Pulley Wobble

edconline · 10-01-2010, 06:22 PM

Need some help, ASAP on something I noticed today.

Had the car at Nissan today getting the Stillen UD crank pulley installed. Prior to getting it installed I had the pulley checked for balance at a machine shop who said it was good to go.

On the way home, I smelled a bit of oil, but assumed that it was from the oil the tech used to put the pulley on, called nissan and they said to check just to make sure nothing was leaking. So I figured I'd do an oil change that was just about due and check it out at the same time.

Good news- no oil leaks around the pulley.
(Potentially) Bad News - when i started the engine after the oil change, to make sure nothing was leaking, I had a look at the pulley as well. There is a VERY noticable vibration from side to side and a sound as well. Now having not seen the stock crank pulley spinning i am not sure if this movement is normal, but it just doesnt look right, especially given that all the other pulleys are not vibrating at all.

Is this normal for the Stillen UD pulley? If not, what could be causing this? Hopefully no damage was done from the short drive home from nissan.

Raven · 10-01-2010, 07:43 PM

try to conatct mike at NST. he might be able to answer your questions...

Josh@STILLEN · 10-01-2010, 08:23 PM

Get the installation checked ASAP.. if you have any additional questions give our customer service department a call at 866-250-5542

edconline · 10-01-2010, 08:53 PM

Josh - thanks for the quick response! I am having the Nissan dealer that did the installation check the install tomorrow, getting it towed there just in case. I only drove maybe 20km with the new pulley on, so hopefully nothing happened even if something is wrong.

Based on your response, I would assume that no wobble/vibration is supposed to be present?

efuseakay · 10-01-2010, 08:58 PM

Sounds like they didn't seat it correctly/all the way.

Trips · 10-01-2010, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edconline

Josh - thanks for the quick response! I am having the Nissan dealer that did the installation check the install tomorrow, getting it towed there just in case. I only drove maybe 20km with the new pulley on, so hopefully nothing happened even if something is wrong.

Based on your response, I would assume that no wobble/vibration is supposed to be present?

Wobble is not good.
Sounds like it might of not been tightened to spec?

Josh@STILLEN · 10-01-2010, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edconline

Josh - thanks for the quick response! I am having the Nissan dealer that did the installation check the install tomorrow, getting it towed there just in case. I only drove maybe 20km with the new pulley on, so hopefully nothing happened even if something is wrong.

Based on your response, I would assume that no wobble/vibration is supposed to be present?

Oh good.. glad you're taking precautions. No there should definitely be no vibration.. if they play with it and still have any sort of wobble they should go back to the stock pulley and see if that does it as well.

But it sounds like you went the extra step, I'm not sure anyone has actually checked our pulleys before installing, but they are CNC milled to exacting tolerances.. lol

Hopefully it wasn't something present before the pulley was installed that no one caught.. or maybe thankfully the pulley made someone look..

edconline · 10-04-2010, 07:52 PM

Update -Nissan looked at the car today, the pulled had loosened off to the point where the bolt was finger tight, in addition the crank oil seal was torn and leaking oil. Crank seal was replaced and the stock pulley/belt were reinstalled. Will have to try to get to the bottom of this before I play with the crank pulley again. The installed said the torque was checked twice on the initial installation, so the wobble must be the culprit for loosening off the bolt.

Josh - I bought this pulley off of another member on here who had experienced a similar problem, and took it off. The assumption in that case was incorrect installation, however to have two similar issues with the same pulley is strange. Especially considering I had it checked for balance (because of the issue he had). Any chance of me sending it to you guys for a look/answers?

chuckd05 · 10-04-2010, 08:24 PM

I sold him this pulley, Josh, I will call / pm you too.

Nitex · 10-21-2010, 09:22 PM

update?

edconline · 10-23-2010, 07:44 PM

No response from stillen yet, I still have the pulley sitting in a box..

Nitex · 10-23-2010, 07:52 PM

Im not sure if this is an isolated incident or what. I believe there are many who have the stillen UD pulley with no issues. Im staring at mine waiting for my car to get back from the body shop! But i may wait to see if stillen has any input. I would figure by now if any others had this issue they would have said something. If they are on the boards that is.

diablokev87 · 10-27-2010, 08:30 AM

In for an update.

