L Series, 240Z,260Z,280Z Billet Dampener/Pulleys Offered

[Ron Earp]

I’ve finally received the batch of billet aluminum underdrive pulley dampeners for the Datsun L series engines and am offering some for sale. Basically these are solid billet copies of the Euro single grove dampener/pulley that is available; however, this design cannot break. I have had two engines done in by the Euro dampener failure and after VIR in Oct 2008 I had had enough.

These units are billet aluminum and anodized black. They will bolt on to any L series motor as far as I know and to facilitate that they DO NOT have timing marks. You will need to install the dampener/pulley at TDC and then scribe your own mark on the pulley.

One nice feature about these dampener/pulleys is that they are a 33% underdrive. Therefore you can use your standard water pump and alternator pulleys and achieve a reduction in parasitic loss and slow down your accessories. It work beautifully – I have run this unit on my 260Z now for about four track hours runtime and the cooling is better than my old setup with the Euro dampener and stock water pump pulley. Alternator charging is just fine too.

If you are using standard pulleys on the alternator and water pump the proper belt size, at least on my 260Z, is 32 inches and a 15 series belt. Advance Auto has this as part number 15320 on their hanging belts with a blue packaging.

Each dampener will cost $110, or $115 if you need it shipped to you. I’ll be bringing some of them down to CMP this weekend. Right now I have three reserved for Steve P, three for myself, leaving 16 of the units available. What doesn’t get taken by the racers will be offered on Ebay and there I’ll try and recover a bit of money on them offering them for around $140 to $150.

If you’d like one or some post here, PM me, or shoot me an email at rlearp “at” gt40s.com.
Here are some photos of the completed units and the un-anodized prototype on my race motor.

Thanks,

Ron

http://www.gt40s.com/images/pulleys/pulley1.jpg
http://www.gt40s.com/images/pulleys/pulley2.jpg
http://www.gt40s.com/images/pulleys/pulley4.jpg

[spawpoet]

Ron, we definitely want one. Looks great. I'll be sending you an e-mail shortly.

Chris

[JeffYoung]

These things are illegal, of poor quality and actually used by Mexican cartels to smuggle drugs to Cary, NC.

I would avoid.

[Ron Earp]

I would avoid.

Don't see you avoiding driving the 260Z that is equipped with one, do we?

Chris, got you down for one. 15 left.

[abq_redeye]

I want one. I'll follow up with an email...Robert in ABQ

[Ron Earp]

Ok, Robert one for you, 14 left.

Just for the record - no warranty is implied or given with these parts, use at your own risk.

Also, I'm not interested in holding parts for folks until later in the year in case I go to Mid-Ohio and what not. The shipping is only $5, what I pay, so if you want one and aren't local to me please count on me shipping it to you.

[spawpoet]

These things are illegal, of poor quality and actually used by Mexican cartels to smuggle drugs to Cary, NC.

I would avoid.


I guess this part's for me then. I need to get into drugs. Would be less expensive, less stressful, and less work than racing. :026:

[spawpoet]

Ron, one further question. Is it correct to assume this would be best used with the HD pulley bolt from Nismo, or are you using it with a stock pulley bolt?

[Ron Earp]

I'm using a stock bolt. I have one of those fancy NISMO bolts but the head is so large on it that my socket wouldn't fit into the opening and around the bolt.

[Ron Earp]

Chris and Robert, both of yours are leaving UPS today. 14 left.

[Parrish57]

I have one of those fancy NISMO bolts but the head is so large on it that my socket wouldn't fit into the opening and around the bolt.

Hey, watch you language mister. If you keep making this racecar stuff sound like a Harlequin romance novel this site will get overrun with 40 something housewives. Wait, that might not be such a bad thing! Carry on.....

[JeffYoung]

Since Steve girlfriended up, he's had a one track mind.

[pballance]

Put me down for one Ron. I am traveling and will follow up tomorrow.

[Parrish57]

Since Steve girlfriended up, he's had a one track mind.

It's my best track, by far.

btw... The pulleys are HIGH quality stuff if the prototype is any indication of the finished product...

[JeffYoung]

They are that. Really nice pieces, Ron did all you Z guys a huge favor....

[pablo]

Hi Ron they look great. Put me down for one. I'll try to contact you hope it works better that last time

[dspillrat]

HI Ron,
Gotta keep up with the Earps..... Wait, Jones'. I'd like 2 of those Ron....Seems I can't keep the front end of my car out of harms way.... Better safe then sorry.

