5/5
May 09, 2011
This will pay for itself. Get this before anything else!
I finally decided to pay the $90 for this pulley as a nice, easy place to start onI finally decided to pay the $90 for this pulley as a nice, easy place to start on modifying my 98 3.8L. It looked like a good return for the dollar, and I was interested in mods that yield both HP and MPG.
The install was quite easy and took less than an hour. I would say, though, that an impact wrench for the alternator nut saves tons of time. Buy or borrow one. Everything else comes off with hand tools. Also, take note that AM's wonderful installation instructions are far more involved than you'll need for this V6 UDP, as they appear to be geared for people who are installing more than just a UDP. They're helpful as a guide but you certainly won't need the pullers since you never mess with anything on the crank itself. If, for some reason, your original pulley is fused to the shaft, just give it a stout sideways blow with a rubber mallet. The instructions included with the UPD are actually quite comprehensive. They don't have the torque specs, but you can find these online and probably don't need them for a simple pulley, anyway.
Don't forget to disconnect the negative battery cable. This way, when you start the car the ECU re-learns its situation and meters out the gas
My car took a 96-inch belt, although I've read about other users setting up with 91's. I'd say try 96' first, and go from there.
Results were immediate. The engine idles far more smoothly than before. I had some mild vibration/shaking problems before the UDP, and now it runs as smooth as silk. The engine seems quite happier and ready to put the power where it needs to be: the rear wheels.
Power gains are notable, although not in-your-face dramatic, but certainly worth the $90 and then some. Throttle response is notably better, and it takes less gas input to do more work now, especially noticeable at low RPM's. Everything runs smoother and easier, with less throttle input required to so the same work, especially in traffic.
What really floored me, though, was the increase in gas mileage. I had previously run anywhere between 23 and 27 MPG, depending on what I had done that week, with 27 MPG being had only once on a highway-only trip using the throttle very lightly and using no AC. Typical mileage has been around 24-25 MPG.
I took a trip the day after installation to see what my new highway economy was. After pumping the gas back in and calculating, I had to check my math two or three times to make sure I hadn't made a huge error. Sure as anything, I had just gotten 31 MPG. For comparison, a 2011 Nissan Altima is advertised around 32 MPG highway. 31 is not bad for a 13-year old car with a least 140,000 miles!
If I work my math out right, assuming gas stays around $4 per gallon, this pulley will pay for itself after 10 tanks and after that, I'll be making money back. It makes no sense NOT to buy this. Your mileage may vary, but for me, it's like having the horsepower of a healthy V6 with the appetite of a 4-cylinder economy car. In fact, I think I get more miles per gallon than my wife's 4-cyl economobile does now.
So, the bottom line is this: This UDP is inexpensive, easy to install, will get you some noticable lost horsepower back, let your engine last longer and work less, and increase your gas mileage enough so that after 10-12 tanks of gas, you will have made your money back and then some. Don't wait. Get it. modifying my 98 3.8L. It looked like a good return for the dollar, and I was interested in mods that yield both HP and MPG.
The install was quite easy and took less than an hour. I would say, though, that an impact wrench for the alternator nut saves tons of time. Buy or borrow one. Everything else comes off with hand tools. Also, take note that AM's wonderful installation instructions are far more involved than you'll need for this V6 UDP. They're helpful as a guide but you certainly won't need the pullers since you never mess with anything on the crank itself. If, for some reason, your original pulley is fused to the shaft, just give it a stout sideways blow with a rubber mallet.
My car took a 96-inch belt, although I've read about other users setting up with 91's. I'd say try 96' first, and go from there.
Results were immediate. The engine idles far more smoothly than before. I had some mild vibration/shaking problems before the UDP, and now it runs as smooth as silk. The engine seems quite happier and ready to put the power where it needs to be: the rear wheels.
Power gains are notable, although not in-your-face dramatic, but certainly worth the $90 and then some. Throttle response is notably better, and it takes less gas input to do more work now, especially noticeable at low RPM's. Everything runs smoother and easier, with less throttle input required to so the same work, especially in traffic.
What really floored me, though, was the increase in gas mileage. I had previously run anywhere between 23 and 27 MPG, depending on what I had done that week, with 27 MPG being had only once on a highway-only trip using the throttle very lightly and using no AC. Typical mileage has been around 24-25 MPG.
I took a trip the day after installation to see what my new highway economy was. After pumping the gas back in and calculating, I had to check my math two or three times to make sure I hadn't made a huge error. Sure as anything, I had just gotten 31 MPG.
If I work my math out right, assuming gas stays around $4 per gallon, this pulley will pay for itself after 10 tanks and after that, I'll be making money back. It makes no sense NOT to buy this. Your mileage may vary, but for me, it's like having the horsepower of a healthy V6 with the appetite of a 4-cylinder economy car. In fact, I think I get more miles per gallon than my wife's 4-cyl econo-car does now.