Josh@STILLEN · 10-27-2010, 07:00 PM

Whoa, I apologize, I must have missed or didn't get the notices from this thread. Edconline, did you contact our customer service dept regarding this?

And I realize this isn't what you want to hear, but this has all the signs of not being tightened enough on installation.

The installation instructions require the pulley be held in place, and initially tightened to 33lb/ft of torque, and then rotated an additional 90 degrees. You mark it with paint, and go to town.

For our guys, this takes enough force to have a very long breaker bar, an an additional "floor jack handle" type bar to extend the breaker bar even longer, and it's a bear to get it the full 90 degrees.

Without being tight enough, it will loosen itself, and do what you're describing. I'm very glad you caught it in time. Is there paint or some marking on the UD pulley? Were you able to verify the installation?

There is no specific torque number they would be checking for, as the installation is based off of degrees of the turn beyond a preset torque spec.

1slow370 · 10-28-2010, 05:07 AM

there wouldn't neccesarily be paint on it, dealerships mainly try to use there torque angle gauge, doesn't mean his dealer did though. i would check more to se if there are any large gashes in the pulley from someone incorrectly removing or seating it as that is really the only way to bend one of those things if it is bent.

10-01-2010, 06:22 PM	#1 (permalink)
edconline Track Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Edmonton Posts: 855 Drives: 10' MB Z34 6MT T/S/N Rep Power: 22	Pulley Wobble Need some help, ASAP on something I noticed today. Had the car at Nissan today getting the Stillen UD crank pulley installed. Prior to getting it installed I had the pulley checked for balance at a machine shop who said it was good to go. On the way home, I smelled a bit of oil, but assumed that it was from the oil the tech used to put the pulley on, called nissan and they said to check just to make sure nothing was leaking. So I figured I'd do an oil change that was just about due and check it out at the same time. Good news- no oil leaks around the pulley. (Potentially) Bad News - when i started the engine after the oil change, to make sure nothing was leaking, I had a look at the pulley as well. There is a VERY noticable vibration from side to side and a sound as well. Now having not seen the stock crank pulley spinning i am not sure if this movement is normal, but it just doesnt look right, especially given that all the other pulleys are not vibrating at all. Is this normal for the Stillen UD pulley? If not, what could be causing this? Hopefully no damage was done from the short drive home from nissan. __________________ View Journal Audio Build

10-01-2010, 08:53 PM	#4 (permalink)
edconline Track Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Edmonton Posts: 855 Drives: 10' MB Z34 6MT T/S/N Rep Power: 22	Josh - thanks for the quick response! I am having the Nissan dealer that did the installation check the install tomorrow, getting it towed there just in case. I only drove maybe 20km with the new pulley on, so hopefully nothing happened even if something is wrong. Based on your response, I would assume that no wobble/vibration is supposed to be present? __________________ View Journal Audio Build

10-04-2010, 07:52 PM	#8 (permalink)
edconline Track Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Edmonton Posts: 855 Drives: 10' MB Z34 6MT T/S/N Rep Power: 22	Update -Nissan looked at the car today, the pulled had loosened off to the point where the bolt was finger tight, in addition the crank oil seal was torn and leaking oil. Crank seal was replaced and the stock pulley/belt were reinstalled. Will have to try to get to the bottom of this before I play with the crank pulley again. The installed said the torque was checked twice on the initial installation, so the wobble must be the culprit for loosening off the bolt. Josh - I bought this pulley off of another member on here who had experienced a similar problem, and took it off. The assumption in that case was incorrect installation, however to have two similar issues with the same pulley is strange. Especially considering I had it checked for balance (because of the issue he had). Any chance of me sending it to you guys for a look/answers? __________________ View Journal Audio Build

10-04-2010, 08:24 PM	#9 (permalink)
chuckd05 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: NY Posts: 2,391 Drives: No longer a Z Rep Power: 20	I sold him this pulley, Josh, I will call / pm you too. __________________ 09 370Z 6M PW - FBO Best 1/4 mile = 12.926 @ 109 SOLD -- 08 BMW 135i - FBO 12.1@120mph SOLD -- white 09 e92 335 Coupe Mtech - 11.9 @ 119 :-)

