If it does cost 500 EUR and there is still some vibration which escapes undamped, is it worth it, or not?.. 
~Nautilus
~Nautilus
If it does cost 500 EUR and there is still some vibration which escapes undamped, is it worth it, or not?..
~Nautilus
Whats 500Euros?
Not quite. There was the Fluidampr itself ($390) plus shipping ($85) plus customs tax for non-EU goods (4.5%) and VAT (24%) plus labor for fitting, which makes for a full cost of $636 or roughly 500 EUR.
It does run smooth, indeed, and there is no longer the vibration transmitted into the chassis at 5000rpm plus. But there is a small amount of vibration which still escapes it.
The basic reason for fitting it is to protect the internal components of the engine, mostly the rods and timing gear, which are under tremendous stress in a torquey engine like a modded 1.8T and which can give up much quicker compared to crankshaft or pistons, both forged. The second reason is to get a smoother running under acceleration.
There had been reported a back-to-back dyno test of a big turbo car, which experienced a power increase of 2.94% with Fluidampr fitted, for unknown reasons (possibly lower parasitic drag on the engine internals).
~Nautilus
It does run smooth, indeed, and there is no longer the vibration transmitted into the chassis at 5000rpm plus. But there is a small amount of vibration which still escapes it.
The basic reason for fitting it is to protect the internal components of the engine, mostly the rods and timing gear, which are under tremendous stress in a torquey engine like a modded 1.8T and which can give up much quicker compared to crankshaft or pistons, both forged. The second reason is to get a smoother running under acceleration.
There had been reported a back-to-back dyno test of a big turbo car, which experienced a power increase of 2.94% with Fluidampr fitted, for unknown reasons (possibly lower parasitic drag on the engine internals).
~Nautilus
I also saw this kit from Bar Tek Tuning.
I also saw the Fluidampr on their site: 1.8T Fluidampr Crank Pulley
I also saw the Fluidampr on their site: 1.8T Fluidampr Crank Pulley
1. A main crankshaft pulley with no damping at all, solid metal wheel, will result in vibration, noise, poor running at high rpm and quick wear on bearings, rods and timing gear.
2. A combo of Fluidampr crank pulley and 2 lightweight pulleys for alternator and power steering pump gives practically no advantage over just Fluidampr - how much lighter can the 2 other pulleys be? hundreds of grams? and how are they going to recover lost hp?
For 179 EUR plus shipping and fitting, there have to be more efficient options. Those are not small change or pennies.
~Nautilus
2. A combo of Fluidampr crank pulley and 2 lightweight pulleys for alternator and power steering pump gives practically no advantage over just Fluidampr - how much lighter can the 2 other pulleys be? hundreds of grams? and how are they going to recover lost hp?
For 179 EUR plus shipping and fitting, there have to be more efficient options. Those are not small change or pennies.
~Nautilus
So it doesn't cost 500EUR. It cost 300EURO. If you paid 500EURO for it you been tricked. All the other cost you mention cannot be labeled at #Fluidampr# cost but labour, taxes and shipping costs.
I also got one for my rebuild this spring.
Stock boost pipe has larger actual section area compared to my boost pipe (THS Performance), but also it has the shape of a muffler, going from a narrow circular section to a large oval section and back into circular shape. This "brakes" the airflow like a muffler brakes down the exhaust gases.
Aftermarket boost pipes have constant diameter and shape and therefore the engine breathes a bit easier.
~Nautilus
Aftermarket boost pipes have constant diameter and shape and therefore the engine breathes a bit easier.
~Nautilus
A quick motorway test (speeds from 100 to 170 km/h) had shown the following:
+ There is no vibration transmitted into the chassis below 5000rpm and a very small amount of vibration which escapes undamped at max power rpm (above 5000rpm, WOT, under full available boost);
+ The engine reactions (the "bouncing back" of engine under boost) can no longer be felt in the pedals and chassis;
+ There is no discernible feel of acceleration ("butt dyno") at any speed.
Like a high-speed train, the needles on the tach and speedometer can be seen rising (at the same rate), while the car practically hovers. There is no difference between 100 km/h and 170 km/h, at both speeds the car feels like stationary. Very little engine noise from 4000rpm upwards, practically none at slower rpms.
There might have been the small increase in power which has been quoted, for the acceleration in 5th gear seemed a bit improved (almost like 4th gear previously).
~Nautilus
+ There is no vibration transmitted into the chassis below 5000rpm and a very small amount of vibration which escapes undamped at max power rpm (above 5000rpm, WOT, under full available boost);
+ The engine reactions (the "bouncing back" of engine under boost) can no longer be felt in the pedals and chassis;
+ There is no discernible feel of acceleration ("butt dyno") at any speed.
