Alloy Pulleys

[Talasas]

I've recently beeng getting a squeal from the crank pulley on my 4AGE (which is apparently due to possible worn rubber join, though the pulley looks solid) so I've considered replacing it with a solid alloy item. I've searched about and haven't found anything on the details. I seem to be having a bit of trouble finding what I'm looking for.

So far I know that Nevo made alloy pullies for 4AGZEs, some being underdrive if I'm not mistaken. I've also seen photo evidence that they have a tendency to crack along the keyway into the holes. These are appraently no longer being made now.

Can anyone give more information on where I can find a 4AGE alloy crank pulley? So far I haven't seen anywhere that sells them nor what they are worth, a few I've seen are single row only (meaning no PS or AC).

Ideally what I would like it simply to replace the factory Smallport one with a solid alloy equivalent if possible; two rows, equal diameter, solid alloy (no holes or spokes).

Thoughts/comments?

[oldcorollas]

$500
http://page5.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/e74995639

$150 no idea on quality..
http://page15.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/t52820704

borked and $50 http://page9.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/k52012181

[The Real Roadrunner]

if i was spending $500 on an alloy pulley i would at least expect it to have some sort of dampening.

if it doesnt have dampening i believe it would be more prone to fatigue (OC can answer that)

any major reason as to why you want to go alloy? understandable if you want to change the pulley size but other than that is there some sort of regulation you need to meet or just a looks/lightweight thing?

[Talasas]

Partly a lightweight thing and partly the fact that I wanted something well balanced and solid. The impression I had was that the alloy ones were just that.

As I mentioned above I'm really just investigating it, should it come to the $500 mark then it'll be binned because I can't justify spending that much.

To be perfectly honest however, I'd gladly keep my stock one but no one seems to know what I can do about it. If there was some way of renewing it I'd be more than happy to. Apparently the rubber damper wears out or hardens and causes it to become off balance. I've seen certain pulleys (like 5S ones) which have a very thick rubber centre section. Mine doesn't however and I can't for the life of me see any rubber in it at all. It looks almost the same as the 2nd one OC posted.

Thus I was left two options, replace the pulley with another used one (I see no point), or replace it with a new one, and if I'm getting it from Toyota I figured the cost would be greater than or equal to the cost of an aftermarket one.

I'm not really up to scratch on pulleys though (as you can tell) so it's why I asked.

[Talasas]

So anyone have any recommendations? This vibrating/squeaking pulley is giving me the shits...

[The Last Streetfighter]

Can someone show me how the rubber dampener works on a stock pulley? And why that can't be applied to an aftermarket alloy one? Mullet was making some of these, Tal.

[Gavatron]

There's a dude on ae86dc selling a brand new genuine one. Think it was $200.

[Cuts]

the rubber is there to reduce harmonic vibrations from the crank etc (hence why they are often known as harmonic balancer.

one of the problems is as there is a rubber ring around the inner section thats keyd to the crank, and the outer section with your timing marks on it, as they get old as has been said the rubber gets hard and perishes, and in some cases lets go alltogther. When they move it effectivly puts your timing out (if you redo it) because its might say 10 deg afte tdc but when its actually 7 after tdc (because the rings have moved in relation to each other.

ive heared solid ones are bad for your engine, but ive also heared people running them on street engines for many many a km without a drama.
Im keen to get one myself.

hope that helps in some way bro.

[Duk]

the rubber is there to reduce harmonic vibrations from the crank etc (hence why they are often known as harmonic balancer.

one of the problems is as there is a rubber ring around the inner section thats keyd to the crank, and the outer section with your timing marks on it, as they get old as has been said the rubber gets hard and perishes, and in some cases lets go alltogther. When they move it effectivly puts your timing out (if you redo it) because its might say 10 deg afte tdc but when its actually 7 after tdc (because the rings have moved in relation to each other.

ive heared solid ones are bad for your engine, but ive also heared people running them on street engines for many many a km without a drama.
Im keen to get one myself.

hope that helps in some way bro.

Don't you mean Befor Top Dead Centre?

[Billzilla]

one of the problems is as there is a rubber ring around the inner section thats keyd to the crank, and the outer section with your timing marks on it, as they get old as has been said the rubber gets hard and perishes, and in some cases lets go alltogther. When they move it effectivly puts your timing out (if you redo it) because its might say 10 deg afte tdc but when its actually 7 after tdc (because the rings have moved in relation to each other.

A 4AGE or two ago, I was trying to figure out why it was running really slow and hot with the nice new Motec M4 it had on it.
To cut a long story short, the outer pulley had moved something like 30° around the inner. Picked it up straight away, with the advice from the guys at Motec, by sticking a screwdriver down #1 plug hole and finding a rough TDC that way. The timing mark was centimetres out.

[-GT-]

T3 do them. I don't think mullet ended up going ahead with it, i think for concerns over possible unreliabilty due to non-damped on stock engines? I was keen but never heard anything come of it. I think they are more likely to be reliable on a well balanced engine.

I am looking into getting some made up through a mate at a reputable aftermarket brand, water pump and alternator too. Mainly i want more underdrive than i can find available.

They are out there though.

[30psi 4agte]

Talasas: Sure it isnt something simple ?? Like the pulley or gear rubbing on the timing cover ??

Belt squeak?
what makes you think its the pulley?


Ill have a geeza when you pick up the disc spacers

[feral4mr2]

or a idler/tensioner on it's way out...?



i've got a custom 175mm pulley that retained the stock dampner (alloy ring presses and grub screwed onto stock pulley). dont think it was a mullet job as i got it from over east. it has worked well and still is.

[Talasas]

The reasons I'm inclined towards a crank pulley are:

- Listening real close with my head in the wheel well the sound appear to come from very close around the crank pulley area.

- At idle rpm when the engine is hot the crank pulley vibrates and appears way off balance compared to normal.

- I pulled the crank pulley off recently and everything checks out (I thought the timing gear might have copped it but it was fine), there's no evidence of rubbing that I could see.

- I've replaced the belts and ran the engine without belts on the jacks to see if it still made noise and it did.

I honestly hope it's something simple and cheap. Giving me the shits, it's like clockwork on hot days, I change gears and the sequence is spot on:

<revving up>
<gear change>
<blow off valve sounds>
<squeak/cat bell ringing sound>

It sounds a lot like belt slip but I've done what I can with the belts, I replaced it with another one I had that had only a few kms on it.

[feral4mr2]

yea when i bought the lil feral it had a bad wobbling crank pulley (after pulling it off found it had been bodgied and a broken key).

it had a squeak, squeak when at idle because of the wobble.