10-21-2010, 09:22 PM	#10 (permalink)
Nitex Track Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Seattle Posts: 848 Drives: '13 GTI Stage 2 UNI Rep Power: 16	update? __________________ 2013 Drivers ED GTI \| Stage 2 Unitronic

10-01-2010, 07:43 PM	#2 (permalink)
Raven Base Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Valley Village Posts: 138 Drives: Scion TC Rep Power: 15	try to conatct mike at NST. he might be able to answer your questions...

10-01-2010, 08:23 PM	#3 (permalink)
Josh@STILLEN The370Z.com Sponsor Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Costa Mesa, CA Posts: 1,197 Drives: 2004 G35 Coupe 6MT Rep Power: 533	Get the installation checked ASAP.. if you have any additional questions give our customer service department a call at 866-250-5542

10-01-2010, 08:58 PM	#5 (permalink)
efuseakay Enthusiast Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: The DAYNGA ZONE! Posts: 404 Drives: 2010 G37xS Sedan Rep Power: 15	Sounds like they didn't seat it correctly/all the way.

10-23-2010, 07:44 PM	#11 (permalink)
edconline Track Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Edmonton Posts: 855 Drives: 10' MB Z34 6MT T/S/N Rep Power: 22	No response from stillen yet, I still have the pulley sitting in a box.. __________________ View Journal Audio Build

10-23-2010, 07:52 PM	#12 (permalink)
Nitex Track Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Seattle Posts: 848 Drives: '13 GTI Stage 2 UNI Rep Power: 16	Im not sure if this is an isolated incident or what. I believe there are many who have the stillen UD pulley with no issues. Im staring at mine waiting for my car to get back from the body shop! But i may wait to see if stillen has any input. I would figure by now if any others had this issue they would have said something. If they are on the boards that is. __________________ 2013 Drivers ED GTI \| Stage 2 Unitronic

10-27-2010, 08:30 AM	#13 (permalink)
diablokev87 Base Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Queens NY Posts: 246 Drives: 09 Niss 370Z Blue A7 Rep Power: 16	In for an update. __________________ 2009 370z (AT7): Gen3 \| HKS Hi Power \| Z120BT \| Animated Foglight \| 590.2x 1999 Maxima SE (MT5): Nada (so far)

10-27-2010, 07:00 PM	#14 (permalink)
Josh@STILLEN The370Z.com Sponsor Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Costa Mesa, CA Posts: 1,197 Drives: 2004 G35 Coupe 6MT Rep Power: 533	Whoa, I apologize, I must have missed or didn't get the notices from this thread. Edconline, did you contact our customer service dept regarding this? And I realize this isn't what you want to hear, but this has all the signs of not being tightened enough on installation. The installation instructions require the pulley be held in place, and initially tightened to 33lb/ft of torque, and then rotated an additional 90 degrees. You mark it with paint, and go to town. For our guys, this takes enough force to have a very long breaker bar, an an additional "floor jack handle" type bar to extend the breaker bar even longer, and it's a bear to get it the full 90 degrees. Without being tight enough, it will loosen itself, and do what you're describing. I'm very glad you caught it in time. Is there paint or some marking on the UD pulley? Were you able to verify the installation? There is no specific torque number they would be checking for, as the installation is based off of degrees of the turn beyond a preset torque spec.

10-28-2010, 05:07 AM	#15 (permalink)
1slow370 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: In the D Posts: 3,732 Drives: v8 74 260z ;) Rep Power: 7251	there wouldn't neccesarily be paint on it, dealerships mainly try to use there torque angle gauge, doesn't mean his dealer did though. i would check more to se if there are any large gashes in the pulley from someone incorrectly removing or seating it as that is really the only way to bend one of those things if it is bent. __________________ ANSWER PRICE LIST Answers - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - $0.75 Answers (requiring thought) - - - - $1.25 Answers (correct) - - - - - - - - - - $12.50

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