Does anyone know if MINI Works is still carrying the GT Tuning line? Anybody using the GT Tuning tensioner and idler pulleys and have positive or negative experiences?

Thanks.

 

I have the GTT Twin Bearing Idler Pulley & Tensioner Pulley. They are beautiful pieces-most impressive machining, especially when compared to the somewhat questionable looking OEM parts. Installed in August 2006, when I did my boost upgrade, paired with the My MINI Tensioner Pulley Stop Bar. Absolutely no problems to date. I would buy them again.

You should speak directly with Victor at MINIWorks about GTT parts availability.

Stephan

 

Kinda doubt it...had trouble getting product shipped from England...give him a ring http://www.miniworks.com/content/contact-us-1012.cfm

 

I was wondering the same thing....

I think I am ready to bite the bullit and go for a crank pulley. The only one though that I am really considering is the GTT 3%. The design of it just seems to make so much more sense. A steel hub that mounts to the steel crank shaft.... then the aluminum pulley bolting to the steel... brilliant. It seems so much more safe than just high spinning hot aluminum straight to hardened steel.

3% and 1 lb! I think it would really make gains. A fellow NAMer the other night I was taiking to about this says..."I have a 3% pulley, I will sell you on the idea like this.... You know how your car feels when you turn on the AC high, then try to accelerate from a stop?... Well thats how your cars feel all the time compared to mine with a 3% CP".

I want that!!! I practically refuse to turn on the AC in my car just because of it robbing power, even in the summer.... Actually I dont even like people riding with me adding extra weight to my ride.

Which brings up another topic I was talking to my wife about the other night. I told her how she should be excited that she gets to experience performance in our MINI that I will never know... She weighs probably 80 lbs less than I do. The MINI will always be faster with her driving and me not in it.... I will never get to experiance that butt dyno! She said "your so wierd", stomped on it in 2nd gear, then looked over at me and says "see its fast". ALL I said is "I bet its faster!"

 

Go on a diet!!

 

X2

If Victor is no longer selling them, Roland at GTT will ship from England. I bought my pieces direct, and have zero regrets.

 

X3 - Pricey, but you get what you pay for.

 

I COMMUNICATED WITH ROLAND THIS MORNING VIA EMAIL. IT DOES APPEAR THAT ORDERS WILL BE DIRECT TO HIM....

I WANT A 3% CRANK PULLEY, SOMEBODY ELSE HERE IN SOCAL HAS TO ORDER ONE TOO. THEN WE COULD COME UP WITH THE TOOLS TOGETHER, KNOCK OUT THE JOB AND PASS THE TOOLS ALONG....

IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED, LET ME KNOW!

THANKS, JASUN

 

Uh, well, that certainly ISN'T the way Roland at GT Tuning tells it. It's not possible to get delivery unless the product gets ordered. I'd suggest contacting GTT directly. They will gladly ship to you.

 

Victor can comment on what he wants to...he's a big boy... Sounds like another beautiful he said/she said situation...

 

As a business we need to choose very carefully wich parts to carry.

We need to have both good stock availability and good pricing.

As all of you know, the dollar is very weak, therefore for us to buy parts in the UK to resell here will only make sense if we have great margins (or buy large quantities).

Sorry to dissapoint some of you, We are reconsidering at this time placing a large stock order with GTT,

In the meantime, if you wouldlike to purchase a GTT part, please consider calling GTT direct.

We do still have some GTT items on hand, and who knows maybe in a few weeks, maybe a few months, we might change our mind.

Victor

 

Thanks SayGoodbye

 

but I haven't heard that the stocker is a weak point in the system. Sure it looks cheap, like a roller skate wheel from the 50s, but does it really fail that often?

Matt

 

Hello
Somebody can explain to me which the function of GTT Twin Bearing Idler Pulley?

In relation to the OEM part recommends?

Thanks

Best Regards

 

for better reliability in high stress situations like the track.

Matt

 

Hello
For daily use and sometimes Highway with higher rpm, recommend change the OEM for GTT Twin Bearing Idler Pulley?

Thanks Dr Obnxs (Matt)

Best Regards

 

I just haven't heard of failures of the stock assembly. So it's really a matter of taste....

Matt

 

Hello
Thanks one more time Matt.

Best Regards

 

I had my tensioner assembly replaced as preventative maintenance.
I have 110,000 miles on my 2003 MCS. At the same time, I replaced the
idler pulley ( it costs under $30). I used OEM parts. The dealer had the tensioner assembly in stock. They had to order the idler pulley. The fellow who worked on the car said that the small dampener on the tensioner assembly is the component that fails.

The old idler pulley had "play or looseness" in the bearing in the radial direction. The radial direction would be side to side or up and down when looking at the pulley on the engine. There was little or no looseness in the
in/out or axial direction. The new idler pulley had no such looseness.

 

The pulley tensioner on my '06 failed at 12,500 miles.

It never failed on my '03, with 84,000 miles.

The techs at Harrison MotorSports here in Atlanta are starting to see some failures of this item.

I tried to get the GTT pieces from Victor, but he seemed to be frustrated at getting any to sell. Same thing here with Harrison.

 

Could someone provide a tensioner assembly image and point out the parts that need to be improved?

 

I have seen quite a few failures of the stock tensioner pulley, some of these under 30K, most of these were replaced under warranty, unless the car was a 02 0r 03.

It is actally the bearing that fails, the GTT is a much nicer item, however with the exchange rate, it makes it impossible for us to bring it and sell it at a reasonable price.

If you guys do not mind to pay a ridiculous price for a tensioner pulley, I will be happy to place an order on Monday,

So, please let me know

Victor

 

Can't contract a local machine shop to fab some up? WE have good machinist right here in the USA.

 

In my case it was definitely the bearing that failed.

The car had gradually been developing a rattling noise.

It kept getting worse.

The noise was developed from the tensioner arm moving around with literally no bearing left!

 

It can be ugly when the tensioner pulley fails. This happened at about 30K to the personal MINI of the gentleman who does my mod work, an 02 with a lot of track time. He had to have the car towed and get a new arm assembly. Since I track my car, I decided to be prudent and had the Twin Bearing Idler Pulley, Tensioner Pulley and My MINI Tensioner Pulley Stop Bar installed when my supercharger pulley went on. Absolutely necessary? (How much of what we do to our cars can we honestly say that about?) Perhaps not, you decide; I like the piece of mind.

Don at Precision MINI used to list the GTT Idler Pulley as well. He currently offers one from Cosworth, though it is presently listed as out of stock.

Stephan