one piece pulley

[Model A Man]

I replaced a two piece pulley on my wifes roadster with a one piece pulley i bought from a vendor. After installing the pulley and putting the car back together I started the car and could hear a loud banging noise, turned the car off and what I found is that one of the spokes of the one piece pulley hits the front motor mount. If I would have been smart I would have checked the clearence by rotating the motor before putting the car back together. I am now going to try to remove the front motor mount and grind some off where the pulley hits as I dont want to grind any material from the spokes of the pulley. I hope this information helps so no one makes the same mistake as I have. I have to keep reminding myself that aftermarket parts need to be reworked before using .

 

[wrndln]

You must have purchased a bad pulley. The spokes of a pulley should be not even close to the front round part of the pulley. Are you sure the notch in the pulley shaft is in the key on the crankshaft? If you posted a picture of the pulley, maybe we could see what the problem is. Where did you buy the pulley? I have installed pulleys before and never had a problem as where is plenty of clearance between the pulley and motor mount.
Rusty Nelson

 

[Model A Man]

The spokes look really thick so I choose to grind the spokes of the pulley (as i was able to fit a grinder in there after removing the fan belt) I was able to see that all 3 spokes were hitting and now no more hitting, Yes I pretty sure the notch is in the key way and if the pulley was to go on farther it would have hit even more and then the nut would have tighten on the crank and not the pulley

 

[Al Bass]

I put a new pulley on my engine when I rebuilt it and I ended up with a bad oil leak, the pulley wasnt machined correctly and had a wobble to it

 

[Joe K]

From a local parts house I bought a two piece pulley. The hole through the hub wasn't large enough to pass the end of the crankshaft.

He was good. Took the obviously defective pulley back and gave credit. (He didn't have another one to sell me - grr!)

Joe K

 

[RHD]

It can't be the spokes. They are recessed as the pic below.

 

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

It can't be the spokes. They are recessed as the pic below.

RHD, maybe he meant that the backside of spokes hit the motor mount yoke where it bolts to the timing cover. Must have been a funky casting I'm too lazy to go look at mine. Bill W.

 

[Joe K]

Too bad a side-by-side photo comparison can't be made with a successful pulley.

We all LOOOOVE pix of course. And proof of poor quality repop parts.

Joe K

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

I've never had a problem with cast one piece repro pulleys, but have seen the steel 2 piece pulley rub on the motor mount a couple times. I just can't picture spokes coming close to the motor mount.

 

[2manycars]

I am curious as to what vendor this defective pulley came from. I also wonder about grinding the spokes of the pulley, as that might throw it off balance.

 

[Logan]

I've heard of this problem before with the brand new one peice pulleys. You can do as you're doing grind a little off the motor mount. But I would figure out which spoke was hitting and just take a little off of that one. They're pretty beefy so it shouldn't effect the durability of the pulley.

 

[Logan]

I am curious as to what vendor this defective pulley came from. I also wonder about grinding the spokes of the pulley, as that might throw it off balance.

I would say most crank pulleys are not in balance. Just looking at old pulleys while the motors running you can easily see them wobbling 1/2 an inch front to back.

 

[Purdy Swoft]

From a local parts house I bought a two piece pulley. The hole through the hub wasn't large enough to pass the end of the crankshaft.

He was good. Took the obviously defective pulley back and gave credit. (He didn't have another one to sell me - grr!)

Joe K

I bought a one piece pulley from a very popular vender on the east coast . The pulley wouldn't slip over the crankshaft. I had to slightly ream the pulley for enough clearance for the pulley to slip over the shaft. I was really glad at the time that I had bought a set of low cost adjustable reamers from Harbor Freight. I could have sent the part back for a replacement but it would have took more time plus a possible shipping cost. I won't name the vender but here is a hint.The catalog states , (quote) the one piece casting is foreign, but the machine work on this pulley is done in the US. very good quality. That one must have been machined on a monday or a friday. I bought A two piece pulley from the same vender for another model A that is in my collection. This one fit the crankshaft just right , but the spokes of the pulley hit the late style 30-31 front motor mount yoke. I removed the yoke and ground off enough material for clearance. After some touch up with semi gloss black the mods are not noticeable.

 

[Model A Man]

yes it is the back of the spokes that hitting the top of the front motor mount yoke, I ground some off the spoke that was hitting but then noticed that the other two were also hitting so I ground some off each spoke, because I didn't want to take the car apart to get to the front motor mount. The vendor was Snyders, but I don't think they make the part just sells the part(I am not blaming them). This isn't the first time I have had problems with an aftermarket part and I am sure it wont be the last. I am just glad I was able to make it work as my wife wants to get back to driving her roadster. (gotta love a wife that loves old cars)

 

[Al Bass]

some pictures of my bad pulley.
1st picture set to zero, no wear on shaft at oil seal and a slight nick on pulley spokes.
2nd picture shows wear on shaft from oil seal and larger nicks in pulley spokes

 

[Joe K]

I would say most crank pulleys are not in balance. Just looking at old pulleys while the motors running you can easily see them wobbling 1/2 an inch front to back.

This true. My engine rebuilder took on the pulley also, and did the unit in his machine while attached to the crank. The pulley came back with a BUNCH of drill point divots/marks on the back side where he had found it necessary to remove material to compensate.

Joe K

 

[Joe K]

I bought a one piece pulley from a very popular vender on the east coast . The pulley wouldn't slip over the crankshaft. I had to slightly ream the pulley for enough clearance for the pulley to slip over the shaft.

Thinking on this, mine MIGHT have been a single piece pulley. This now a few years back but knowing what I know now, I would buy the single piece pulley. (it's original, plus I'm a lot better at pulling an engine now than I used to be.)

Joe K

 

[Larry Seemann]

I think you'd be amazed at how many times over the last 80+ years a Model A owner was sure he had a rod knockin' when it was just a crank pulley spoke tickin' the motor mount. I've seen it several times. There just ain't much clearance there.
So, the next time you, or a fellow Model A'er, think you're about to throw a rod check the crank pulley and also the water pump where the shaft rides on the boss in the head. It seems that there are quite a few things that mimic a rod going out.