Pulleys
Since I was running out of engine modifications that had big impact, I finally
went with pulleys. At first I wasn't sure if pulleys would get me any
noticeable power increase, but once on I realized that there actually was a
benefit. I don't want to put a HP number on it, but it was significantly
noticeable. The pulley set i ended up getting was from Brenspeed. It
is a three pulley set which included the harmonic balancer pulley, water pump
pulley and alternator pulley.
The engine before the three pulley set.
Pulleys on the bench. This looks innocent enough to install.
Here is a brief article I wrote on the
installation experience.
As you know even the simplest
project has snaffus. Here goes the story:
I started by reading the instructions, not something I normally do but I figure
what the hey. Directions have me first loosening the alternator pulley nut and
then the water pump bolts. Everything as planned so far.
Then I am to remove the harmonic balancer pulley nut and pull the pulley with a
three jaw puller(the kind that has four arms and a big bolt in the center that
you turn). This is where things start to go wrong. I pull the bolt out and then
go to figure which pulley bolts go into the pulley. Well, there are eleven
bolts, four different thread sizes which means you need three bolts of each
thread. Wouldn't you know it, for the thread I need there are only two bolts,
that's what I get for buying tools at Harbor Freight. I try to remove the pulley
with only two bolts but it just doesn't work. Need to make a trip to HD now for
the last bolt, this is why I waited till I have both vehicles at home. Get back
and start at it again. Finally all set, man this thing is getting hard to turn.
Had to jack up the front so I could crawl underneath for more leverage. It got
so hard to turn the main puller bolt that I figured something was wrong,
shouldn't be that hard to remove the harmonic balancer. I start to loosen the
puller bolt and now it won't move in that direction either. Oh boy. Well, I
figure that now I will have to loosen the bolts that go into the balancer.
Back on top I go after the three bolts. The first bolt I try to remove was a
bear to turn. Then all of a sudden it busts, shoots out of the balancer and the
puller. Man, I'm lucky it didn't hit me. What's that noise, sounds like fluid?
The bolt shot into the radiator and
put a good size hole in it. Yep, that's
right, my radiator is shot.
Soooo, now I get to replace the radiator.
No wait, there's more. As most here know I have Troyer fans. IF you have the
same fans you know how they are attached, one time usage fasteners (rods). Went
ahead and ordered a new radiator, new
fasteners and Gatorback belt. The worst thing is I'm out of a vehicle for a week
at least.
This will end up being a very expensive mod. My wife forbid me to do anything
else to my truck. You know how long that will last.
Oh ya, the reason the balancer was so difficult to get off is that there is a
washer in there. I was pulling against the washer which couldn't move. So the
whole thing is my fault anyway. That's what I get for following the directions,
they didn't tell me there was a washer.