David

[Ron Earp]

Hey Pablo and David,

ok, got you down for the requested amounts that leaves 11 left. You can Paypal me at my email address if you have that or send me funds at:

Ron Earp
132 Loch Pointe Drive
Cary NC 27518

I can get them sent out next week. I think you'll enjoy the pieces and it'll be one less thing to futz with. I know everyone says they have had no trouble with the stock piece or the Euro pieces, but that damn sure wasn't the case with me. Two blown head gaskets and two rebuilt motors later.....

[240zdave]

Put me down for one. Thanks.

[Ron Earp]

I think we're down to about 8 left. Anyone have Greg Ira's contact info? They were interested in them at VIR but I have no way to contact them.

Ron

[spawpoet]

Ron, I can get in touch with Ira. BTW the pulley has arrived and looks awesome! Thank you very much.

[pballance]

Put me down for one. Thanks.

How goes the re-tub Dave?

Ron, if Chris doesn't make contact with Greg, I have his info as well.

[dspillrat]

HI ron, what is your email for paypal....

[Ron Earp]

It is:

[email protected]

If you're getting two you only need the $5 shipping for one. They weigh nothing and two ship the same as one. You'll love them.

When you coming back out to play? Roebling?

[pablo]

Hey Ron He usually up on Classic Z car forum search for him and PM If you can't contact him post it and I've contacted him before and I'll give him the message to contact you.

[Ron Earp]

Hey Pablo,

Yours went out yesterday. Please contact them and ask them to check this thread. I'm getting ready to put the rest on Ebay or on the Z boards and I suspect they will go quickly. I wanted the racers to have the first crack at them but I don't want a bunch of them sitting around in my garage either.

Thanks,
Ron

[Mike Mackaman]

I think the light/cool of this part is overcoming my cheapness. I think I want one too.

BTW, the front suspension will start being bolted back on Davids car tonight. Should be as fast or faster than ever. BMW's not withstanding!

Mike

[dspillrat]

I'll be back, Had a little incident at Road Atlanta practice day in turn 3 ...bent up some stuff on the back end of a BIMMER!! err.... My fault. BUt... I won't go into it. Ggetting close to racen season!!!!!!. I can't waait to see this crowd of Z cars rule the track once more!!!!! ... Dang beer cans are so soft.

PAypal is acting stupid...saying I've paid out too much money??? Working on it.

David Spillman

[Ron Earp]

Dang ol dang ole fellows. You're supposed to pass the BMWs, not punt them! Beer cars versus Panzers doesn't work out in our favor.

Just send a check up with your address, my address is back down in the thread. You'll like these and they are inexpensive compared to making one on your own or having a shop do a small run of a few. Take them off my hands, I don't need a stack of these things lying around.

Ron

[ITZ34]

Ron:

I'd like to get one also. Will send you an email

Thanks

[Ron Earp]

Hi David,

I can send you one Friday, email received. I think we're down to about five units left now, counting Spillman and Mike M.

Ron

[x-ring]

Put me down for one also. Email to follow (obnoxious son wants to use the computer now...)

[JeffYoung]

Ron, your attorney says to be sure to report all income from this venture to the Internal Revenue Service.

This is a public service message. Thank you.

[pablo]

Ron I send A PM to Greg

[pablo]

Ron got my pulley boy if its as good as it looks thats 5 seconds just on encoragement. Thanks again for sharing Pablo

[Tristan Smith]

Ron, will that fit a VG30de? ha!

[pballance]

Ron, your attorney says to be sure to report all income from this venture to the Internal Revenue Service.

This is a public service message. Thank you.

Hey Ron, Just got off the phone with Dewey, Cheatam, and Howe and they said you do not have to report it as income unless you also report your prize money. If so, you have engineering costs, costs of production, etc that can be used to offset income.

Either way, it is tax year 2009 so you don't have to worry until April 15, 2010 about an audit. :):):)

BTW, pulley arrived, looks great thanks for doing this.


heads off to write check to IRS for this year and waiting on the finders fee for reporting tax cheaters :p

[abq_redeye]

Thanks Ron, got my pulley yesterday...Robert

[pablo]

Hi Ron! The stock pulley torque is 87 - 116 ft-lbs how tight should this aluminum one be? Its going on this weekend.

