Lightweight Pulley

[JRBRUIN7@aol.com]

Can anyone recommend a good lightweight pulley, I have been looking around but was wondering if they are all the same or if one is better than the other. Also what will I notice after its installed and is it easy to install or should I have it installed somewhere? Thanks!

[carboncrazytc]

nst's pulleys are probably the best in my opinion. they are very easy to install it should take like 30 minutes or less. i noticed better throttle responce and better low end torque. also agency power makes one ive heard is also good and similar results.

[navylife59]

ZPI has a good one also. Be sure to get the anodized version as aluminum will corrode easy if not treated.

[ForBiddeN]

hey navy i think we need to start adding stikkys on some of these threads this is getting out of control lol.

[navylife59]

Yeah, I am talking with the site administrator to add product reviews. I will see what I can sticky that is valuable.

[ForBiddeN]

sounds great! did you get my pm?

[navylife59]

Nope, when did you send it?

[SuBeast]

too bad ZPI is out of buisness now, that was the one my friend was guna get for his 07 tC...

[3Soon2BTC]

Will lightweight pullies really free up as much hp.. as is suggested. I know different dyno's post different results but if you dyno on the same machine from b4 pully upgrades, and after pully upgrades, how much of a difference have you seen... or felt.

[navylife59]

Your answer is here in this other sticky.

http://www.club-tc.com/forums/perfor...s-more-hp.html

[Speedstar]

Now please keep in mind there is a major debate going on about if changing out the pullies with the stock engine dampeners is a good idea. I have heard that it is good for performance, but for reliability, and how long the engine will last with these...is still up in the air. But also too...I think as long as you dont get underdriven ones...I think you are ok.


The jury is still out for me on this one...it will take some research on these.

[bwood87]

Originally Posted by Speedstar

Now please keep in mind there is a major debt going on about if changing out the pullies with the stock engine dampeners is a good idea. I have heard that it is good for performance, but for reliability, and how long the engine will last with these...is still up in the air. But also too...I think as long as you dont get underdriven ones...I think you are ok.


The jury is still out for me on this one...it will take some research on these.

Its not an engine dampener, the tC is internally balanced so you can reliably replace the crank pulley with a lighter one. Navy went over this in the thread he quoted below. I agree on the under driving pulleys though, I think they are a bad idea.

[navylife59]

Don't know if we can help your debt out but the debate on this one is clear, at least for the 2AZ-FE crowd. The answer short and simple is that not a single person that I have ever read or seen has lodged any complaint or documented any out-of-round journals, excessive shaft endplay or spun bearings that could have been caused by a well-built LW pulley on our motor. Read the link stated previously for the answer. A well-balanced, tight tolerance motor with low RPM redline and a very protective ECM that can spin on 20W oil is not going to fall to pieces over a tiny dampner. Just take a look at it. It is not much of a dampner. Put there more as just an extra measure of safety. Of course, an unbalanced LW pulley can cause you problems so only buy a proven brand.

Besides, there would not be one on my ride if I had any doubt. Ya know, me being the all mighty, powerful Super Moderator

[Speedstar]

I cant remember where I found the article but I think, it still said that it was still a bad idea. But I have seen on other websites where people have never had a problem with them. I think eventually I will do it, when my warranty expires...

[Speedstar]

Here it is

Sonic Tech Light Weight Crank Pully's and why not to use them!


Let me know what you think of this...because what you say to this just might persuade me.

[navylife59]

bwood87 is 100% right on the underdrive pulley, bad juju.

Read the info at the link that Speedstar posted. Good info and analysis of what Toyo motor? This is off a Supra Forum? All motors are not created the same. While the secondary dampner on our crank pulley may be there for a specific frequency cancellation, without current data from a definative analysis of the 2AZ-FE, we may never know exactly. The manual looks a little dated. One would tend to think that Toyota, known for it's engineering and reliability, would redesign the balancing shaft and crank to account for that flaw.

I don't believe that this issue is the same across the board for any inline 4cyl. I had an 86 Dodge Caravan with 2.5L Mitsubishi 4banger. That motor had balancing shafts on different planes to each other. The motor never felt smooth and the balancing assembly had to be rebuilt twice. My '79 Mercury Capri 2.3L 4 banger had only one huge balance shaft. That was not a very smooth motor either.

It is your ride; you do what you think best. No one is going to dog you because you don't have a LW pulley. NST does make a LW alt and waterpump pulleys. With the tC with it's low gearing in 1st and 6200RPM rev limit, revving faster ain't going to be much difference.

[bwood87]

The 2AZ-FE utilizes many features that reduce engine and crankshaft vibrations. Dual balancing shafts with gears that are made of resin instead of metal, as well as rubber torsional dampeners between the gears and the shafts. The gear that drives the balancing shaft does a double duty as a counterweight on the crankshaft. The piston is made with a taper-squish design which helps smooth out the combustion action (also allows for a longer intake cycle, cleaner burn and less chance of knock). Air passage below the cylinder reduces back pressure on the piston reducing pressure changes in the crank housing. The crank shaft is offset by 10mm from the centerline of the piston which makes the rods fully vertical at peak combustion pressure which means less side load on the piston which reduces vibration, noise and wear. There are a few other things but basically the engine was designed with vibration reduction as a key goal. Through the use of advanced plastics technologies they are capable of replacing metal parts with plastic one, which are more lightweight and absorb vibrations much better than their metal counterparts. Its no wonder why this engine is being put in more and more Toyota cars.

[carboncrazytc]

i was gonna say that : )

[navylife59]

Bravo! bwood87, you need to post all of that info into our Tech Article section under the Knowledgebase Threads. That is is good technical information to know.

[bwood87]

Right away sir. I have some diagrams to go with it so give me a little to compile it all. It is all spread through out like 40 different pdfs.