I just got my car tuned by Eurocharged and am now in the process of Due Diligence with respect to pulleys.

1. Is it quite necessary to spend top dollar for pulleys?
2. Aren't pulleys just pulleys whether you spend $40.00 vs. $600.00
3. Finally, does anyone have any pulley resources that have budget prices?

I would rather pay $40.00/pulley and replace them ever 10 years or so then $200.00 and replace them every 12 years or so.

Please help me... Am I missing something?

Peace,
Gino

 

I agree. When you find a source for a $40 supercharger or crank pulley let me know and I'll buy a dozen or two. If things were only that simple.

Our supercharger pulley is very sophisticated (compared to Vortech or the like), and engages via an electro-magnetic clutch. It's not a $40 part. The bearing used in the supercharger pulley is a steal at $40.

 

They are hand built pieces. Not production pieces for one thing. Code 3 was a company that produced the first S/C pulley. They were bought out, and the new company decided not to continue to build the pulley. They have become rare as you would expect. Eurocharged has copied that pulley and is now offering one for sale. Another company has popped up that I don't know much about. But, a used Code 3 will be in the $450.00 area. If you find one cheaper than that, I would buy it if you know it is a good one. I believe EC'd is selling their new pullies in the 600+ range. The new company...is even higher... So, yes a pulley isn't just a pulley....

 

There's whole harmonic and reliability thing to consider here.
harmonic - you really dont want harmonics running through your charger shafts - these chargers are worth over 5k a piece to replace and are quite a sophisticated piece of kit compared to your run of the mill roots type blower used on the sister SLK230 or the like.

These chargers can push 25psi whereas the simpler Eatons and the like run 7 and if you pulley them up maybe 11-12psi (by machining the stock pulley) and adding a larger crank to 14000rpm.
The pulley'd Lysholm on the other hand can spin to 18,000rpm and quite rightly is a "piece of work".
The car is a high performance machine - not a knock around.

Given the above, you dont want a bearing smoke on one of these things or you could be in for quite a large bill.

If you want to experiment with running gear - buy a 4 cylinder and turbo it - Fast fours and all that stuff....not a 5 second 0-60, 290km/hr mercedes/SRT6. You'll go a long way to find that in any other package at our price in any other country.

Keep it real.....

 

Thank you for the replies and clarifications. So I see how critical the SC pulley is. I agree. I am very concerned about changing out that pulley for this very reason and the ramifications that could occur. I have read many threads with respect to a very costly outcome.

To clarify, my question has to do with the Crank pulley kits. Certainly, even the stock pulleys for Mercedes, are reasonably priced. Aren't their alternative Crank pulley kits that are reasonably priced and are not hand made?

 

About the pulleys, you can have your pulley machined down to 64mm. I had this done to mine and it works great.

 

Crank pulley's are all balanced also.... the factory one uses a rubber dampener that breaks down eventually. ASP makes a 178mm pulley and Eurocharged sells a 181mm and 185mm pulley. These run in the $850 range.

 

So, as you can see...the answer is no...there are no short cuts...or CHEAP pulleys. I have ran my roadster for 4 yrs on a Code 3, and my coupe 2 yrs on a Code 3. Mind you I only drive them 3-4k a yr as they are toys, not everyday drivers....good luck...

 

You sure about the 64 part? I think it's been debated and confirmed that no smaller than 68 works.

 

always a risk trimmin' down pulleys...but, it's their car. I like to see some miles on pulleys before being interested. It took awhile to perfect the Code 3, and Brandon was good to work with. My 1st one wasn't perfect, he replaced it right away. Great customer service. The company who bought him out chose not to continue the pulley. Eurocharged is full of good people and I know they would back their pulley as well. So, when looking, make sure you are looking at a proven pulley when buying used. Or, new for that matter. But, trimming stock pulleys isn't something I would be a fan of. Especially the kind of performance I expect out of my cars...Just save those $$$$$$$ and pulley up...lol

 

Im sure you would be good to go doun to 65mm. If you know of a good machine shop it will be easy for them to do, after all the code 3 is also machined...

 

I found great clarification in reading the responses in this thread. Thanks everyone...

 

Code 3's are not machined down pulleys. They have the proper thickness and balance.

 

So 64 before, now 65. Can you take a micrometer and measure your machined pulley so that we are passing along factual information that will not result in ruined pulleys.

 

That's what was done, I had the first one machined down to 62mm and the machinist said it didn't have enough material on the face to be guaranteed. So he made one at 65mm and he said it has more than enough material to put his name behind it.

 

About the code 3 pulley, they're not machined down factory pulleys but they are machined pulleys.

 

I feel like some people over think these things. Ask your machinist what he thinks about the thickness of the pulley. I had mine done last November and put almost 15,000 miles on it.

 

My machinist said nothing less than 68mm

 

Does anyone know the material of the stock pulley (grooved area)?
Does anyone know the heat treat of said material?
Does anyone know the cross-sectional profile of the belt grooves?
Does anyone know the number of the bearing? ...or rivets?

Sorry for not searching the archives, and no disrespect intended. I'm on the same team here.

New to the forum. New SRT-6 owner. A few years modding machines that aren't limited to cars.

I'd love to get a run of pulleys going. The prices mentioned, like many have expressed, seem way high.
The bearing cannot possibly be anything special. Get the number and go to your local bearing house or bocabearing.com or the like.
Thickness? I'm betting the stock material is heat-treatable and hasn't been yet, leaving the opportunity to machine thin, heat treat, and run without concern.

Hello, and thanks for having me. Honored to be among y'all!

-jet

 

My wife's company has been in the machining business since WWII. Every machinist like mechanics have an opinion. My point is staying within safe parameters. Like what MB AMG did when designing and yes, machining the stock pulley. A pulley can be machined to a 65 or a 62 with the same safe guards, or thickness, if you will, as the stock pulley. That is my only point. If you had yours done by a good machinist who kept it true...then I am sure it will last you a long time. Mine will be doing hard launches all next yr week in, week out. I will go for the safe guards...Plus, I want to keep the stock pulleys for future use. These parts aren't going to be around forever...