Sort of urgent I just got in my PRW fluid damper from way and reading the instructions it says to bake it at 250 for 15 minutes for a nice flakey crust, well to expand the metal, etc etc. For fun I slid it on the crank snout to see how it would slide on without head and it slid right on, no problems. So I put the crank bolt on and torqued it to 85 ft-lbs. My clicker torque wrench wouldn't "click" so I got out my beam type and it read 85 ft-lbs when applying the proper amount of force. just checking out there that I am ok. I spun the crank by hand and it looks like there is no wobble. just a little nervous because the OEM and M7 pulley required a puller to remove and clearly do not slide on this easy.
Mine took a puller and an impact wrench to remove the stock unit. I probably could have 'persuasion fit' the new one on (aka: hit it with a big hammer) but heating it made it slide right on very easily. Here's a how-to, if you haven't found it already: Replacing the Crank Pulley - Library
It's funny that you should be talking about this......the crank pulley just went on my 05 MCS after 125,000 miles. Now after some thought and discussion with a friend I have decided to tackle this job in my garage. (And after reading Arron's DIY on the subject.) And half the fun of owning this car is I can do some of this stuff myself. I like my MINI and with what I see coming over the horizon I think this is the right course of action. My philosophy "As stock parts fail, replace with better parts." OK.... here goes.......Which is the better part for the money? The ATI unit, the ATI 2% unit or the SFI Fluid Filled Damper? After what I have read I think I want to stay away from the lightened pulleys.
IMO, they're both quality products so save a couple bucks & go with the SFI. Honestly the only reason I could see going for the +2% would be to get a little extra boost out of a JCW car that you didn't want to chance the hassle of changing the S/C pulley itself, anything other than the JCW I'd just use the stock Crank pulley size & swap the S/C pulleys, since the non-JCW S/C pulleys are usually so much easier to remove.
Not to confuse things, but both are SFI rated pulleys. There is an ATI & a PRW. Both are reported to be very good. The PRW saves some money over the ATI. I plan on putting a PRW on my MINI.
Well....:crazy: generally I am confused all the time, but that's just me. And that is why I ask questions. :ihih: I think I am going with the PRW unit. Thanks for the input, I figured this was the place to ask. If all goes well I should be back on the road by Labor Day:biggrin5:
I just decided to upgrade to the ATI since it was $50 more and ATI I have heard of. Engine sounds a lot smoother now with the ATI and non death rattling supercharger.
I can tell you we sell both the Fluid Damper and ATI. I've installed both of them and used them both and the ATI is hands down a better product. When you set them side by side you can easily see it. We also found the ATI to dampen better on the engine, and many times the car will idle smoother after installing it. We also found the ATI better for track use just like the RSR race teams found as they used the Fluid dampers and ditched them for the ATI. And if our opinion isn't enough do some research on inertia dampers vs fluid dampers and you'll find the inertia ATI's are actually better at dampening.
My car runs the smoothest it has in years after I put the ATI pulley on it. Tamed a bunch of my nasty NVH. ATI damper + fresh belt tensioner + Vibratechnics street upper engine mount have made my car almost stock smooth again. Certainly seems to me to be superior to stock in damping performance as well as reliability of design (can't fail like the stock one).
My experience is also the same as already stated. I went with Way's recommendations on the ATI and experienced what he said. 2006 MCS R52; RMW Dyno-Tuned. --Russ