Like a high-speed train, the needles on the tach and speedometer can be seen rising (at the same rate), while the car practically hovers. There is no difference between 100 km/h and 170 km/h, at both speeds the car feels like stationary. Very little engine noise from 4000rpm upwards, practically none at slower rpms.
There might have been the small increase in power which has been quoted, for the acceleration in 5th gear seemed a bit improved (almost like 4th gear previously).
~Nautilus
INA Engineering also builds the 2 accessory pulleys, alternator and power steering pump, for a better factory price compared to Bar-Tek Tuning: less than $120 (2 x $59.99). It may cost more delivered and fitted, since EU customs taxes and VAT are greater compared to USA.
They also do quote the respective weights: 142g power steering pulley, 126g alternator pulley. (As the shape of the pulley is fixed and the density of aluminium alloys can't be much different, I'd say for practical purposes that is the weight of a lightened pulley, regardless of manufacturer )
The stock alternator pulley in a 1.8T has roller bearings or clutches inside, or it's just a steel wheel? Does it need splines to fit the alternator shaft?
The weight saving may not help the engine at all to generate more hp, but aluminium may dissipate heat of the alternator better compared to steel.
~Nautilus
They also do quote the respective weights: 142g power steering pulley, 126g alternator pulley. (As the shape of the pulley is fixed and the density of aluminium alloys can't be much different, I'd say for practical purposes that is the weight of a lightened pulley, regardless of manufacturer
)The stock alternator pulley in a 1.8T has roller bearings or clutches inside, or it's just a steel wheel? Does it need splines to fit the alternator shaft?
The weight saving may not help the engine at all to generate more hp, but aluminium may dissipate heat of the alternator better compared to steel.
~Nautilus
Some fellows running Cummins 6.2 Diesels in the USA and another fellow running a Mitsubishi 4G63 filmed the engine with both stock pulley and Fluidampr.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzwr5Drhp3A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JN5F3zGh0o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_ABeAc4yDs
They acknowledged there is some vibration which still escapes the Fluidampr: a harmonic pulley is made to dampen the torsional vibration in the crank due to torque, and it does it brilliantly. But the vibrations due to irregular firing or other causes are a different kettle of fish and are not influenced by a harmonic damper.
~Nautilus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzwr5Drhp3A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JN5F3zGh0o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_ABeAc4yDs
They acknowledged there is some vibration which still escapes the Fluidampr: a harmonic pulley is made to dampen the torsional vibration in the crank due to torque, and it does it brilliantly. But the vibrations due to irregular firing or other causes are a different kettle of fish and are not influenced by a harmonic damper.
~Nautilus
There are three possible types of alternator pulley in a car with ribbed serpentine belt:
1 - solid aluminium or steel pulley.
2 - one way clutch pulley.
3 - overrunning alternator decoupler pulley.
The difference between them is as following:
One way clutch pulley allows the alternator rotor to coast to a stop when engine is shut down and prevents belt slippage.
Overrunning alternator decoupler pulley is a one way clutch pulley with a torsion spring inside, which allows some of the engine vibrations to be absorbed and allows the rotor to coast when the alternator is not under load.
So the pulley which provides best performance by relieving the engine from the job of turning the alternator when there is no need for it is the overrunning alternator decoupler pulley, not the solid lightweight pulley.
All 1.8Ts, 1.9TDIs and 3.2VR6s from Audi TT use a one way clutch pulley (Source: Gates.com)
So the upgrade is an overrunning alternator decoupler pulley from newer, post-2010, VAG engines which has the same diameter and same rib profile as the one way clutch pulley.
1 - solid aluminium or steel pulley.
2 - one way clutch pulley.
3 - overrunning alternator decoupler pulley.
The difference between them is as following:
One way clutch pulley allows the alternator rotor to coast to a stop when engine is shut down and prevents belt slippage.
Overrunning alternator decoupler pulley is a one way clutch pulley with a torsion spring inside, which allows some of the engine vibrations to be absorbed and allows the rotor to coast when the alternator is not under load.
So the pulley which provides best performance by relieving the engine from the job of turning the alternator when there is no need for it is the overrunning alternator decoupler pulley, not the solid lightweight pulley.
All 1.8Ts, 1.9TDIs and 3.2VR6s from Audi TT use a one way clutch pulley (Source: Gates.com)
So the upgrade is an overrunning alternator decoupler pulley from newer, post-2010, VAG engines which has the same diameter and same rib profile as the one way clutch pulley.
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