TunerMax

iTrader: (2)

**Update: This kit was not formally made due to lack of interest. If you are interested in DIYing yourself though, I can tell you the setup works fantastic. I raced the car often, as well as daily driving. I was over 17 PSI, over spinning blower, worn engine mounts and bushings, and 3.12" pulley when my motor finally let go after 2 years and never had a problem with this setup, no belt slip and no excessive tension on the belt (and thus the bearings of all the accessories, etc.) I ran it again with the new motor a bit this year and same deal, plan to run it again next year and gonna run up to 7500 RPM on the engine as well this time around.
Oh and I've never replaced the belt, or had a bearing go on any accessory since installing.

For being a quick test/potential fix it ended up being a simple and proven solution for me personally. I would highly recommend it as an option.

Here's the stock belt design:




Here's the TM Pulley Mod Design:



You simply remove this pulley:



Drill the 1/4" hole per the supplied template directly below where the pulley was mounted, and then install the supplied tensioner where the old pulley was with the new bolt.

Please excuse the crude picture during testing:



Then all you need to do is adjust the stock tensioner FOR THE LAST TIME EVER and install the belt. The new tensioner can be adjusted FROM THE TOP OF THE CAR with a simple 3/8" Ratchet wrench. You can change your belt WITHOUT EVER LIFTING THE CAR OR GOING UNDER IT AGAIN.
This is also great because the stock tensioner setup, well, it sucks. they're known to seize, break, strip, and cause a general headache.

This setup utilizes a VARIABLE TENSIONER. So when the belt loads up and stretches, the tensioner moves clockwise and increases the tension accordingly, and when the load decreases and the belt returns to 'normal' length, the tensioner self-adjusts.
This will keep the ideal tension on your belt system at all times, regardless of temperature, pulley loads, belt wear, etc.

Let me know what you think, any suggestions are appreciated.

Z33Garage

iTrader: (3)

I dont own a votech *yet* but this makes alot of sense to have! I am guessing that the new hole needs drill and tap? Are you planning on including the tap?

350z006

iTrader: (79)

The variable tensioner sounds interesting to me...heck, I would try and integrate that into my revup setup...

TunerMax

iTrader: (2)

No tapping! I modify the tesnsioner and machine it as needed so you can just remove the old pulley and install this one with a longer bolt.

The only drilling is for the tensioner assembly pin. It just needs a 1/4" hole drilled, that's it.

binder

iTrader: (8)

The constant pressure is nice but the belt actually gets more tight once it heats up so the more you drive it the less it should slip.

I'm a little concerned with the fact that it tensions in a direction that removes the belt wrap from the jackshaft pulley. That seems a little counter productive.

OldManZ350

iTrader: (23)

Many people have tried to do it another way.....

GTM came up with adding an addition Idler pulley up by the Jack Shaft, Not Necessary.

I've never had any problems after I did the TimRod Vortech Belt Slip/Noise Solution in 2004

https://my350z.com/forum/forced-indu...-solution.html

meanz

iTrader: (23)

^I added the GTM extra pulley by the jackshaft and never had a problem..

TunerMax

iTrader: (2)

This is a very good point. Doing it the other way pushes the belt into the cam cover which I didn't like. I plan(ned) on adding a pulley on the top by the blower the design and might do that still to alleviate that concern and still retain the benefits of this setup. Considering the Blower pulley has a full half revolution of belt coverage I wasn't too worried about it.
Also the amount that this moves is barely something to discuss. It essentially stays exactly as you see it, so there's still plenty of 'wrap' around the blower.

I have to test at high boost still, so those results will come soon. As you already know, the tune comes Thursday. (thanks for the advice along the pathway as well dude!)

What are the temperatures where you guys all are? Most of the issues noted are cold start issues where the alternator loads up in cooler temps. This was my primary issue. You guys all live in warm climates where belt slip and squeal is way less of a problem.

Thanks for the imput in either case. This is the easiest solution I can think of. I haven't seen anything easier that works this well.

binder

iTrader: (8)

I drove my vortech year round for 2 years. It was well below 0* F here in indiana in the winter.

