It’s no secret that NonStopTuning has offered popular lightweight pulley options for the 86 chassis.  Since 2005, NST has offered more options for the Toyota family of engines found in the AE86, including the 16V/20V variations of the 4AGE and 4AGZE, than all other companies combined.

Carrying that tradition forward, NST also offers a lightweight kit for the second coming of the 86 chassis and the FA20 powered Scion FRS, Subaru BRZ, and Toyota 86.

The NST Lite series is a designation used for pulleys that are light-weight versions of their OEMcounterparts. All NST pulleys are built using High quality 6061-T6 aircraft aluminum and are easily 70% to 75% lighter than steel or cast iron OEM pulleys. Every NST pulley is hard anodized for exceptional durability and is a great item for use at the track or on the street.

The NST CR-Lite Pulley is compatible with naturally aspirated, turbocharged, or supercharged applications, and is compatible with the OEM belt. No belt change is required when this crank pulley is used.

We had the opportunity to test a set of NST pulleys on a stock BRZ.  Scott’s world rally blue pearl BRZ came to us as an otherwise unmolested test car.  No previously installed performance mods of any kind would ensure that we would get the best raw data possible. The NST Pulley Kit is the only power adder that was added to this car during the session, and all dyno runs were performed on the same dyno, on the same day, at Carboy Racing in southwest Houston.

Conclusion?  NST Pulleys improve power, torque, and response across the entire power band. If you look at the area under the power and torque curves you will notice positive gains in the low, mid, and high range when NST Pulleys are used. No other modification in the same price range can offer similar gains across the entire power band. This fact make the NST Pulleys one of the best bang per buck modifications for the FA20 engine.
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NST - NonStopTuning
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We had a chance to dyno test one of the most popular NonStopTuning Pulley Kits on one of the most popular and most fun cars on the road today.  The Nissan 370Z is the latest in a line of cars with a great deal of heritage and a legacy for high performance.
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Enough with the text, you’re here for photos and dyno charts!​

​All before and after dynos were performed on the Carboy Racing Dynojet in Houston, Texas. Before and after dynos were performed on the same day, with pulley install in between, with NO other modifications of any kind. Numbers are listed as uncorrected figures, temps and humidity are also listed. All photos were taken during this testing session.

Conclusion?  NST Pulleys improve power, torque, and response across the entire power band. If you look at the area under the power and torque curves you will notice positive gains in the low, mid, and high range when the NST Pulley Kit is used. No other modification in the same price range can offer similar gains across the entire power band. This fact makes the NST Pulley Kit one of the best bang per buck performance modifications for the Infiniti G37 and Nissan 370Z.

NST - NonStopTuning
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One of the most popular sport compacts of the decade is undoubtedly, the Scion tC.  And NonStopTuning offers more pulleys for the tC than all of our competition combined.  So it should come as no surprise that when we received word of a new 2nd generation engine, we knew we had to get our hands on a test car.
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We decided to test with Josh’s automatic tC.  Not to worry, you can install the NST pulley on your manual transmission tC and see awesome gains as well.  The NST CR-Lite Crank Pulley is an OEM diameter aluminum pulley that replaces your cast iron crankshaft pulley and offers you 70% weight reduction over stock.  This weight reduction leads to better horsepower and torque delivery across the entire RPM band, quicker acceleration, and better MPG.
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.Let’s get to the numbers and the test results…
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The OEM Scion/Toyota 2AR-FE crankshaft pulley tips the scales at almost 70 oz, while the NST prototype pulley weighed in at only 25 oz.  This means that the NST CR-Lite Crank Pulley is about 70% lighter than the OEM pulley it replaces, and should lead to better horsepower and torque numbers on the dyno, better throttle response, and quicker acceleration.  Our dyno testing proved our theories to be true.

​Josh’s tC recorded 142 whp and 152 wtq on the Carboy dyno in southwest Houston.  Next up, we would install our prototype CR-Lite Crank Pulley and test again.  It is important to keep in mind that all of our baselines, our installation, and post runs on the dyno were performed on the same day.  This is vital in keeping external variables under check and ensuring proper readings and results.

The Toyota 2AR-FE responded very well to the NST CR-Lite Crank Pulley.  The weight reduction led to better whp and wtq numbers, quicker acceleration, and throttle response.
Peak WHP: from 142 to 147 and we saw a massive increase of +20 whp @ 4,100 rpm
Peak WTQ: from 135 to 151 and we saw a massive increase of +25 wtq @ 4,100 rpm
VERY IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS AND DYNO CHARTS!!!

NST - NonStopTuning
​www.NonStopTuning.com

​The NonStopTuning CR-Lite Crank Pulley for the BMW N54 135i & 335i frees roughly 9whp and 14wtq, while providing these gains across the entire RPM band. Gains are present at low, mid, and high RPM. A very impressive gain of +20whp and +20wtq is clearly visible at 6,000 RPM.

