I installed my ATI Super Damper (from Way Motor Works) earlier this year. I used at harmonic balancer installer and a properly sized spacer to press it on the crankshaft.



Then a prybar to hold the pulley while I torqued the bolt.

 

Ghostwrench,

Any issues about the fit? like it won't go\press through the crank?

Do i need to apply heat?

 

No issues at all. Just thread the threaded rod of the pressing tool into the crank until it bottoms out. Slide the pulley on the crank snout, then add the spacer against the pulley and put on the forcing nut. I like to hold the threaded rod with a wrench to keep it from overtightening (not likely, but it makes me feel better) while I turn the forcing nut (27mm) to press the balancer on. The last time I used this tool, a guy in the shop had a ratcheting 27mm wrench to speed up the install. Without that ratcheting wrench, its maybe 1/3 of a turn at time. Slow and steady works just fine though.

If you don't have the tool and don't want to buy it (I see one for about $40 on Amazon), you probably could rent one from a local auto parts store.



I have never needed heat to remove/install a press fit harmonic balancer.

 

Wow! The original harmonic balancers for the W11 engine really don't hold up too well.

I purchased the VAICO brand (German) from Rock Auto. It failed with 1 month left on the warranty. I opted to replace it with the Craven Speed lightweight pulley. I Didn't know the Germans were making parts out of pot metal.


See the links in the description for the W11 balancer removal/installation tools. Makes the job easy with the right tools that is unless your balancer has flown apart.

 

Wow that looks terrible!

I have my oem style balancer on for about 2.5 years now and its still going strong. Car is stock so that will probably help.

From what I have read the Cravenspeed isn't actually a harmonic balancer. It's just a crankshaft pulley. This is because it is missing the rubbercore (or some fluid when you compare it to the ati one) and thus doesn't damp. Though there are lot's of people out there running them without issues.

 

Right ... a lightweight pulley that shaves off 5 lbs of weight from the end of the crankshaft. The VIACO brand wasn't doing much dampening either once it came apart. Gen 1 MINI production stopped over 20 years ago, and CS has been selling the lightweight pulley for many years. So, I'm thinking if the lightweight pulley was causing crankshaft failures, we'd see some posts about such damage.

From Craven Speed

 

Counterpoint.

Also, CravenSpeed doesn’t seem to actually know if what they say is true. Or at least didn’t ten years ago.

I find the claim they make a bit hard to believe, personally. One, the power steering pump isn’t even belt-driven. Two, the A/C compressor and alternator are bolted directly to the engine. What are they suppressing exactly? I doubt those components would transfer significant vibration to the crankshaft. At least not more than the normal torsional forces. I mean, they’re connected by a rubber belt…

 

Did you talk with them? How do you know this? I believe they were speaking generically since they make lightweight pulleys for many vehicles.

Compressors cycle on and off, so there's a change in the load on the belt during those cycles; that load is going to hit everything the belt touches including the crankshaft pulley (whatever type is installed) Alternators too have various loads depending on the electrical current demands. Heck, on some cars, the engine computer will even cut the alternator field winding to zero to reduce alternator load (output) during full throttle acceleration. My brother's M4 has that feature.

Regardless, I'm pleased with the solid lightweight pulley; at least it won't fly apart ... Lord willing.

 

??? I linked what I was referencing. Your screenshot specifically mentions the R53…

edit: if you mean, “have I talked with Way?”, the answer is “yes” but not about this issue. If he says he’s seen something repeatedly, I generally believe him.

Are you seriously suggesting that accessories cycling will cause significant vibrations through a rubber belt that will somehow be mitigated by the rubber ring in the stock pulley?

I mean, run the lightened pulley if it floats your boat. I just find the CravenSpeed claims… highly suspicious.

 

Huh. So apparently some newer crank pulleys are designed to do some extra vibrational decoupling of the accessory drive. The R53 one doesn’t appear to be one of those as far as I can tell though. Learned something new.