Anybody have any real world experience with a lightweight crank pulley offerings.
Looking for engine upgrades.
Seems like a pricey $500 bucks. It better do something for that kind of jack!

If not, what is the best mods to start with?

TIA

 

I've got experience with lightweight flywheels. Obviously not on a CLK, but it's the same principal, but without the fear of ruining a crank because the harmonic balancer is missing. And the difference is more pronounced with a lightweight flywheel. Basically, you’re reducing the weight of the rotating mass. The less rotating mass, the faster your engine will accelerate. It does not increase horsepower. It allows the existing horsepower to be used on something other than spinning extra weight. There is a difference between adding HP and reducing mass, but if all you really care about is acceleration, the results are the same. It’s also not the same as knife edging the crank. That doesn’t *create* more HP either, but there is a big difference in performance with crank work. If that isn’t what you wanted to know, ask away and I’ll try to answer.

No, I don’t have an aftermarket pulley on my CLK. If I got one for free, I’d either sell it or give it away at a local MBCA event. (will the shameless plugs never stop?)

 

ams pulleys still have a harmonic balancer
if u put it in right it will not kill your motor
alsoit will make your nose lighter and that always can help

 

Reducing rotating mass is free power. No tuning required. 500 is a little pricey but overall not that bad considering it has the dampener built in. If it were $400 I would buy one or if it were 12-15% smaller than stock I'd already have one. Why they chose to do all that work for a 1:1 ratio is beyond me. As a metal aluminum is 66% lighter than steel. I believe the stocker is about 7lbs I read somewhere.

 

The Power pulley improves power output at the wheels on the dyno by improving engine efficiency through reducing drivetrain mass. As stated, normally his energy is wasted in spinning that extra weight. The gains are amplified in lower gears due to gearing, especially 1st-3rd (similar to that of lightweight flywheels which make the largest gains in acceleration 1st gear). The power pulley provides most of the gains where you need it most (low end to midrange) for daily driving and for spirited driving. Peak power at redline does very little in the way of acceleration and makes a marginal difference compared to increasing the "meat under the curve". Many of our customers have also reported significant improvements in shifting quality as well due to the freer revving nature of the engine with the lightweight crank pulley (even though it isn't marketed for such purposes).

The reason the pulley is stock diameter is complete valid for a few reasons. First, its a Mercedes (not a civic). Very few benz owners want to sacrifice the creature comforts on their MBs, after all, these are luxury cars. Second, The stock diameter pulley allows it to be 100% compatible with the current accessory pulley kits also available on the market. This way you do not have to chose either/or you can have both (which many of our customers chose to do to extract the maximum power out of their pulley system). However, for those who don't want to underdrive their accessories they can simply purchase the AMS pulley and not touch the accessory systems. That options is available to them either way.

The pulley is now $499 w/ free shipping, compared to the crank pulley options for newer 6.3Ls this is actually quite a bargain. Remember, these have the dampers built into them and not just solid aluminum pulleys. Everyone always wants something for less, if it was $400 people would want it for $300, if $300 they'd want it for $200. Ultimately, it is an excellent value for the performance it delivers and over time it pays for itself through efficiency gains alone. So in reality it doesn't cost anything in the long run anyways.

Hope that helps clarify it for you

 

Normally I don't argue with vendors but everyone wants something for a fair market price. These cars are not $75k anymore so it changes the demographic of the owners from ignorantly rich people to people who like to make more informed purchases. I've seen underdrive pulleys on everything from 1.8l to 7.0l and as long as the ratio is conservative nothing is sacrificed except you may have to buy a shorter belt which is even less rotating mass along with the decreased size of the pulley. Whereas to underwrite your accessories you actually need bigger pullies. It would make more sense to go 1:1 on the accessories and ud on the crank like the rest of the world does bc you are just throwing away hp you coulda had.

Last I checked there a number of modified mb on here that would probably not have a problem with an ud crank pulley.

 

Edit: the phone snuck one by me underwrite=underdrive.

 

Actually, a quality "racing" balancer for a ford or chevy is +/-$250-400...... so $450+shipping is not too bad considering it's lightweight part AND a balancer as well.

Agree though a lightwgt pulley is a $100 part in other worlds.

 

I partially agree betreza, not trying to start anything merely share a pov. Most of those "racing" balancers I've seen are for race engines. Plus they are pretty exotic, usually fluid filled and whatnot to keep their monstrous engines from coming apart. They are definitely not light but then again the people buying them need em more for function than anything else. I do expect the pulley to be a little more since it has a dampener and probably the CNC shop that made it probably did a limited run I assume so that brings cost up alot. I've had cnc parts made before and it probably took some time to produce that pulley out of a fairly large chunk of aluminum. I've had small runs of custom pulleys made before and had to charge around $75 a unit. Never had one done one with a dampener tho.

 

DOHC..... dude you're running a losing battle if you think you're going to influence the MB aftermarket with comparisons to "My ford headers cost this" or "My mopar heads cost that'...... the fact is an aftermarket part for a benz will command a higher dollar than one for a ford....... it goes against physics..... but it's finance where talking here bubba not physics

I just finally sucked it up and spent the 3* premium so I can have my 3start WITH some performance. Hopefully it rewards me with some long service..... only time will tell.

If my blown clk blows up after 2K miles...... I might be cast back into a nice current gen 5.0 mustang with a power adder... same blower for the new 5.0 is 6K....... and puts down similar numbers to a kleemann on the clk55...... and it's got a 6spd and live rear to boot.... for drag racing......... Just depends what you want

 

I wasn't fighting the aftermarket but adding a pov to what you said. The last comment was not directed torwards any aftermarket vendor. I was actually agreeing with the part about the dampener/pulley combo costing more bc it is more expensive to cut out of a chunk of aluminum. You were the one comparing apples to oranges by saying these "race" dampeners for whatever application cost about the same. I was pointing out that these race parts you bought up are for race cars and shouldn't even be compared. I also acknowledged that I have never dealt with crank dampener/pulleys. I have never attempted to compare any products mentioned in this thread just sharing my opinion on price and design. To that extent I shall address the thread starter by saying the first couple mods he/she should look into would be gutting the rear converters and using a set of k&n drop in air filters.

 

The intention of such exchanges serves a couple purposes that I can think of. 1 to inform those seeking information about what to purchase and to inform those who may seek to be at the other end and offer products/services. A potential may think to theirself "self, if I can offer a similar product for x price or change the design slightly that there may be a demand for said potential product". Hence justifying the effort....or it may just fade into the ***** of time. Who knows.

 

Dohc...what suspension are you running?

 

1 more point I wanted to add is these are not 3* cars anymore. I'm sorry I truly am. This means that average people are buying these cars now. I think it was a wise investment on my part due to the overall build quality of the car. To compare apples to oranges there is one thing a 2002 clk55 AMG has in common with a 2002 WS6 trans am; the purchase price.

 

It handles like a beast but I'm guessing stock suspension. Definately need to get a pic up.