How to install March pulleys

[01blzxtreme]

well i got my pulleys today and i installed them in my garage at 3am its very easy but i was having a bit of trouble at first....i searched around to see how the alternator pulley was removed but they all said to use a impact and i have an impact but i dont have the compressor and besides it was late so i couldnt make much noise
so only had one torx socket that was big enough and happens to be the one i needed for a ratchet (t50) you can use a l wench but theyre a lil loose and you can mess it up...so just use the right tools

[01blzxtreme]

Well just got my march underdrive pulleys today and i didnt have time in the day to install them so i was doing this in my garage at 3 in the morning....its easy for those who have common sense on engines...i was having trouble with the alt pulley because it would spin and i couldnt stop it i serched but all i could find was to remove it with an impact. 1st off all its to late to use an impact and my parents were asleep 2nd i have the impact but not the compressor so here what i did
tools needed
3/8" ratchet
5/8" socket
14mm socket
t50 socket
15/16 wrench
and i used 1/4" ratchet with extension and 10mm socket to remove the fan shroud
magnet comes in handy
*edit*some models might not have the torx bolt in the center so you might need the impact no matter what, but for those with a torx bit bolt an impact is not needed and it doesnt take to much force to loosen it....btw this engine is from my 2001 extreme
*edit*ohh and as you can see my fan clutch was already removed i have electric fans and missed that step...but you can use the fan clutch wrenches from auto zone which you get a full refund when you return them try to ask for the ones not to damaged...or you can also hit it with a hammer and a wrench like "j894 posted" but i was never able to do that...(and fan clutch is Standard thread not reversed...same with the alt pulley)
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r171/r1meme/107_2057.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r171/r1meme/107_2054.jpg
^as you can see on the picture above i used the ratchet with the t50 and applied pressure to the wrench down keepin it it steady close to the hose and applied full pressure on the ratchet till it popped and it was real easy to remove the nut from there
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r171/r1meme/107_2055.jpg
^remove the stock pulley and push the smaller pulley in, you might have to clean it up with wd40 so it wont be so hard to put in..and after the pulley put the washer and then the nut
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r171/r1meme/107_2056.jpg
^on here i just reversed the ratchet and put the wrench on the other side to tighten it up...i tightened it as much as i could...
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r171/r1meme/107_2059.jpg
^heres the diferrence from stock to march pulley
and well on the crank pulley it is fairly easy i just removed the 3 bolts around and then removed the center bolt and removed the crank pulley i squeezed it out through the top
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r171/r1meme/107_2058.jpg
^ and this is the difference from stock crank to march underdrive
now to put the crank pulley back in is also very easy the hardest is to align the 3 bolts from around
i just looked to see where the pulley would sit and put the center bolt in just gave it a few turns
then i got under the truck which i found easier to work with on the aligning and put one of the bolts in the hole and looked for the thread and the other 3 were just as easy
all i needed to do was to tighten the 3 bolts around and then tighten the center bolt
with both the pulleys already installed this is what was left i just need to buy a smaller belt and ill test drive it in the morning ill post up if i feel a difference thanks if i missed or got anything wrong feel free to post up...
vvvvvvv
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r171/r1meme/107_2062.jpg
well i woke up in the morning and went to autozone...ofcourse with no belt on my truck haha its close to where i live but stupid stop lights both stopped me...my temperature needle only went a lil under 210..i bought a 92 inch and i thaught it was a little to loose so i went in again an asked for a 91" i went outside and test fitted it but it hit my belt tensioner so i jut installed the 92"...if i dont have my ac on it doesnt squeel but once i turn it on and i give it a little gas when in gear it suqeels from the idler pulley...dont know if the belt is breaking in or its slipping....heres a picture of the belt intalled and a video
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r171/r1meme/107_2064.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r171/r1meme/107_2063.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r171/r1meme/th_107_2065.jpg (http://s144.photobucket.com/albums/r171/r1meme/?action=view&current=107_2065.flv)

[Mikz86TA]

Nice write up and pics!

[LowSDime97]

x2! nicely done with the write up

[01blzxtreme]

Aww, I see someone has a paperweight under their TB....

its not because of the horsepower hahah....i just like the whistle...and i know they dont make a difference...

[01blzxtreme]

Aww, I see someone has a paperweight under their TB....
its not because of the horspower you can get out of these hahah im kidding....theres no difference on these but i like the whistle....

[12sws27]

thats the same way i did mine. i agree with the rest. nice write up. im sure it will be very helpful.

[j894]

Nice write up.

Just to add to it. Some Alts don't have the torx socket on the center of the alt pulley, so some might not have anything to hold it. You can still remove the alt & take off the Big alt nut with an Impact gun. It comes right off & goes back on easy.

Also, you have to take off the clutch fan to have that room at the top. On my truck the air injection Bull**** & oil cooling lines where in the way from going underneath. I believe the nut on it is 36mm, you have to put a big wrench on it & smack it with a hammer a couple times to loosen it (standard thread). Autozone has a clutch fan tool for a ford 4.9l that fits it perfect, just make sure u get one thats not bent.

Also Im pretty sure your supposed to torque the crank pulley bolts to proper spec. I don't know whether its one of those who gives a **** kinda things or how necessary it is. I did anyway to be safe. I'll see If i can find the specs

[01blzxtreme]

Nice write up.

Just to add to it. Some Alts don't have the torx socket on the center of the alt pulley, so some might not have anything to hold it. You can still remove the alt & take off the Big alt nut with an Impact gun. It comes right off & goes back on easy.