We visited our favorite dyno at CarboyRacing, in AUGUST 2009, for some dyno testing on our project BMW 335i. We ran a baseline dyno around 10AM and watched the twin turbo BMW 3.0 Liter N54 put down some impressive numbers. The guys at Carboy installed the new NST CR-Lite (OEM Diameter) Crank Pulley in a couple hours, and we put the car back on the dyno, after lunch, for a few more runs.  Absolutely no other modifications were made to our project car on this day.  The dyno calibration, weather conditions, etc. remained unchanged.

The NST BMW N54 CR-Lite Crank Pulley is an OEM diameter (same size as stock) crank pulley and is roughly 70% lighter than the factory BMW version. The excellent weight reduction has been dyno proven on the BMW N54, leads to better hp and tq delivery, delivers quicker throttle response and acceleration, and better fuel economy. This pulley has been a very popular item for us since it was released in 2009. 
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The NonStopTuning CR-Lite Crank Pulley for the BMW N54 135i & 335i frees roughly 9whp and 14wtq, while providing these gains across the entire RPM band. Gains are present at low, mid, and high RPM. A very impressive gain of +20whp and +20wtq is clearly visible at 6,000 RPM.

NST - NonStopTuning
​www.NonStopTuning.com

At the time of its debut the Infiniti G35’s refined styling and sporty performance made a loud statement.  Among other items, the G35 shared its VQ35DE engine with the 350Z and was a legitimate performer on the street and track.  We had the opportunity to test the NonStopTuning Underdrive Pulley Kit on one of these cars and were pretty impressed by the results.  Jessica’s G35 came to us as a completely stock car and provided us with a perfect blank canvas for testing.

All before and after dynos were performed on the Carboy Racing Dynojet in Houston, Texas. Before and after dynos were performed on the same day, with pulley install in between, with NO other modifications of any kind. Dyno graphs and max values are listed, temps and humidity are also listed. All photos were taken during this testing session.

Using a car with NO other performance modifications gives us a blank canvas and makes it abundantly clear that the gains we see are associated with the NST Pulley Kit.  Our test car did better in terms of horsepower, torque, and response, as indicated by the upward shift in both the HP and TQ curves.   Better horsepower and torque delivery is clearly visible in the low, mid, and high range of the power band.

Max horsepower went from 227 to 232, with a very nice shift in the mid range, posting consistent 10+ horsepower gains in the middle of the powerband.  Max torque was more impressive with an increase from 220 to 232, delivering these gains pretty consistently across the entire power band.

Conclusion?  NST Pulleys improve power, torque, and response across the entire power band. If you look at the area under the power and torque curves you will notice positive gains in the low, mid, and high range when the NST Pulley Kit is used. No other modification in the same price range can offer similar gains across the entire power band. This fact makes the NST Pulley Kit one of the best bang per buck performance modifications for the Infiniti G35 and Nissan 350Z.

​NST – NonStopTuning
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Are lightweight pulleys hard to install? How long does the average install process take? How much should I expect my mechanic to charge me for installing my new pulleys?  Are belts expensive?  These are some of the most common questions we hear from our customers.  Check out the latest video on our YouTube channel for a great DIY guide and read on for more answers, below. 

FAQ: Are lightweight pulleys hard to install?
ANSWER: Most NST pulley kits can be installed in about an hour, check out our DIY video for a pretty good walk through and consult your owner's manual for torque specs and other info.

FAQ: I can't do my own installation, how much should I expect my mechanic to charge me?
ANSWER: Most mechanics should be able to install your pulleys in about an hour, most mechanics charge $70 to $100 per hour in labor fees.

FAQ: Are belts expensive?
ANSWER: Most belts range in price from $10 to $30 and can be purchased on the NST website or at your local auto parts stores. Quality belts should last 36,000 miles or more.

Why are NonStopTuning pulleys a popular choice for many of our customers?

Crank pulleys, attached to the outside of the crankshaft, are the source of power for a car’s accessories. The alternator, power steering, water pump, and air conditioner are all belt driven units, attached to the crank pulley, that use horsepower from an engine to provide their own services. Underdrive pulley systems increase an engine’s horsepower by reducing the power required to drive the external engine accessories. By replacing factory pulleys with carefully resized units, the accessories are slowed enough so that their performance does not suffer, but just enough so that more horsepower is sent to the wheels and put to the ground, where horsepower should be.

NST pulleys often increase engine output by 7 to 12 horsepower, with even better power levels yielded from turbo models than seen in naturally aspirated engines. This increase results in quarter-mile time and road course lap improvements, easily making this modification one of the best “bang for your buck” modifications for any car or truck.

Another great benefit in replacing factory pulleys with NST units is reduced weight. Factory units, also referred to as OEM, are generally constructed from steel or cast iron. NST pulleys are constructed of aircraft quality aluminum, making them extremely durable while at the same time much lighter than their steel/iron counterparts. This weight reduction (approximately 70%) results in less rotating mass on the engine’s crankshaft which drastically increases the engine’s ability to rev to speed faster.
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Better throttle response, better horsepower and torque delivery, and better fuel economy can all be had when using NST pulleys.