[Ron Earp]

Hey Palbo,

Heck if I know. I torqued mine down to around 100 ft-lbs. No ill effects thus far with three SARRC races and one ECR.

Ron

[pablo]

Good enough. I'll report back the results after the 90 min enduro.
Thanks again. Pablo

[Ron Earp]

I think it'll be fine. According to the hour meter we've got around 7.5 hours of runtime on the new engine with the races, practice, and qualifying. The ECR was 1.5 hours of that time. Thus far no ill effects and no movement of the pulley.

[spawpoet]

Ron, do you just run these on with the bolt and an impact wrench as snug as they are, or do you use a specific tool to press them on? With the Perfrmonce Products unit we tried the boil method, but ended up having to use a brake hone to open it up ever so slightly.

[Ron Earp]

Mine was a very snug fit. I torched it briefly with a propane torch - heating evenly and gently now (didn't get it above around 180F-200F), and then allowed the crank bolt and washer to press it on. Fit just fine I think. If you like hone it a bit for a better fit, sounds like a good idea.

My performance products Euro dampener was as you mentioned, had to be opened a bit to fit.

Ron

[Ron Earp]

I think we're just about out of pulleys.

There are six left on my desk but of those:

2 are for David Spillman
1 for Mike M
1 is on Ebay right now

So that leaves two units left. If anyone is feeling the need for one please let me know. They sure went fast. Maybe another run will be in order and get them on the Z forums, but for now all were sold to IT racers and a couple on Ebay.

Ron

[Ron Earp]

all Gone!

[Mike Mackaman]

I wish my projects sold that quickly! That is great. I sent the paypal a few minutes ago. It has been kind of crazy lately.

Mike

[dspillrat]

HI Ron,
Sweet looking pulley:OLA:...... One question, little off subject, but I'm curious.

I got 5 one dollar bills, taped to my pulley.... little soggy, slightly sweaty smelling.... You don't happen to have a after hours job do you?? :lol: Just Curious .....


David,...

[Ron Earp]

Ah, sheet, I sent you yours already? That's right, you paid too much so I had to send some bills back. Sorry, I just got off the late night dance shift and only netted a few ones that evening. Cheap wedding crowd.

Well.......that means there are:

Two more pulleys left!

Mike I will get yours out on Monday.

Thanks,
Ron

[Tom Donnelly]

Ron,

Ok, save one of the last two for me. How do I get you the money?
Are you going to be at Road Atlanta in May?

Tom Donnelly

[Ron Earp]

Hi Tom,

I'll save one for you, one pulley left. Check up in the earlier part of the thread for PayPal or check address.

Best,
Ron

[Ron Earp]

Mike, yours is out. Tom, yours is pending shipping/payment. One unit left, if nobody needs it I'll put it on Ebay later this afternoon.

Thanks all,
Ron

[Mike Mackaman]

Got mine last night, very nice. Although not enought to impress my wife or daughters, maybe if it had an MP3 player on it or something!!!

Very nice part, can't wait to put it on my car and make vroom sounds!!

Mike

[Ron Earp]

Glad you like it!!

One fellow asked about harmonic dampening and would this piece cause an issue in the regards. The two engine guys I've talked to about it, one of course being a well-known L series builder, Sam, and the other a very good V8 builder that machines my L series stuff for me, think no.

The stock piece is one hunk of metal and is heavier than this piece. However, race engine builders routinely fight on both ends of the crank (dampener, clutch, flyhweel, pressure plate) to reduce weight and have no ill effects. If the L series engine was going to be hurt by a reduction in crank pulley weight you'd also think it'd get hurt by a reduction in flywheel, pressure plate, and clutch weight. I dropped five pounds off my pressure plate and 1.5 pounds off my clutch, the sum total being much more than the difference in this piece from stock.

It is certainly a use at your own risk part but I think it is fine. The motor I have wearing one now has about 8 to 10 hours on it (one ECR, three SAARCs, plus associated practice and qualifiying for each) and seems to have no ill effects. Runs like a champ. The new motor Sam Neave is building for me is going to wear one also.

Ron

[Tom Donnelly]

Hi Tom,

I'll save one for you, one pulley left. Check up in the earlier part of the thread for PayPal or check address.

Best,
Ron

Ron,

Sending out the check tomorrow.

