Here is another question for Randy Webb on tolerances. Would an installed Alta logo pulley with a run-out of .145 be suspect as a knock off?

 

It could be the caliper, and where you are measuring compared to where I did.

If it has the Alta logo, and it went on the car, I highly doubt it is a knock off. The two that I saw had the Alta logo, but one didn't physically even go on the shaft, and the other had groves cut totally wrong. Neither would have worked on a car.

Hope that helps!
Randy

 

Can I throw 2 more cents into the money pile?? How much we up to now? 50 bucks?

Randy might be right, probably all his fault, not that I would call it a fault. Variety is good for business.

If I was ALTA, I would be more concerned about the pulleys that say ALTA on them that are fake, not the ones that are similar to theirs.

Bottom line is, it's people like Randy that gave the ALTA pulley it's reputation, which is why I'm sure ALTA is not quick to bite the hand that feeds it (by calling out names).

As for you El, bringing up how much Randy charges for pulley installs, that's just not right man, not only is it off topic, but thats good for it's own hot thread, which I would not start, because I already know who's going to get smoked on it.

Randy Webb is a really nice, genuine guy. You would be surprised how many people will take a bullet for him.

 

I know you’ve been selling and promoting Alta’s stuff over the past 3 years at your pulley parties, but I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind sharing your opinion as to whether or not the DUD pulleys from eBay were indeed ‘counterfeit’ pulleys or were in fact REAL Alta pulleys, but with a defect?

I suspect not, as such public speculation could initiate unbridled worry, gossip and misgivings about Alta pulleys & their quality within the MINI community.

I know… you might be worried that such a public speculation could jeopardize your business relationship with Alta… But hey, if your feeling mistrustful, pissed off & impulsive why not go for it?

NAH… I guess not, forget I even asked - it was foolish of me. To do that would just make you both look bad.

WOULDN’T IT?

 

On a more serious & less sarcastic note:

I’ve been wondering… Why would a counterfeiter go to the trouble of machining the ALTA logo into a knock-off pulley & packaging this pulley in an Alta box with Alta stickers?

a) Wouldn’t this extra machining, finishing & packaging cost $$$?
b) Would it be worth that much more $ just because it said Alta?
c) Would the risk be worth the $?

Surely the cost & risk would outweigh any possible financial benefit?

That is… unless someone at Alta’s fabricators is selling Alta seconds that don’t pass QC. In which case Alta's problem is in their own house, and has little or nothing to do with misunderstandings re: invoices AND or customers who didn't bother to notice or ask which pulley was being installed on their cars - but ASSumed.

 

In case any readers or concerned individuals have purchased Alta Pulleys from us, we can assure them that we get our pulleys straight from Alta. For about 2 years we did sell two brands, one being Alta and the other was Eurosport which was advertised as such and is a totally different color and has different packaging. About 6 months ago we narrowed it down to 1 supplier which is Alta. If you bought an Alta pulley from us, it is a genuine Alta pulley.


best,

 

So I thought I wouldn't get sucked into this thread (the M&M scandal, however...that's another story) <G>

I am guessing that either
A) The counterfeiters put ALTA on the knock-off pulleys so that people will actually buy them. If they're generic, nobody will buy them.

Or, as I suspect more logically,

B) These were originally ALTA pulleys that someone machined or modified for some purpose, ruined them, then sold them off to unsuspecting suckers on EBAY, who took them to Randy for installation only to find out they wouldn't work.

This would explain the spiral grooving and not fitting as reported by Randy.

 

It is more of a locals joke actually as you would have to see what I am referring to. Lets say that the twin charged runs a bit on the "warm" side and the melted plastic etc. in the engine compartment attests to that.Someone sent me pictures a while ago but I would have to search a bit for them. On a more serious note it apparently melts pistons as well as there is one that has been sitting at Steve's shop for a couple of weeks now with a " unusually " shaped number one piston but I am sure it will get sorted out eventually.In any event hence the nick name " meltomatic " .

 

Actually, there was material in places it shouldn't have been - so that the pulley wouldn't fit on the spindle. ...This would need to be machined away. ...Not too much material removed.

At least that's how I understood it.

Oh...
There's a c) for the conspiracy theorists out there...

c) Someone who REALLY hates Alta made up a batch of fake defective Alta pulleys ...just to create bad publicity for Alta ...to even a score

 

This was sarcasm, right? ...You are aware that there were pulleys around before Alta created the MINI universe...?

 

Now the real scandal begins!!!

 

not sure what you mean by "runout", but if a pulley turning 14,000 rpm has more than .002" runout, it is substandard.

Runout is a measure of axial concentricity and parallelism.

 

 

This reminds me of the Counterfeit MINI commercials on TV:

Real Alta Pulley:

Counterfeit Alta Pulley:

 

^ ^ ^

 

OH CRAP!

Looks like I got stuck with one of the fakes!
DANG IT!

 

Its nice to hear something grounded

 

Me too! My vendor told me that wood was "the original carbon fiber"

 

You are absolutely correct. I meant the distance between the pulley and the supercharger should be within a hundredth - the runout is always dead on (and I have a caliper that measures accuratley to the half thousandth). I was pretty sure that was what k-heuvo was asking for, and Ididn't clarify.

Thanks for the clarification point jlm.

Randy

 

I am new guy here to this boards.
I read these whole pages from start to finish. It seems like to me that there is somethign very wrong with many who talk on here about something simple.

It was Alto who made announcing that they see problems and want me, all consumers, to be aware of problems.

It makes no sense for the discussion to carry for on more than that? It makes no sense to me. It makes me think that people here look for problem to have excuse to be here. Sorry my english.

many of you makes no sense.

 

Yes, I was refering to run-out as a static measurement at one position. Sorry for the sloppy use of the term.

 

Again I stray, but only to clear the air because of statements made.
Just to set the record straight, the overheat problems were caused by the use of MTH software. This software is still being tested to work correctly in this application. AS stated before, much testing is done so that consumers in general get the best products. There have been many other products by other manufactures that have also been tested with very poor results but these other manufacture’s confidentially has been respected.


Dave

 

Well put!

 

The guys with the BRG MINIs are always right. Listen to this guy, because he knows what he's talking about.

 

It's obvious to me that Randy and Alta never posted anything on this thread - hell, a blind man could see it in a minute - Oliver Stone hijacked the thread, spoofed Alta's and Randy's e-mail addresses, and planted all this false evidence to get the conspiracy theorists all fired up.

Look for the Hollywood blockbuster next fall. I'm hearing that Tom Hanks is being signed to play the part of Randy (Jack Black was busy ) and Vin Diesel is going to play a counterfeit Alta pulley. Morgan Freeman is going to play the crazed MINI driver, and a modified Hummer H2 is going to be the modified '06 MCS.

Great screenplay - I'm sure I'll give it two thumbs up!