Just got an 00 SSEi last week, and i've been chasing this rattle noise since the 2nd day i've had it...turns out this morning the noise was gone [along with the tensioner pulley] when I was warming up the car...

Its #3 in this pic [next to #8]
http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...ey+replacement

I'm looking to have #3 and #8 replaced with metal pulleys [if they're still available]. I'm wondering how easy [or hard] of a job this is and what kind of tools are required. Also, i'm running the car w/o the supercharger belt [i read that was fine], but how long can I go without it on?

very easy job.. only need a 15mm socket and ratched i think

you can run it without the SC belt on a series 2 for as long as you can suffer through it

Make sure the rattle isn't the SC coupler in the nosedrive.

I personally see no advantage to the metal pulleys. Plastic will be fine on those.

I thought the rattle was the coupler, but I checked the */c pulley [since the belt was off anyway] and there wasn't any rattle, or movement that would indicate a problem there.

And I thought metal would be better so that the pulley wouldn't lock up and shred like the plastic pully did, or do they lock up no matter what material is used?

The tensioner pulley you can do in metal. The front idler pulley will need to be ribbed and plastic is the only choice I know of.

Both are reverse threaded. On the tensioner you'll need a T45 or T47 and the other also torx IIRC.

You can get ribbed 6 or 8 grooved pulleys, I have all metal ones on my car. I found that it was possible to heat the plastic pulleys enough that if rocks or dirt got in the vicinity of the pulleys that it would embed itself in the pulley.

I've been told the bearings are better on the metal pulleys but have no way to confirm that.

Only the 2 pulleys for the supercharger on the coil bracket are lefthand thread, the others are righthand thread.

Cheers,

Great information. Foghorn where'd you get your metal pulleys from? Were they ordered online? I wouldn't mind the wait for them since the car is fine without the */c running

You can get them all sorts of places, both Dayco and Gates make them but they may not be listed for your application. Find out the size of what you need then look through the catalogue to find the same size in steel. The bearing offset is all the same, the common bore size is 17mm, then just pick the number of ribs and the diameter you want.

I have an 8 rib grooved metal idler for the SC that'* from a Ford diesel, I'm not fussy

Cheers,

Foghorn speaks da truth.

This article too me 5 minutes at the NAPA parts counter:
http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...e=article&k=46

Take your pulleys in, they'll help you find the right replacements.