I only had startup squeal the first time I installed it then I realized you have to tighten the belt VERY tight. If you are still getting start up squeal then it's not tight enough. I just kept tightening until it went away.

I added the extra pulley by the blower when I put a built engine in and went up past 500hp.

TunerMax

iTrader: (2)

Good info! Thanks Jeff. Mine went away when I strung the belts tight also, but I was not ok with putting that much load on the alternator bearing. Maybe it would have been fine but as a mechanic I was not comfortable with over tightening a belt to that level. I've seen what that does to belts and bearings, especially if the alternator is no longer OEM. Either way very glad your experience with it was not a bad one! You are running the single pulley by the blower now with no issues?

TunerMax

iTrader: (2)

The point of this post wasn't to try and discredit other people's mods on these systems, I apologize if it came across that way. I am just trying to provide another method to the community. I think it's awesome that there are so many creative minds that have tweaked and modded things in very ingenuitive ways to 'better' the system. None that I've seen are bad ideas, and clearly most of them work just fine. Again this is just intended to be another option.

For the time being I'll just sit on this. And if anyone want's a 'kit' I will put them together as a special order.

Thanks for the valuable imput from the Vortech OG's.

Also if anyone simply want's to know what I used and how to make this themselves, PM me, I have no issue sharing if you want to DIY this.

meanz

iTrader: (23)

It's always good to have different options out there on table.

TunerMax

iTrader: (2)

A quick update, after running on the dyno and being able to monitor the tensioner and belt during high RPM & load, the belt stretch is even more than I imagined at high load.
I have to choose whether to either:

A) Add a small pulley by the blower pulley in addition (where people normally install the single pulley)

or

B) Reposition the tensioner ("CLOCK") just a bit

The issue is under high belt stretch the tensioner tightens up and raises the belt into the cam cover, and it just barely grazes it when the RPM is high enough. Tension is still maintained and I haven't had a peep of belt sqeal at all.

So I have some more testing to do
Chances are, I'll install the 2nd pulley, I prefer that method, there's simply not enough pulleys in the long stretch between the main belt cluster and the blower pulley, adding one or more will only help.

binder

iTrader: (8)

I ran over 500hp on that single pulley setup for close to 2 years with no issues. My boost curve was always perfectly straight meaning the slip was so minimal it didn't affect boost building. A little slip won't hurt anyways. It's a protective mechanism for the supercharger impeller and gearbox.

I'm turbo charged now because I got tired of dumping money into a system that wouldn't provide the power or down low torque that I wanted.

TunerMax

iTrader: (2)

Very encouraging to hear, thanks Jeff!

The boost curve on this is straight as a ruler as well up to a little over 12 PSI at 6400 RPM.
I hit some very unexpected fuel PSI drops approaching the 5800 RPM range so we stopped at 6400 RPM.

I have regrets about not going turbo, but for now they are minuscule at best. I wouldn't be surprised to feel the same as you down the road. For now I'm happy not to have the cost of a built motor on my hands.

binder

iTrader: (8)

Fuel pressure drops are almost always due to lack of fuel pump. If you aren't running a return system with a larger supply line than factory the walbro 255 will run out due to the high resistance of the small stock supply line. That's what happened to mine up near the top of the rpm range even with my fuel return system. Walbro was just out of steam.

For stock block power nothing is wrong with the vortech. I wasn't stock block though so the vortech was only holding me back and costing more money.

TunerMax

iTrader: (2)

An update:

So instead of re-clocking the tensioner completely, I just increased the nominal tension 1.5 turns on the stock tensioner.

Perfect. No rubbing, and tension is ideal at all times.

phunk2

the less tension you can run on the belt overall, without getting any slip, is, of course, ideal for wear and lifespan on several parts. Overall I like the idea of a self adjusting tensioner.

TunerMax

iTrader: (2)

Yeah my thoughts also dude. Ideally I'd reclock it, if I did it again, so that I don't need any added nominal tension. But it's still acceptable tension sitting static, way better than it was before

KushZEN

iTrader: (5)

so was there ever any update on this?