I'm getting ready to order a low temp thermo and a pulley for my '03 STR, but I'd like to get some input on which pulley you guys think is better. Mina has a 1.5lb pulley for $320, and Eurotoys has a 1.5lb AND a 2.5-3lb pulley for $245. Which one would you guys recommend?

 

As long as its real stainless steel (not mild steel or aluminum) you're good to go based on price. A pulley is a VERY simple piece of metal.

 

I see you have the 3lb pulley. How much modding did you have to do to the supercharger?

 

You have to machine the snout for the 3lb, do not for the 1.5...I wouldn't recommend a DIY install unless you know what you're doing...Also for the cost, if I could do it over again I'd go nitrous; in fact, if I could find someone to swap out my 3lbs for a stocker (and handle all the labor) I would do nitrous...With the 3lbs pulley you can notice a huge butt dyno difference between 80f day and a 40f day (much faster)...With the pulley, under WOT (wide open throttle) blasts, you're always putting more strain/stress/power/tq on the engine...With nitrous, if you're disciplined enough not to use it at every stop light, I believe the average driver would do less damage to their engine plus you get the added benefit of very cold air...Just my .02

 

Pssh, I will trade you superchargers then!

 

Now you're talking costs of gaskets and additional down time...lol

 

This is a good question. Most consumers want the highest quality product for the lowest price. Without seeing anymore data, I would vote on the Eurotoys pulley for the significant price difference.

Does anyone know if one is made of a lighter or higher quality metal?

 

I will let you borrow the couch with 4 wheels. Great for taking trips i!

 

Alex, Chris of Mina Galleries sold me two 1.5 lb aluminum pulleys. Call Mina and kindly tell Chris I and the forum sent you. I gave the second 1.5 pulley to vance580 due to his service in Iraq and destroying the first pulley when swapping on the 3 lb Eurotoys pulley. He presenty runs this pulley and hasn't reported a lick of a problem except for a lack of self control due to much more low end power. The nice thing with the Mina aluminum pulley vs Eurotoys steel pulley is in aluminum's softer metellurgy, setting it on or off is much easier than the steel pulley. My 03 STR presently runs a steel Eurotoys 3 lb'er. It's just pure fun in 60 degree and lower temps. My butt dyno's guessing the mods are causing her to pump out close to 460 chp @ 500 lb/ft trq. We'll see what she's putting out when dyno'd. I'm having the EGR tube installed this week, then off to the dyno. I'm betting a s/c port (likely worth 20+ hp), 3 lb. pulley, K&N a/f, Mafioso air intake tube, low temp. thermo., full exhaust mod, topped off with an ECU tune, will edge an STR close to 500 hp. In 65 degree and above temps. a "Chiller Killer" or alkyl/meth are a must for repeated runs.

 

I second this.. Chris is great. I ordered the Mina exhaust and Chris added the pulley for just $ 175.00. I have not installed it yet as Im still not sure if I want to do it myself, or have my local shop do it. Ive always changed my own pullys but this one looks far more difficult as there is no clearance to work and the instructions state you need to jack up the engine to get the clearance... so while a lot mor cost is involved with the shop labor, its probably worth the time savings.

 

Heres my stock pulley. I'll trade you for the 3lb. It just needs some paint and a buff.




If you dont have a puller I also dont recommend a DIY install unless you are really good with a cutter and you have a good cutter and steady hands. Also have plenty of cutting discs handy.

 

fergs03R, vance580 hit the nail on the head. If you're good with a cutter then you'll save a bunch of time (no jacking engine, etc.) Slice the stock pulley in fourths without cutting into the s/c shaft. The pulleys tension on the shaft should ease (Whoa! Trying to keep it clean here.), then nudge it off. The re-install is much easier, especially that the 1.5 Mina pulley is aluminum.

 

So the Mina pulley is aluminum, but what is the Eurotoys made out of? Are there any other companies that make SC pulley's?

 

I think I'll go with the 1.5LB Eurotoys pulley. I have a friend that can jack the engine and swap it our for me. It's going to stay on, so I'd rather have a steel pulley.

I might still end up doing Mina's exhaust, but ChrisSTR's Borlaflow really caught my eye/ear.

 

Mina is aluminum Eurotoys is steel. I'd go with an aluminum 3 lb if one was available.

 

I know steel and aluminum expand/contract at different rates, but it one metal better than the other for this application? The only thing I can think of is that aluminum is lighter, so less rotating mass? Not sure if that would even really make a difference.

 

You'd need to know the specific alloys to do a comparsion...Also, need to know if they're cast, billet, forged, etc...IMO it wouldn't make a noticable difference...

 

Just needs a little snake oil

 

Mike is thinking aong the lines I laid out...The aluminum pulley is both light, strong, won't slip, and never self destruct on the STR. The steel pulley is heavy, thus exerting much more stress on the blower snout bearing, and won't dissipate heat as well as the aluminum pulley. IMO, go with an aluminum pulley.

 

Then aluminum it is. I thought steel would be the better choice for longevity, but your explanation makes more sense.