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Slick driving

Are you planning on posting a "how to" with step by step instructions for the not so mechanically inclined. :smile:

 

So are the 6 1/4 pounds lost due to the removal of the dampner on the old pulley? I'd guess the belt would have to be changed more often, now that the accessories and s/c are acting more of the dampner now. What does ALTA have to say about this?

 

love the videos


Lol, you're a bone fide nutter on the road

Henry

 

No, I did not discuss this with Alta. I did however talk with Randy Webb briefly about it, but your concerns did not come up. I'm generally not clever enough to think these things out
Your concerns are valid and I will keep an eye out on belt wear.

I have to say that I was expecting to feel some vibration with this new pulley, but it's as smooth as ever. Did a bit more driving (well behaved) and really do feel the benefits of the Alta Pulley. I guess the downfalls of this install will take their time to show, if in fact there are any at all.

 

Well, the install is actually very easy and what I posted above generally covers it. Maybe I will, but feel free to PM me anytime if you have any questions.

 

Here's a FAQ over on TCI's webpage, pretty interesting

Also, Fluidampr's website tech

...and an article from a Chevy engine magazine

I'll call ALTA tomorrow and ask their perspective on why they feel the MCS is exempt from a damper.

 

some discussions here:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...nkshaft+pulley

alta has some input on thread 34 of this one:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...nkshaft+pulley

 

I'll be interested in the answers. If fact I will notify them of this thread and hope that they will post here with their views.

So far I have read a lot of great therories of why it's a bad idea, but have yet to actually read about facts, or I should say real stories of failures. Hope I won't be the first!

 

Onasled,
Great pics and i am glad you are happy with the response that our Pulley gave you. Before you remove the stocker, did you notice the stock pulley and how much in wobbles?

About your question regarding the quicker belt wear. This shouldn't change at all. Its not like there is so much vibration going on that the belt is going to be rubbing on the pulleys anymore than it was before. The belt tensioner is always keeping it tight by applying the same force. The force applied to the belt hasn't changed so the wear shouldn't change either.

jlm,
Thanks for posting the old thread, hopefully that will answer most peoples questions about the vibration damener not being there. Please take the time to read that post, and not skip over it because it is so long.

Ryephile,
Yup, there are tons of people that state the same thing about "thier" crankshaft pulleys, and how they need to be dampend, and that the vibrations cause failures, and blah blah blah. The truth is that fluid dampener makes them for the big american v8 engines, which are known to have these problems because of the super long cranks they have, and them not being as balance. Also SFI rules require that a drag race engine must have a dampener of this sorts for "explosion" saftey. As do they require a splatter shield for the tranny for the "explosion" saftey of the flywheel. We have sponsored a few drag race WRX's that got our pulley and then had to remove it just because of the rules.

BIGGER CRANKSHAFT PULLEY! (the cat is out of the bag)
Somone mentioned earlier that making a bigger crank pulley to raise the boost of the SC without a pulley would be kind of cool. Well, we answered that question/comment by making one. The larger pulley will be on a customers car in a week or so and we will see how well it works! This customer happens to have the JCW car, and doesn't want to remove his 14.5% pulley and put a 19% on. So the crank pulley for him is a great answer. For $150, he gets the benifit as if he bought both the lightened crank pulley and the SC pulley.

JCW car guys, chime in and lets us know if this interests you!

ALTA Performance

 

Oops, someone has been ratted out.........


..... grrrrrrrrrrrr