Vortech/KB single bolt tensioner spacer for 8ribs?

[DSG2003Mach1]

In the never ending of saga of procharger belt slip on a single bolt... looking around I've seen mention that Vortech and possibly KB sold some kind of spacer kit that allowed you to put an 8rib idler pulley on the stock single tensioner.

Does anyone know anything about these - have one? saw one? have photos? I can't find any photos or anything. If they aren't available (waiting to hear back from a place or two) my uncle has a machine shop and we could probably duplicate it with more info.

to be clear Ive already converted everything to 8 rib but the thump tensioner sucks, trying to make the stock single bolt tensioner work to see if its any better

no, Im not going 3 bolt timing cover...Im sure as hell not doing that much work and Im not paying a shop to do it either.

 

[98 Saleen Cobra]

In the never ending of saga of procharger belt slip on a single bolt... looking around I've seen mention that Vortech and possibly KB sold some kind of spacer kit that allowed you to put an 8rib idler on the tensioner.

Does anyone know anything about these - have one? saw one? have photos? I can't find any photos or anything. If they aren't available (waiting to hear back from a place or two) my uncle has a machine shop and we could probably duplicate it with more info.


no, Im not going 3 bolt timing cover...Im sure as hell not doing that much work and Im not paying a shop to do it either.

Sell procharger, buy vortech, copy my setup = success

 

[98 Saleen Cobra]

But in all seriousness I'm not to sure on that spacer you're talking about. At this point I would just have uncle machine some different spacers and give it a whirl

 

[milktasd2]

I didn’t have anybody to make me spacers, so I ordered a bunch of different ones for here AluminumSpacers.com
When spacing out my blower bracket for the 8rib conversion for my vortech.

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

Sell procharger, buy vortech, copy my setup = success

lol, same bullshit either way with the single bolt cover

But in all seriousness I'm not to sure on that spacer you're talking about. At this point I would just have uncle machine some different spacers and give it a whirl

you cant run an 8 rib pulley on the single bolt tensioner. You cant just put a spacer between the tensioner and timing cover because of the little locator tab that goes into the timing cover as well. It turns out vortech makes/used to make some kind of contraption that goes between the single bolt tensioner and the timing cover while keeping the locator tab/dowel so you can run an 8 rib wide pulley.

everything else is already 8 rib, this is totally about trying to find another tensioner option. I got a hold of one of the supercharge accessory websites, they list it but no images and not in stock, they're trying to hunt one down through vortech

 

[98 Saleen Cobra]

I gotcha. Damn man that’s rough

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

http://www.capa.com.au/manuals/vortech/ford_cars/8-Rib_Drive_Upgrade_for_2000-2004_Mustang_GT.pdf

this actaully gives the dimensions of the spacer but not sure about the busing..Id imagine the bushing it what they're using for the locator tab on the tensioner.

 

[01yellercobra]

What's up with the thump tensioner? I ran one on my F1A and no didn't have any issues with it.

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[DSG2003Mach1]

What's up with the thump tensioner? I ran one on my F1A and no didn't have any issues with it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

the one I bought used did decently but we noticed the pulley wobbled. It was the tensioner itself that wasn't true, not the pulley. So they agreed to sell me one clocked "correctly" for these cars at a discount. It hasnt made proper boost since. I was outside of the warranty period when I found this out because right after buying it I lost oil pressure and car was down for a long time getting a new motor.

Thump stopped producing these tensioners. Peter is once again claiming to be the new owner of thump to duck these problems. They're now selling the same bullshit under American Racing Solutions or something like that

 

[01yellercobra]

I can see the wobble being an issue. I remember I had to reclock mine. Funny part is I did it before I knew it was an issue with all of them. I did it by drilling a new hole in the timing cover though. I never drilled into the tensioner.

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[DSG2003Mach1]

I can see the wobble being an issue. I remember I had to reclock mine. Funny part is I did it before I knew it was an issue with all of them. I did it by drilling a new hole in the timing cover though. I never drilled into the tensioner.

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any chance you have photos somewhere?

