i have been looking around at the smaller pulley's, and was just wondering how hard of an install it is.
1)would i be able to do it myself?
2)do i need to buy the puller and tensioner tool?
3)if i take it to a mechanic shop, would they be able to put it on?
4)about how long does it take to put on?

and any other comments would be nice

thanks :smile:

 

Hi mini giant...
1. If you are comfortable working on cars then you can do this job. I did mine and helped 5 other MINI owners with their pulley at a BYOP pulley party.

2. You will need a pulley puller, and some form of tensioner tool. During my party, the tool broke and we were able to use a 3' Quick grip clamp as a tool.

3. Mech? will charge for a 2-3 of hours of his time. May not want to take job, especially if he has never done it.

4. It takes me 1.5 hours to do the job.

You can get some info from my install here:
My pulley install

 

I was one of the lucky ones at his pulley party, and after seeing 5 of them done I still don't want to try my hand at doing one solo.

 

mini giant,

Aloha and welcome to NAM.

The pulley upgrade voids your Supercharger warranty. If you want to have an experienced MINI tuner do your install quickly and correctly then contact Randy Webb at webbmotorsports.com or Eric Savage at Helix13.com and ask about the nearest pulley party to your location. Randy has been to northern california before and will be back if enough people want it. Rough cost about $400-$430 installed depending on which pulley size and smaller belt if needed.

Randy can do the install in about 45 minutes. Once experienced you can do it but in the beginning it used to take as much as 6 hours to take everything apart on the front of the MINI. Now the engine mounts are loosened and parts and taken out to give some space, the engine is jacked up to clear the pulley so the puller can be fit onto the stock pulley and it is popped off and new pulley allen keyed tight, belt put on using a belt tensioner tool and engine is dropped back, mounts tightened and intake and snorkel put back in and that's it.

Most mechanics that have not done it will take alot longer to do it hence the ballpark $400 price. Only $130 for the pulley part and $25 for the belt.

 

so at the pulley parties it costs around $400, or at a mechanic it will cost around that much?

thanks again

 

I was also @ MiniTiger's BYOP party. Like he said, if you are comfortable with turning wrenches it should be no prob.

I have never worked on cars except for oil changes and the occasional brake job, but I am mechanically inclined and I found the pulley swap to be more intimidating than anything else. It was reassuring to have other MINI's around while doing this.

MiniTiger did a great job of documenting the process so his photos will help.
The install is also outlined Webbmotorsports

http://www.webbmotorsports.com/forum...topic.php?t=17

Hope this Helps.

Audioman

 

The how-to link above shows the original heat-on style pulley. Although almost everyone uses the taper-fit now, if someone was to use the heat-on method keep in mind there is a no-no shown there. You don't want to use a acetylene torch - my brother-in-law tells me that's hot enough to melt things (maybe a rubber seal?). Use a propane torch instead. That'll heat it enough to get it on but it won't get to "melting-things hot".

 

Do you live in NorCal? I have a buddy who works at a shop up here who did my install. PM me if you are interested.

 

mini giant -

Check out this thread https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...848#post363848

July 31, August 1
Steve's Auto Clinic
16205 Nordhoff St.
North Hills, CA
(818) 891-6109

Come on Sunday for the Armenian B-B-Q!

 

For the pulley install definitely use the taper fit style as it is easy and safer- less messing up due to overheating.

How much the mechanic charges you will depend on the time needed to complete the installation. At the pulley party it is a flat rate based on what the install and part are worth.
If you went by the part and time it took then it would be about $130 for the pulley $25 for the belt if needed and one hour labor by a skilled mechanic that knows how to do it but it may take a few hours to learn the way to do it even if you study the how to-

I'd say that the mechanic's time is about three hours but it depends hence the $400 install price. It's cheap for that much and is worth it for the performance gains.

 

Look in your garage. If you have jack stands, a complete set of metric sockets and wrenches, a puller, a decent floor jack and another hydraulic jack of some sort you are probably skilled enough to pull it off.


Now, look under your fingernails. Do you see dirt? Than your OK to play!

 

I used the instructions on Randy Webbs site and it took me two hours. If I didn't have to look at the instructions this could be done much quicker with experience. I did not use a tensioner tool because I didn't have one. I inserted a small bit in one of the holes in the tentioner pulley, held a socket on the front upper bolt that hold the tensioner in place and used a long crow bar to take the tension off the belt. with the tension off, I inserted a pin from a fire extinguisher in the hole at the end of the spring to hold it in place while I took belt off. the toughest part for me was getting to all the bolts that hold the tensioneer on. The rest was fairly easy if you follow instructions.

 

I agree. I just installed a pulley this morning and getting the bolts re-installed and tightened on the tensioner was the hardest part. Make sure you have 16mm and 18mm sockets. They are odd sizes and not included in many sockets sets. The 16mm gets used a lot. Many vendors will rent you a pulley puller. PROMINI hase a complete kit for rent with everything you need for the pulley removal. This was a little more expensive but worth it to me for the no hassle factor.

 

Now be honest, after driving you pullied car have you thought once about your warranty?


Has the smile left your face yet?

 

Warranty? What warranty. I'm thinking about my e bay exhaust that is in route.