As some of you recall, I purchased a Ralco RZ lightened pulley off eBay for $40 (shipped). Here is the original thread:

Lightened Ralco RZ Pulley. Thoughts...

Well, I finally got around to installing the pulley. Also installed new Gates steering and crank belts from NAPA. (So nice they are open on Sunday and right across the street from my house).

Everything went very smooth except the steering pump. The tensioner was a b!tch because I kept thinking I had dropped the pump enough, but the d@mn belt was still not going on. Kept going at it until finally was able to get old belt off and new belt on.

Anyhow, a 5 mile drive first impressions was quite exciting.

Acceleration seems much smoother. Definately a nice addition to the Max for only $40!! Throttle just seems to be a bit more precise on acceleration.

Stock Pulley on car:


Ralco vs. Stock:


NAPA (by Gates) belts:


Ralco Pulley on car:

 

Nice. I installed my UR UDP about a month ago, and the steering pump was a nightmare, I had my mechanic roll the belt on while I crank the car 2 or 3 times, then it went on smoothly without loosening the power steering tension. Acceleration does feel smoother too.

 

where you get that crank pulley from my belt keeps loosening and im thinking its the thensioner but while i got it apart i wanna change the pulley also....

 

eBay...

...also, if they keep loosening, sounds like the locking bolt is not set. This would cause the engine vibration to potentially loosen the tensioner bolt.

...just food for thought.

 

Damn looks good. A little shine on it!!

 

Alot folks destroy the tensioner going the wrong way....

 

I'm not a fan of the "bling bling" factor, so I am glad it's down under the hood and behind the cover.

 

i offered them bishes $40 also n they denied my offer.... cosmo it is i guess

 

Hehe!

Don't forget, mine was an open box item with small ding on lip.

They prob just wanted to get rid of it...

...others got them down to anywhere between $60 and $90.

Good luck with the Cosmo. I heard they are good too!! (but aren't they underdrive as well ?)

 

^^^ IDK, i just like the name ralco more ill try again

 

looks nice.
now im considering on getting one lol.

 

After driving around for a while this afternoon and this evening, I have additional comments. When I installed the VIAS block off, I definately noticed the loss of low-end. Never really thought about it though as I knew what I was sacrificing when I did it.

The pulley seems to have cured that loss. Since it allows for what I would say is quicker/crisper acceleration, it seems to have given me back that lost low-end.

Highly recommend this to anyone as long as the price is right. And boy was it for me

 

Deft a good mod if the price is right. Was able to get a UR Udp for $65 and alsonoticed it gained the low-end that was lost by the block off plate. I still feel the lag of power at take off, hope fully it'll be fixed with the Ws ypipe.

 

Looks good. For $40 is definitely a good deal.

 

I offered 70 bucks and they accepted my offer thought they were going to deny it so should have the Ralco Pulley by July 5th and installed later that week!!

 

I thought I was crazy noticing that the engine runs really smooth with a pulley. Thanks for confirming

 

how much do you guys think a mechanic will charge to swap out a pulley?

 

looks good and i bet it runs good too !

 

One hour labor, if he's cool. Two hours if he sees you as an opportunity.

Trusted mechanics are like wives that cook. Invaluable.

 

Thanks, Rochester. So far I've had the mechanics that are comparable to the wife that poisons your food lol. I'm looking to do the block plate and pulley at the same time to lessen the perceived torque loss.

 

Wives. I've got a keeper, that's for sure.

The idea about the crank pulley offsetting low-end loss... that seems like a good idea on paper. But whatever gains you think you feel because of the crank pulley, they exist in the blink of an eye. Plus, the effect, if perceived at all, is at immediate launch over idle, before the VIAS closes, and certainly before it snaps back open again... if I'm understanding the VIAS behavior correctly.

All I'm saying is, don't hitch your wagon to the UDP as a significant player.

I'd use more colloquialisms to get my point across, but the well is dry. (Oh, that's good! New sig moment.)

 

It doesn't make a noticeable difference in low gears or WOT, but it does at cruising speed in 5th or 6th. I can now slightly push the pedal and accelerate rather than downshifting or pushing mod/hard. It's the 1st thing I immediately noticed while on the interstate and I wasn't even thinking about it. With stock ecu and SSIM, I notice any changes down low easily. FWIW, mine is an UDP.

 

Anything you can do to reduce rotating weight is always good. When the outer ring of the crank pulley on my 626 broke, just the lose of that outer ring was noticeable in how the engine responded and wanted to rev a touch quicker.

 

Um, OK then.

I guess the only thing to be said for sure is: the effects of a lightweight crank pulley are so-o-o subtle, that interpretations will vary.

 

July 5th installed the pulley weight difference is like Damn the engine runs smoother and when I step on it gets up there even better and I do feel a power difference next up NWP Spacers to go with that Cattman Fastcat and 3in Exhaust since production is about to start!!

 

Cool, cool, I just digested all the information on the LightWeight Pulleys and had a question:
Someone mentioned that since the engine revs more quickly with the LWP, it also drops off more quickly, which makes sense. Is the faster drop-off large enough to be noticeable? Is the drop-off annoying in daily-driving, or just mean that you can't lazily shift like an old granny?

You've now had the pulley for a while, has it just faded into your other mods and you don't notice the effects anymore?

 

That describes my experience well enough. It becomes the new normal very quickly. Like in a few days.

 

sorta like my 10lb flywheel i'd imagine..wheni first got it seemed like it revved almost as fast a bike..now it seems like its old self..but my clutch still grabs..

but my question to the OP..you havent had any issues with it shredding belts? i thought i read something late last year on these forums about a certain UDP shredding belts or causing massive damage to the block..

 

Gains from the pulley are still noticeable, just not as much as when first installed.

About 5,000 miles since installed and belt is showing no signs of wear.

No squeaking either.

 

How is it holding up after a year? Im thinking about getting one. I have an auto max and my acceleration is alot better since the throttle body was clean but id like a litte more accelration that is within my budget.

 

Not one single issue to date.

I actually forget about it being on the car until I see a thread about them or someone asks.

 

I got the Stillen UD pulley and no problems at all...no dim lights...nothing. Accelerates faster though!!