New SC step pulley went to crap, so far.....

[douglas vincent]

Arrgghhh!!


I have a small lathe so I can make my own pulleys. Since it is small, it takes awhile but since it is my time, not my money, it is cheaper to do it this way. Usually.

I spent about 15 hours total yesterday and today making the new step pulley for the supercharger, uninstalling the old setup, purchasing and re-cutting a new mounting plate for the supercharger, and then installing, re-milling and reinstalling the step pulley and than reinstalling the supercharger on the new mounting plate. All to have it go to shit.

The step pulley was made to boost the supercharger rpm from 1-2 to 1-2.5. Which should give me almost 2 psi extra boost, maybe a little more. The step pulley was a 2” pulley and 2 ½” pulley. To make the pulley, I started with a nice 3” diameter chunk of aluminum. The concept is simple, but the reality was a little different. This is because the power steering pump shaft is splined. Making a splined pulley is near impossible unless you do what Subaru did, which was take a splined section, weld it into a chunk of metal, and turn the resulting piece. I didn’t have this option. So instead I cut out the steel section from the stock pulley, turned it round and clean, and then turned a mating hole into the aluminum pulley and inserted.

Here was the problem.

The freaking thing can’t be welded in. So I tried drilling out the pulley and inserting pins and set screws. Didn’t work. Crap. Then I drove my van home.

I guess I have to spend money after all. Hopefully I can get it somehow permanently install tomorrow and then I can get the damn this running tomorrow night.

I have pictures, and will post them this weekend I hope.

[evolutionmovement]

Could you press fit it in and possibly key it in place? It may be too late for this option now plus I don't know how accurate your equipment is.

Steve

[douglas vincent]

So after spending from 10 am till 6, with some breaks in between, I finally get the pulley to work by using another stock Powersteering pully core which I turned out and bolted to the step pulley. Long and tedious proccess with some missteps along the way.

However, it now works.

but like crap.

The powersteering pump now "sings" cause it is spinning to fast. And my boost level drops amazingly fast from 5 to 2 when I get on it. My only idea is that the belt is slipping, but it never slipped before when running 5 psi, and now it should be running 6-7 psi. Hell, it seems to be slipping at 3psi! Crap!@


This really sucks. 20-25 hours of intense labor, $100 in materials at least, and I don't even get the same performance as when I started. I am going to start throwing crap now.

See you next year.

[douglas vincent]

Boost leak baby, thats all it was, I hope.

I drove around tonight just trying to figure out what the hell the problem could be. It would start at 5psi and then drop, sometimes.... And buck like hell, but only occasionally.

So back to the shop. Pop the hood, check the belts. Fine and Dandy Tight. Check the areas where there could be boost leak. All tight.

Glance at the connection from the AWIC to the throttle body. Split wide open. The first test drive I did (and had the pulley fail the first time as well) had the psi up to 7 psi. This must have been to much for the stressed connection.

Anyone know where I can get a 3" silicone connection on New Years Day? Hah!

[scottzg]

nice!

[jake15]

i got a stock WRX one if you cant find one...... but it is a little far to drive

[douglas vincent]

Thats the kind I split I think. Thanks.

[jake15]

you split a WRX i/c to throttlebody hose at 7psi?

[douglas vincent]

Yes I did. However, it was given to me used so I have no idea of the previous wear.


OK, fixed the boost leak, I think. Cause now since the boost can build, the supercharger actually has to work. Which causes the belt to slip on the new pulley because since the new pulley is considerably smaller, there is less surface contact. Will it never end? No, it wont.

So now I have to install an idler pulley. That I can do, but getting a belt to fit on New years day is out of the question.