My Take On Pulleys................

[cyclone03]

While at Fun Ford in Houston I bought a set of Steeda Pulleys.
First off they are very high quality.Built in damper on the crank pulley and a lightened water pump pulley,they look great!
I used the stock alternator pulley.

Install was a breeze,all hand tools,ok some big ones,plus a puller.
Had to dismount the fan but nothing hard at all.

Now the bad news..............
The way I use my Marauder the battery voltage drops below 12v at idle.Here in TX we use our headlights and A/C at the same time.Also even with the A/C fan on low sitting at a light with the brakes on the voltage drops below 12v.
I don't have the kind of relationship with my dealer to go in and ask them to raise my idle to the 900rpm it would take to get my battery to charge.So it looks like the pulleys will be coming off Saturday.
You guys with chips,or thinking about getting one from Dennis go ahead and ask him to raise the idle,it will help keep those gauges lights from blinking at you,even stock,with pulleys mine look like strobe lights.
Live and learn I guess.

[RF Overlord]

cyclone:

Before you remove the pulleys, do you really spend that much time idling at stoplights with all your accessories on? Even if the voltage drops more than normal, as soon as you accelerate even a little, the voltage should come right back up...I can't imagine it stays down long enough to affect your battery charge.

Try this?...have your friendly local mechanic put a load tester on your battery, and record your results...drive the car for a week and have him test it again, see if the result indicates a slow draining of your battery. I bet it won't...

[TAF]

I have to say I have not experienced this with the pullies. And my idle is at around 700, certainly not 900. I have no fluctuation in power with all accessories on at idle. And, I can't see how the pulley set could make any difference when the alternator pulley is not changed.

Also, there was an immediate "seat of the pants" increase in power after they were installed.

(NOTE: I still have stock VOLT gauge and it does not go below 12, but who knows since it is mainly an "ON/OFF" gauge)

Sorry to hear they are not working for you.

[cyclone03]

Well yes I do spend a lot of time idling.I pick my kids up from school,10 minutes at idle with the A/C on,hey its been over 90 here,then drive to another school and 10 more minutes.
The pulleys change the car from one that gave me nothing to think about to one that REQUIRES monituring.
Maybe I sound a little whinney about it but I've had cars that required ALOT of care and feeding and I think I'm over that now.
To keep the voltage above 12 I rest my foot on the throttle,1000 rpm and alls well.
I can report that the pulleys don't cause the engine to overheat.
Oh and after a day at work in the sun all day the ONLY position on the fan switch is HIGH!!!
Even without the lights the idle rpm has to be about 900 to keep the voltage up.

[cyclone03]

Note I didn't say I getting rid of them.
I'll put it back stock then go in and have the idle raised.
Oh for the days when I'd be just a screw driver turn away from perfection.

[RF Overlord]

Sorry, man...your original post makes it sound like you were removing them permanently...

Still, though, if you take them off, then go to the dealer to have the idle raised, isn't that gonna be a little suspicious, too?

And doesn't raising the idle void the warranty? :lol:

[jefferson-mo]

not if the dealer does it....... IMHO

[Mike M]

Put a piece of tape over your voltage gauge, don't look at it. The car is not in any danger of killing your battery....I promise!

[Bigdogjim]

cyclone03: If your sitting at school for 10 min. and the MM is in netural than your battery will/should be ok? Do what RF said and run it for a week and recheck the battery..................

[WolfeBros]

Originally posted by TAF
(NOTE: I still have stock VOLT gauge and it does not go below 12, but who knows since it is mainly an "ON/OFF" gauge)

Todd and all. The stock Voltmeter is very accurate from 10 volts to 16 volts. What you see is what you are getting unless the gauge itself is FUBAR. I know because I bench tested it with a very accurate Digital Panel Meter and Power Supply.

Now the Oil Pressure gauge IS a different story......crapola as we all know. For those that don't know.....do a search here on the BBS on gauge.

[TAF]

Thanks Wolfe...anyway, I don't go below 12...so if it works from 10 up...then I'm not having any loss with the pulley set.


"Why don't you just make 10 louder"
"Cause...................these go to 11"

[WolfeBros]

If it doesn't stop raining out your way you will need a depth sounder. :lol: :lol:

[TAF]

My next mod from Dennis...he's fabricating a propeller!!!!:help:

[cyclone03]

Back in the day when you dropped the trans into gear the idle would drop.
With the computer as the car idles in park the RPM drop down to about 600 or so.Back into gear and it's still 600.
Warm your car up and check it your self.

[Macon Marauder]

cyclone03,

Seems strange to me that your voltage is affected if you kept the stock alternator pulley. Something else must be wrong. Weak battery? Failing alternator?

Or am I missing something?

[engine23ccvfd]

Cyclone where is Cibolo? Lived in Texas my whole life and never heard of it!

[RF Overlord]

Macon:

Underdrive pulley sets have a smaller diameter crank pulley, so even thought the alternator pulley is unchanged, there is still some reduction in speed.

[Macon Marauder]

Originally posted by RF Overlord
Macon:

Underdrive pulley sets have a smaller diameter crank pulley, so even thought the alternator pulley is unchanged, there is still some reduction in speed.

RF,

Thanks for 'splainin!

[TAF]

Originally posted by TAF
Anybody who is "on the fence" regarding the Steeda Pulley Kit, I learned some info (411 as my friend Mac would say) from the Ford guys that were at the session this weekend. Apparently, the Marauder got a new/never used before on production alternator system. (maybe one of you Ford wrenches can explain the specifics)

Basically, what I was told is our unique system is virtually MADE for underdrives. The system will not allow the loss of volts that you may be scared of. Believe me, I was sceptical about them as some of you are...spoke with some of my friends here...got "mixed reviews", but took the step and could NOT be happier.

Just my 297.3 RWTQ's worth (sounds better than .02)

I posted this before. Maybe one of you "inside guys" can help explain this further as to the unique alternator system that was used...

[cyclone03]

The alternator pulley has a clutch built into it,thats why you don't change it when you go to underdrives.

to engine23,Cibolo is nouth east of SanAntonio off of IH35.