Thanks,

Tom

[Ron Earp]

Hey Tom,

Please send me your address and I'll send out the pulley.

Thanks!
Ron

[Mike Mackaman]

One thought on installation of this pulley or any other. If you get a replacement bolt from a fastener store and cut the head off, and then grind a generous fillet on the cut end, then do the same to some 1/2" or 3/4" acme thread rod and weld the two together with lots of heat. I actually center bored each for a roll pin to get them perfectly aligned, but I get that way some times. Then take a 4" section of 1 3/4" or 2", I don't remember which, roll bar tubing, weld a 3/16" plate over one end and then drill a hole in the end big enough for the acme threaded rod to fit through. Weld a 4-6" piece of 1" X 1/8" flat on for a handle, looking like an upside down L, with the handle on the same end that the plate is welded on. Thread the metric bold into the crank as far as it will go, put the pulley on as best you can, slide the tubing over the threaded rod and spin the nut on until it bottoms on the plate. Simply turn the acme threaded nut to drive the pulley onto the crank. This is a lot easier on the crank threads as you are not sliding on the threads and you are fully engaged. I have seen times using the stock bolt that there were only a few threads engaged. This can mess up a crank, and a day with it!

I haven't put the new pulley on, but it works great on the others.

Mike

[Tom Donnelly]

Hey Tom,

Please send me your address and I'll send out the pulley.

Thanks!
Ron

Tom Donnelly


Thanks Ron, the check's in the mail! (I had to say that)

[pablo]

Sanded down the inside bore a bit, make sure the key was seated down in the groove. placed pulley in toaster over set at 180 deg. ck temp increase with infrared temp gauge used heavy leather glove aling groove with key slide it in place waited a bit to cool down torqued to 100lbs. total time about 45 min including taking off the old one

[Tom Donnelly]

Ron,

Got the pulley. Thanks!

Tom

[Ron Earp]

One fellow asked about harmonic dampening and would this piece cause an issue in the regards. The two engine guys I've talked to about it, one of course being a well-known L series builder, Sam, and the other a very good V8 builder that machines my L series stuff for me, think no.


Just as an update - my motor now has a tad over 26 hours on it with this dampener and seems to be going strong. No leaks, no vibrations, things seem ok. Now I know that we'd have to pull it apart to really tell what is going on with the crank and bearings, but thus far the motor is still kicking.

Ron

[zzxracer]

hi ron...new to this site...focused mainly on gt racing..i'd like to try one of these on my 260z vintage engine...don't know if you have any left or if your going to make any more????,please let me know...e-mail is [email protected] thanks..Bill

[Ron Earp]

Hi Bill,

I might have one more in my race trailer. I'll check this weekend. I think I remember holding one back as a spare but since my prototype is still working just fine I can use it as a spare.

Ron

[zzxracer]

ok..yea i would take two (2) but i guess your out of them????i will use the one you have on my vintage 260z engine...i was going to use nissan comp dampener (euro),or a spare crankfire equiped one from the 70's they were bullitproof...i have them on my GTU/GT-2 280ZX tube car....and on my GTU/GT-2 300ZX tube car...but i'd like to try one of these....i have a pay-pal account which we can use for payment or i can send check,it's up to you...anyways thanks for getting back to me asap..i look forward to hearing from you..,hope you can find one in your trailer...Bill Erdman

[Ron Earp]

I have one of the pulleys left. I emailed Bill but got no response. So it is up for grabs.

Thanks,
Ron

[dangerami]

Hi Ron,
Do you still have these pulleys available?

[Ron Earp]

Nope, sorry they were all gone back in 2009. Dang, I can't believe that was so long ago.

[CPLUCKER]

Ron

do you have a drawing ? I could make a run of these things if people want them .

Chris Plucker

[cbuczesk]

I'd be interested and I might know a couple others too. Are you doing the MARRS races?

Chuck

[Ron Earp]

Ron

do you have a drawing ? I could make a run of these things if people want them .

Chris Plucker

Not any longer. I used to have one but it went with the car when it was sold to the fellows out in Oregon. Some IT racers from the Left Coast might know them and ask. For sure they have at least two of the pulleys because the two motors that went with the car were wearing them.

[Tom Donnelly]

I still have one, never got around to using it.

I'll sell it at the original price I guess since i still have more on the to-do list before I ever get to it.

I can't believe its been since 2009 either.

Email me if interested.