Also, you have to take off the clutch fan to have that room at the top. On my truck the air injection Bull**** & oil cooling lines where in the way from going underneath. I believe the nut on it is 36mm, you have to put a big wrench on it & smack it with a hammer a couple times to loosen it (standard thread). Autozone has a clutch fan tool for a ford 4.9l that fits it perfect, just make sure u get one thats not bent.

Also Im pretty sure your supposed to torque the crank pulley bolts to proper spec. I don't know whether its one of those who gives a **** kinda things or how necessary it is. I did anyway to be safe. I'll see If i can find the specs

ohh yeah thanks for the heads up bro....ill edit it real quick i missed the step from the fan clutch cuz i got electric fans....your right about the fan clutch removal wrench...i rented some from oreillys for 20$ and got full refund afterwards....and its doesnt take to long to remove the fan either...

*can a mod plz delete what i posted twice just leave on one of the posts on there...since on the thread i was going to post it and keep editing it but i didnt know it had to be seen by a mod....and did it twice...also about the spacer...

[01blzxtreme]

there ya go i added a video but its not that great....and for anyone who has march pulleys what size of belt did you guys use....i installed the 92"...but when my ac is on it squeels i dont know why...i was trying to make it squeel on the video but i couldnt....and when im driving and i seem to just take out of gear my rpms take a while to go down dont know why that happens....will the engine get used to it...

[12sws27]

when i put my march pulleys on the belt they suggested was to big on mine to and did the same thing yours is doing. just find a belt thats a little smaller. i dont remember what size it was that i used but it was a bit tight imo. although it worked fine for almost 2yrs. then i sold my pulley to Chrisvich. he might still be using the same belt.+

[12sws27]

thats funny i swear i just posted a reply... oh well, here it goes again.
same thing happen to my truck when i added the pulleys. the belt size suggested by March is to big in alot of cases. i just when with a size smaller. i dont remember what size it was. the belt i used was a bit tight but worked fine for almost 2yrs. i sold my pulleys to Chrisvich who i beleive might still be using the same belt i had on mine. maybe he'll post up. theres a few guys that got the same pulleys and had to get a smaller belt. so im sure you'lll get a PN# soon.

[01blzxtreme]

same thing has happened to me with the post but it says that it has to be seen by a mod before its posted....so yeah home someone can chime in with the pn#....ive got a 92" right now...ill see if it goes away tho....

[01blzxtreme]

i had tried a 91 but it was to tight...and ididnt ask if they have half sizes....but i asked my dad and he says they do...so ill see if a 91.5 will fit better cuz the 92" seems a lil to long because the tensioner is almost fully oppened...

[12sws27]

i most of used a 91 then. cuz it was real tight. but it worked fine for almost 2yrs so i beleive it'll be fine if you gotta use it.

[01blzxtreme]

i most of used a 91 then. cuz it was real tight. but it worked fine for almost 2yrs so i beleive it'll be fine if you gotta use it.

yeah i wouldve used it if it wouldnt have hit on the tensioner....

[shipper]

I just did the same job only I used JET pullies. I think I ended up using a belt that actually measured 92 3/8. No squeal. Be warned, the 91" belt looks like it would be about right but on mine in rubbed on the tensioner arm. As for power, I did other mods at the same time; so I really don't know how much they helped.

[DiCi21]

Hey i know it says in my sig that i have the March pulleys, well i have never actually got around to installing them. I actually attempted putting them on this past weekend but was unsuccessful in getting the alternator pulley off. Does the torx screw turn counterclockwise to be removed? Because thats the way i was turning it and it will not come loose.

[12sws27]

use the torx to hold it still then turn the big nut the regular way. it seems alotta people have a prob getting the original pulley off the alt manually. i did.

[bespurcell]

Hey i know it says in my sig that i have the March pulleys, well i have never actually got around to installing them. I actually attempted putting them on this past weekend but was unsuccessful in getting the alternator pulley off. Does the torx screw turn counterclockwise to be removed? Because thats the way i was turning it and it will not come loose.
The torx screw is just there so you can keep the alternator from spinning while you loosen the nut. You don't actually try to take the torx screw off.

[Mikz86TA]

X3.
Or remove the alt, hold the pulley with a glove on and impact that beiotch off. =)

[01blzxtreme]

I just did the same job only I used JET pullies. I think I ended up using a belt that actually measured 92 3/8. No squeal. Be warned, the 91" belt looks like it would be about right but on mine in rubbed on the tensioner arm. As for power, I did other mods at the same time; so I really don't know how much they helped.

same thing happened to mine on the tensioner arm....it hits with the 91' so i went with 92" it only squeals with the ac on....but ill just leave it if anything happens further on ill change it...so yeah i actually did feel a good difference in mine...it accelerates faster in the middle top end...and since my truck is standard and if i were in first and im in gear going really slow and i just stomp on the gas it wouldnt spin it would just hop and at about 3 rpm's it would accelerate faster.....and now it spins the tires when i do that and on the turns it just tail whips real nice....im going to the track tommorow i was hittin 16.2 before ill see what i can do now...

[bespurcell]

You beat me to it Scott. (post #'s 22 & 23)^^^^

[DiCi21]

Wow its no wonder i couldnt get it off. I feel like such an idiot... I was trying to take the damn torx screw off the whole time...lol

[bespurcell]

Doh! lol jk

[Mikz86TA]

Seemed logical tho

[01blzxtreme]

Wow its no wonder i couldnt get it off. I feel like such an idiot... I was trying to take the damn torx screw off the whole time...lol

yeah bro just get the ratchet that has the torx and try to keep it steady and its better if it can rest on something...if its hits and you can keep it there without moving it and just apply pressure to one tool itll be easier..