Hi all,

Just a quick question: If you get a new drive pulley from Vortech, do you need to shorten it like the "stock" 3.6" or can you just bolt it up w/o clearance problems? I had to replace my 3.12" (which i had machined down before).

TIAA

 

As longs as its 3.125" or bigger it just slides on and is fine with a smaller belt remember. If you go as small at 2.87" or 2.62" youll need to shave down your middle post on your Supercharger bracket.

-matt

 

You need to shave the posts even with the 3.12" (I've already done it)... but my question is if the "snout" of the new pulley needs to be shortened. It's the portion of the pulley that faces the engine. It is longer than the one that was included with the Stillen kit. Can the new "Vortech" pullies be installed "as is" from Vortech or does it need to be shortened like the Stillen one?

 

Im not to sure what your asking, but I just ordered a 2.87" and installed it with no problem. No shaving to the pulley needs to be done from what I know.

-matt

 

If you have a pulley that needs shaved then you have the wrong pulley!! You would not want to be shaving the pulley period, you could change the balance of it and well be screwed! It should fit right on like alll the others

 

If you have a pulley that needs shaved then you have the wrong pulley!! You would not want to be shaving the pulley period, you could change the balance of it and well be screwed! It should fit right on like alll the others

 

If you have a pulley that needs shaved then you have the wrong pulley!! You would not want to be shaving the pulley period, you could change the balance of it and well be screwed! It should fit right on like alll the others

 

If you have a pulley that needs shaved then you have the wrong pulley!! You would not want to be shaving the pulley period, you could change the balance of it and well be screwed! It should fit right on like alll the others

 

No, you shouldn't have to shave anything. I helped Ptatohed install a genuine Vortech 2.87 pulley about 2 months ago. Installed no problem and his car runs great. Seems to be just like the 3.6 pulley, only smaller. Now you got me wondering. I'm going to compare my 2.87 sittin' in my garage next to my 3.61......

 

My 3.125 and my 2.62 are both genuine Vortech Pulleys. However, the 3.125 was already shaved a bit by the time it touched my hands. I don't know if my pulley bolt is different than other kits, but the bolt/washer combo adds close 1/2" which could cause interference between bolt and timing cover if not shaved. I shaved my 2.62 about 1/8".

Either way, that wasn't the only way that my Vortech pulleys differed. Notice how the valleys and peaks on my 2.62 are more rounded than that of the 3.125. Furthermore, the 2.62 pulley is also beefier on the outerwalls, check then out:

 

Assembly pix:

 

That's some wierd stuff Meximax. I would think you would have belt issues, comparing your pic of the 3.125 to the 2.62....seem different to me.

Why is the 3.125 pulley "purple" in color compared to the 2.62? Every pulley I bought from Vortech have been pitch black.

Did you buy them both directly from Vortech?

 

The 3.125 came with the used kit I bought and the Vortech insignia, size, and patent are laser etched right on it. The 2.62" is a vortech unit I bought through summit racing. Either way, alignment is NOT a problem because it's the opposite end that sits on the unit, not the part that is shaved/machined off. In other words, on the pic above, if you flip the pulleys and compare the valleys/peaks, they line up fairly close. Alingment is not an issue.

 

Its quite possible that the pulley has that "shaved" look because the pulley bolt came loose at one point and this allows the pulley to slide around on the drive shaft. This happened to me. My 3.33" pulley started to rub against the engine case causing the side of the pulley to have exposed shiny metal.

On a side note, all of my Vortech pulleys (3.33" and 3.125") came in the purple color and did not require any shaving at all.

 

Here's a split window of when my pulley slid towards the engine case and when it should normally be:


Results of sliding:

The side of the pulley got shined up and the part where the bolt is also shined up the engine case.

 

Actually I had it shaved down myself at a machine shop to match the Stillen kit's 3.6" snout length. My pulley didn't "walk" that far out luckily... I'm surprised yours didn't throw a belt being that far out of alignment.

Thanks for all the help guys!

 

No disrespect...but are you guys that new to this? I went from the stock pulley down (3.33/3.125/2.87) I have had the pulley slide into the timing chain cover..more then once. The "key" (little piece of metal that slides on the shaft between the pulley on the blower shaft) basically evaporated over time and caused the pulley to shake/wear itself loose.

When I swapped motors I went to "fastenal" to get new bolts and a washer for the blower. I got the thinniest bolt and washer head.. You shouldnt have to shave the pullies no matter which one. The sides on the 2.87 are thicker! That is probably because the pulley is smaller, spins faster and needs more strength

If your having to shave your pulley something isnt right...

 

A bolt with a short head can be used to mitigate the machining. If I would not shaved that 1/8" of my 2.62, the bolt would have hit the timing cover. You can shave all you want too as long as you don't exceed the main steel shaft, otherwise you will get play with the pulley which will lead to wear. In my case, a little shaving plus some red loctite solved my clearance and loose pulley problems.

 

No, i am not new to this... i installed the new kit by myself back in 2000 so I am not a newbie at this... As meximax stated the longer end can be machined down (to match STILLEN's original pulley) and it's the other side of the pulley that seats against the Vortech. Thanks for your help, though.

 

just strange.. I didnt have an issue with the 2.87. It was really close like 2 or 3 sheets of paper close but not in need of shaving.. Oh well, if it works then do what you got to do

 

atleast you guys can say you got a "shaved pulley"

 

Jeez... maybe I should have ordered 2 instead of one.

 

i took my sc aparts for like the millionth time and the key is starting to wear itself down. Just to let you know when i was in Sears they had a hardware sections and had these keys for like .60 so getting another 1 shouldn't be a problems.

 

I picked up a foot long rod from Home Depot that is exactly the same dimensions as the key. Now I have backup.

 

Right on. I'll grab a handfull next time I'm up there. How many miles until it started to wear decently?

 

the wear wasn't that bad but noticable. I've had the sc in for almost 10k, and i'm not positive how long the original owner had it in for. Mine might have worn faster because of the pulley sliding around. I just changed a pulley on a sc couple days ago and his key was in almost new condition. I'm positive that he has put way more miles on it then i have but he hasn't ever had any loose pulley incidents.

 

Hmm. All right, well I guess I'll just have to keep my eye on it.

 

Also keep in mind the type of metal these rods are made of. You dont want to just cut something and stuff it in there cause it fits. If its not really strong metal it will just wear away. I put red lock tite on the key the shaft, washer, bolt and the pulley just to help keep things in place