I think my supercharger pulley may be going bad, what will this sound like? It does appear to be coming from the pulley when hood open but could this be the tensioner as well? Anyone have any advice as to what else I should look for?

Pardon ignorance but first supercharged vehicle

From what most forum posts JCW pulley is 15%. Could someone confirm this?

 

Can't help you w. the sound of a dying SC -- the pulley's basically just a metal disc, there's not really much to "go bad" -- but I believe the JCW pulley is closer to a 12% reduction rather than 15%.

 

JCW is 14.6% from what I've read.

 

Isn't there a bearing that can go bad within the pulley?

 

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...90-post12.html

 

Nice man! thx for digging that up

Maybe I'll record the sound best I can, someone may recognize

 

There is plenty that can fail in the SC. There are a set of gears in the rear that drive the water pump that can disintegrate. It is generally a rattling sound that is heard coming from the SC. The pulley itself won't go bad, but it isn't uncommon for the SC to fail

 

What year is the car?

Usually '05 & '06 w/p gears will make noise before the s/c goes

Earlier years it's a toss up.

(Do the screwdriver test or get an autimotive stethascope to determine exactly where the sound is coming from)

If it's the w/p gears, you may be able to prolong their life by simply doing an s/c oil change, usually the gears themselves will only go bad from the oil seeping into the s/c and the compartment going dry. But yes the s/c bearings do fail also, but that is more common in '04 and earlier.

If you think it's the s/c or the w/p gears and decide to "drive it till it drops" just watch your temp. gauge, the w/p will prob. be the first sign of complete failure (besides the rattle getting louder) and you din't want to overheat the car. (I actually drove more than a year from the time they started making noise.

Good Luck.

 

NOPE...the oem pulley is a hot pressed machined steel disc...held on by the thing cooling, and the hole shrinking onto thr shaft.
the pulley has been said to be 11.45% smaller, but it has been reported as many different %'s....accurecy when measuring down to a few % is hard...just know it is a bigger pulley than 15%.

 

This being said, if you do replace the s/c get a 15% or smaller put on it then. (if you want a little extra performance that is.)

 

Thanks guys, appreciate the quick suggestions.
Don't know if this helps but my mileage has not changed at all, but there is a slight "doggyness" to the acceleration when in low gears, gets better 3rd forward. I'll link to a YouTube vid, maybe that"ll lend some better help as well

 

Could someone take a look at this video. Curious opinions: waterpump pulley, supercharger pulley maybe? gasp....supercharger itself dying???!!!

No change in gas mileage since noise
Very audible by right front tire
slight lag in acceleration 1-3 below 3K, fine above 3K and pulls good and hard.

Video Link:
Focused on supercharger pulley, and it seems to rotate nice and smooth

Clarification needed is there a bearing beneath the pulley?
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22868815/IMG_0888.MOV

 

Could someone take a look/listen to this video in the link? Curious if anyone out there could shed some light on the cause of the noise.

Focus of video is on supercharger pulley which appears to be making the noise.

Waterpump pulley, supercharger pulley....gasp supercharger itself?

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22868815/IMG_0888.MOV

 

Heres the video:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22868815/IMG_0888.MOV.zip

 

This should work:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22868815/IMG_0888.MOV.zip
Thanks

 

Sounds like a timing chain tensioner. It's a common failure amongst the R53s. Barring that, the accessory belt tensioner damper goes bad too. Rest assured, is most likely NOT the SC.

 

Check the supercharger oil. I had to replace my supercharger when the oil leaked out.

 

Just got done replacing my supercharger. Oil was gone in the rear chamber, bearing failed on PTO and gears were shot. Water pump was rattling a little too.