Underdrive pulleys [ merged 1/6/07]

[larryd]

Worth it or not? I'm thinking of going with the AEM tru-power pulley kit. Anyone used them?

 

[Mitseclipse101]

how hard is this to install, and do you need any new belts with an after market crank pulley?

 

[91 NT Eclipse]

There are 4(?) bolts that hold the pulley on that are fairly simple to get off and back on. And yes, if its underdrive, you WILL need new belts. The belts now have to be slightly longer to connect properly. Good luck.

 

[allwheelTSI]

are the 420a's well balanced inside? i know on our 4g63's its not reccomended to remove the factory harmonic balancer without complete internal balancing, because you'll get vibration in the crank and it will wear crank bearings fastly.

 

[Module Unknown]

4 bolts? I'm not sure where you got that from, but on the 2gnt there is only one bolt that holds the crank pulley on. Goes right through the center of the pulley and into the crank.

Yes you will need smaller belts if you get an under drive pulley. The pulley will be smaller, so you'll need a shorter belt(s).

Anyway, I put an af/x underdrive pulley on my 2gnt not too long ago (which came with the right size belts that i needed). Honestly, i didn't think it was that difficult at all, but then again i had my friends shop, including a lift, air tools, and whatever else i needed at my disposal. Here's the short short version of what is involved. Take of passenger wheel, splashguard, loosen or remove motor mount so you can lower the motor a couple inches, then pull off the old pulley, stick the new one on. Torque it to 105ft lbs, put alt. and ac/power steering belts back on, put everything back on the car, and you're done. One thing I will say though, getting the stock pulley off is a bi***. You need a 3 jaw 5 ton pulley puller to get it off. There are no threaded holes in the stock pulley, you cannot use a harmonic balancer puller. Dumb mitsubishi or should i say chrysler. I had so much trouble getting the stocker off, that I drilled 3 holes in it, tapped em, and then used a harmonic balancer puller.

As far as having any problems with an undampened pulley, I haven't had any problems so far. And as far as performance gains, honestly I didn't really feel much of anything. The motor might rev a little faster now, . That's how little of a difference i can tell. If you're going to do it yourself, I think the price for an underdrive pulley may be worth it, but if you're going to pay someone to install it, I don't think the cost would be worth the gain.

Oh, and here's a link to a writeup on installing the af/x pulley. Same idea for any other underdrive crank pulley. http://seangordon1.tripod.com/UDPinstall.html

And if you want to do a little more research on under drive pulleys or any negative effects using them on the 420a check out 2gnt.com and do a search. The issue has been beaten to death over there.

 

[91 NT Eclipse]

Originally posted by Module Unknown
4 bolts? I'm not sure where you got that from, but on the 2gnt there is only one bolt that holds the crank pulley on. Goes right through the center of the pulley and into the crank.

My fault. I was thinking about the 4G63.

 

[MaxBoost]

A larger crank or drive pulley will spin faster. A larger accessory pulley will spin slower. Just in case anyone is confused like my friend whom I almost got in a fight with over this very subject

 

[jdmawd]

Originally posted by GSXchris
Worth it or not? I'm thinking of going with the AEM tru-power pulley kit. Anyone used them?

i have the 3 piece dsm-performance pulley set. seems to rev a bit quicker and the throttle feels a bit more crisp.

***edit***

damn i already replied to this thread like a year ago

 

[MaxBoost]

Are glad you did the mod? I mean was the performance gain worth the cost when installed and tested? Im undecided even after reading all the threads.

 

[jdmawd]

Originally posted by MaxBoost
Are glad you did the mod? I mean was the performance gain worth the cost when installed and tested? Im undecided even after reading all the threads.

i don't have any hard before or after numbers for comparison sorry man

 

[turbolaserAWDrs]

i searched it up, and they only have results for underdrive pully's on nonturbo cars. in a parts catalog today i saw they make underdrive pully's for our turbo DSM's...they are like 150 bucks...i knwo that if you have a stereo its not good to have them, but are they effective on turbo cars??

 

[91 NT Eclipse]

Could you rephrase what it is that you are asking?

 

[alex99gst]

what he means is, if you buy pulleys is the money worth the gain and do you get any gain from them. hope that helps.

 

[doug]

I have one on my car. I can't say that I've noticed much difference, but I'm probably gonna keep it. Eliminates the chance of the stock 2-piece pulley separating (which I've heard of several times) and causing damage. You'll hear lots of people chime in about the underdrive pulleys not having a harmonic dampener (except for the $300 Buschur one) and how that's bad, but I'm not convinced. GRNDSM on here (and a wiseman, to boot) doesn't like them, and he's a smart guy, but still, I'm not convinced.

 

[nh98gsx]

if your planing on making any power i would recomend replaceing the crankpulley, mine separated breaking my ac belt which then got fed behind my timing belt and jumped my timing aka dead engine. $5,000 later i have a nice ashtry. I have heard that because of the aftermkt ones not have the harmonic balance it is only recomended on rebuilt balanced engines.

 

[hoffman]

imho, yes it is worth it. but you need to get a dampened pulley. anytime you free up rotaional mass you allow more power to the ground. its also nice to not feel the power drain when you turn the a/c on. i have run one for 2 years and never had a problem other than haveing to buy a shorter a/c belt.

 

[interceptor]

Wondering if anyone knew where i could get an AF/X UnderDrive pulley.
cheaper than $140 for it not including tax..

 

[interceptor]

OK i just saw on the site i wanna get it on .which is www.howellautomotive.com and the same pulley is selling for $120 now but its on an neon which is the same engine in my ride 420A.So if i am correct i could just go with that one but its street not the race one .what is the difference in street and race on a pulley? . one drives only certain parts like the ac and other parts and the other just does'nt run them.

 

[Kirby]

I don't know that the pulleys are interchangable. I would call gary and ask. The reason it's cheaper at howell is because they make them. AFX is the name of their custom parts company. Therefore the AFX ecu and all that all made by howell.

 

[interceptor]

So did u get it from howell as well ?

 

[-=TWITCH=-]

The harmonic dampener decided to go in my stock crank pulley about 2 months ago. A buddy of mine had another stock one laying around and let me have it. Now this one is going out! I want to replace it with a non dampened crank pulley. I found a CNC aluminum crank pulley on ebay and was wondering if you guys could tell me what you think. It’s about half the cost of a stock replacement. Its sold by Procarparts

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Link to crank pulley auction!


Thanks a lot for any advice.

Chris R

 

[BoostinAWD]

Don't get it! Your crank bearings will thank you.

Either buy a new harmonic dampener. Or get an underdrive pulley with the harmonics built in. I think buschur sells one.

But then again its your car.

 

[dsmturboawd]

yep us 2gs have the only safe options of stock or buschur racing.

 

[doug]

This has been discussed quite a it on here, but I have been running an undampened 1-piece pulley for about a year now with no problems. My personal opinion, with absolutely no supporting hard facts, is that the dampening thing is not all it's cracked up to be. I'd rather take the chance of harmonics damaging the engine than the (bigger, IMO) chance of a two-piece pulley flying apart and damaging the engine.

 

[311GSX]

Yes is has been discussed alot. I wouldn't take the chance, on a old thread someone said that it caused the bearings to wear funny. Get a damper that is not two piece.

 

[-=TWITCH=-]

What a joke 350.00 from buschur for just the crank pulley and 100.00 for OEM I dont have the money for a 350.00 cran pulley. So its a fact that the non dampened pulley will wear my bearings?


Chris R