 

[2000GTSTANG]

I'm 8 rib on my 2v with a Kenne Bell and I have the 8 rib idler pulley on the stock single bolt tensioner and have no spacers or anything. I can see that it has rubbed the timing cover slightly but generally its been working just fine. Most likely it is from flex during shifting as the pulley spins freely with no belt on.

Ive been running it this was since 2013. YMMV.

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

Superchargersonline.com did reply back that 4FL017-011 is available for $77, still trying to confirm what exactly Im getting though. Is it the spacer, bushing and idler or what? I would hope so for that amount

 

[01yellercobra]

any chance you have photos somewhere?

Sorry no. What I ended up doing was installing the stock tensioner and marking where the pulley was. Then I put some grease on the tab on the Thump tensioner and lined it up with the mark. I had a long piece of all thread in the mounting hole so everything could slide as needed. The grease marked the spot and I drilled out the hole.

I will say I was chasing my tail when I had the Vortech on with what I thought was spark blow out. New plugs, gaps, COPs, etc. It wasn't until I went back to Procharger I could see the issue with the clocking. Once I fixed that it was never an issue. But I never got to try it with the Vortech. I think what I thought was blow out was actually belt slip.

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[DSG2003Mach1]

Waiting on the parts from vortech, about $200 through Summit Racing but the stuff is drop shipping from Vortech. Everyone looked it up under a 2004 GT just for reference.

VOR-4FL017-011 - spacer between the tensioner and timing cover - $78 (.280 thick, the others all seem to be .140)
VOR-4FL017-021 - bushing for the locator on the tensioner - $34
VOR-4FL016-170 - 8 rib pulley for tensioner - $64 (ya, Im sure its something I could hunt down cheaper, I'll figure out the Ford part number later and update for people)
VOR-2A01788201 - pulley spacer for tensioner - $16

2A017-882-01 SPACER, .875"OD x .140"LONG 4
4FU116-031 IDLER ASY, 3" 8-RIB (SMOOTH) 2
4FL017-011 SPACER, SPNG TENS. ASY, .140" 1
4FL017-021 PILOT, TENS., '04 GT 8-RIB

 

[Blkkbgt]

Waiting on the parts from vortech, about $200 through Summit Racing but the stuff is drop shipping from Vortech. Everyone looked it up under a 2004 GT just for reference.

VOR-4FL017-011 - spacer between the tensioner and timing cover - $78 (.280 thick, the others all seem to be .140)
VOR-4FL017-021 - bushing for the locator on the tensioner - $34
VOR-4FL016-170 - 8 rib pulley for tensioner - $64 (ya, Im sure its something I could hunt down cheaper, I'll figure out the Ford part number later and update for people)
VOR-2A01788201 - pulley spacer for tensioner - $16

2A017-882-01 SPACER, .875"OD x .140"LONG 4
4FU116-031 IDLER ASY, 3" 8-RIB (SMOOTH) 2
4FL017-011 SPACER, SPNG TENS. ASY, .140" 1
4FL017-021 PILOT, TENS., '04 GT 8-RIB

Outstanding find. I also agree that you could probably find a cheaper 8 rib pulley. I might be completely wrong but didn't the F150's run an 8 rib?

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

Outstanding find. I also agree that you could probably find a cheaper 8 rib pulley. I might be completely wrong but didn't the F150's run an 8 rib?

I just don’t know which 8 rib this is...diameter and size of the hole in the bearing for the bolt etc... I was just lazy, much easier to figure out whenever I have it in my hand

 

[Blkkbgt]

I just don’t know which 8 rib this is...diameter and size of the hole in the bearing for the bolt etc... I was just lazy, much easier to figure out whenever I have it in my hand

Totally understand. I was hoping to give you a starting point in your search for a cheaper pulley.

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

Totally understand. I was hoping to give you a starting point in your search for a cheaper pulley.

I’m not above figuring it out and sending that pulley back

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

Totally understand. I was hoping to give you a starting point in your search for a cheaper pulley.

I’m not above figuring it out and sending that pulley back