What is it with BilletFlow idler pulleys!!! (Videos inside)

[K-Dubb]

After researching on the board, I dicovered that the whine at idle on my cobra is not normal. I soon discovered that the culprit was the 100mm BilletFlow Idler pulley that was installed on the car. I took it off and found that the bearing seemed to be going out. Called BF and shipped it back to them, and they replaced the bearing for free. Got it back today. At first, it was quiet, then the whine slowly started coming back....now it's loud again. The pulley itself spins smooth, but a little tight (spins for maybe 1 second on my finger before it stops from one hand spin). See videos:


Without idler:

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With idler:

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Is this just how they are? Is there anything I can do? It's a brand new bearing! Now that I see what it is like without the loud whine at idle, I can't take it!

 

[futureSVT]

i know this is a long shot but what about the belt. maybe the added tension of the aux idler could be causing some kind of belt noise.. idk werid.

 

[Spoolx]

That sounds horrible, good luck

 

[Root1022]

I had the same thing happen to mine, sucks man!

 

[oldmodman]

That is not normal.

Could just be a bad bearing. TWICE!

I had BF idlers before I got my RR double bearing idlers and neither set made that kind of noise.

 

[K-Dubb]

i know this is a long shot but what about the belt. maybe the added tension of the aux idler could be causing some kind of belt noise.. idk werid.

I don't believe it to be the belt. I actually bought a new belt to test that and it made the same noise. The noise is coming right from that pulley.

 

[cobracide]

Sucky bearings, try Metco single or dual bearing idlers.

 

[K-Dubb]

How freely should the idler pulley spin? I spin it on my finger with one hit from my hand, and it only spins for about a second. It seems really tight. I am going to the track this Friday...will this slow my car down?

 

[01cobravortech]

You may just have to switch to metco. I went with Metco way back when because this is not the first time people have reported this kind of problem with the BF pulleys.

 

[monX]

Yeah, not sure why that's happening, I also have Metco and they're great

 

[cobracide]

How freely should the idler pulley spin? I spin it on my finger with one hit from my hand, and it only spins for about a second. It seems really tight. I am going to the track this Friday...will this slow my car down?

There should be no resistance and it should spin easily. Eventually or at any moment from now on the bearing will seize and then the idler will lock up. The belt will then shred or break. Fix it asap.

 

[Spoolx]

How freely should the idler pulley spin? I spin it on my finger with one hit from my hand, and it only spins for about a second. It seems really tight. I am going to the track this Friday...will this slow my car down?

It should spin for a while with a good spin, chances are that company uses cheap ass bearings and the quality on the bearing fitment is probably poor too.
Call up a real bearing company and get a quality bearing and replace it yourself.

 

[MoKo_03SVT]

are you sure you even need the idler?

what size upper are you running?

i have been running a 2.8 upper with no idler/tensioner, and zero belt slip.

have you tried just leaving it off, then checking for signs of a slipping belt? you might not even need the idler.

 

[CobraBob]

That definitely is not normal. Give Doug a call on this.

 

[Tractionless1]

Nice you'll be glad to hear my cheap Motoblue double bearing is running strong taking a beating next to the 8lb crank pulley!!!

 

[Senkak]

Motoblue?? Ewwwww?????!!!!!!!!!!!
My BF are 5 years old and still going strong.

 

[K-Dubb]

Well crap!! I replaced the bearing with one from Orilley's, and the whine is still there. This bearing spins much more easily. This does not make sense. If the idler isn't on there, the sound is not there.

 

[03yellow]

The bf bearings are junk. Also orilleys carries the same brand. It you tapped the bearing in then it's no good; must press it in. Sounds like more than one bearing. Get the national bearing from orilleys. Replace bearings in all pullies.

 

[Spoolx]

What did billetflow say when you ask them?

 

[K-Dubb]

I spoke with Doug, and he gave me some things to try. It could be that my idler pulley is too close to my S/C pulley. I am going to test this.

It is definitely not the bearing at this point.