NST - NonStopTuning
​www.NonStopTuning

NonStopTuning offers a full variety of lightweight anodized aluminum pulleys and adjustable cam gears for the Toyota JZ engines, including the world famous 1JZ and 2JZ. The most popular pulley in this lineup is the NST Tensioner Pulley.
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The NST JZ Tensioner Pulley includes a high speed serviceable bearing and is designed with extended edges to ensure excellent belt fitment.  Thrown/slipping belts will never be an issue when the NST pulley is used, especially on high horsepower track and drift cars.

You can order the full line of NST JZ Pulleys, or individual pulleys, from our online store.  Each kit is CNC machined from 6061-T6 aircraft quality aluminum, and tested for tight machining and balance tolerances. Every NST pulley is hard anodized for exceptional durability and is available in a choice of colors: Purple, Red, Blue, Black, Gold.

​NST - NonStopTuning
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We get this question a lot, "I want an oil cooler kit, but they seem complicated. Are they hard to install?"  No, they are not very complicated, and you should be able to handle your own install if you have a little experience with wrenching on your car. 

We even decided to offer up a simple video to help you get started.  Follow along as our friend Brad, aka OKBRZ, walks you through the install process on his Subaru BRZ. 

Ready for your own Oil Cooler Kit?  We offer both standard sandwich plate oil cooler kits and remote oil cooler kits, at very reasonable prices, and ship them to any destination free of charge.  Below are just a few examples...
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Have questions?  Need a custom cooler in a different size?  Just email us and we'll do our best to help you with your project!

​NST - NonStopTuning
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Q. Do lightweight aluminum crank pulleys lead to premature engine failure?
Most American V8 engines of the muscle car era (50s-60s) were externally balanced.  An external (harmonic/vibration) balancer was attached to the outside of the engine on the crank snout. The crank pulley in such engines was a separate piece attached to this balancer and the removal of this balancer was a bad idea. External balancers were most often used on large displacement V8 engines and the majority of today’s internet forums and social media discussions regarding harmonics stem from this principle.

Modern (1980s and up) Honda, Toyota, Nissan, or other Japanese engines are NOT equipped with external balancers. These engines are internally balanced and this process has improved even further since the 90s. So the topic of a BALANCER does not apply here.
The crank pulley found on many modern engines is often called a harmonic damper. The damper is a thin rubber band, approximately (1/8 inch) 2mm, built into the crank pulley. This rubber is used to absorb something called NVH, noise/vibration/harshness. Suffice it to say, this rubber is actually not very good at performing its intended purpose after as little as a few thousand miles. What happens to rubber after exposure to weather conditions such as humidity, rain, snow? It often becomes brittle, hard, and crunchy. Can something with such properties absorb vibrations? Not very well.
NST customers often report smoother running engines after installing NST pulleys, especially at idle. How is this possible if the rubber is such a vital piece? As it turns out, the rubber is not as important as it's cracked up to be.

On a well maintained engine with bolt-ons or low amounts of boost like what most owners probably run, a lightweight aluminum crank pulley will not have any life threatening consequences. The engineering reasons are that most modern engines have a short (increasingly strong) crankshaft operating under 8,000 RPM. The dangerous second harmonic that can cause damage occurs at an RPM that this sort of engine will never see, in the area around 10,000 RPM. Even the OEM damper is not tuned for attenuation above 10,000 RPM, so the argument is somewhat of a moot point.  The great majority of our customers do not fall into the latter category. 
​How many 500+ HP, 10,000+ RPM engines do we have on the street? Not many.

rQ.  Does NST have cars/customers in professional motorsports using its products?
There are a large number of Honda, Toyota, and Nissan tuners using underdrive crank pulleys in road racing series like NASA or SCCA. Road racing is often more punishing on an engine than other motorsports. The engine is subjected to run times lasting apx 30 minutes with the engine often in the upper ranges of its RPM limit. One race weekend is the equivalent of hundreds of quarter mile passes. These tuners would not use NST pulleys if they were not reliable.
NST sponsored the first ever wheel to wheel Scion tC NASA Road Race car. The same car was very competitive in the Grand Am series and had factory backing from Toyota, Scion, and TRD. This car used pulleys from NST with great results since day one.
NST has also sponsored several drift cars in the professional drift series, Fromula Drift. Several of our cars have also competed in D1 GP USA, Xtreme Drift Circuit, and NOPI Drift series.
​To make things better, NST products are also used in autocross, time attack, hill climb, and drag racing series.

SUMMARY ON VIBRATIONS, HARMONICS, SAFETY
Older American V8 engines are externally balanced and require pulleys designed specifically for those applications, or damage to the engine could result. You will not find solid aluminum NST pulleys on our website for such engines.
Modern Honda, Toyota, Nissan, and other similar engines are NOT equipped with external balancers. These engines are internally balanced and this process has improved even further since the 1990s. So the topic of a BALANCER does not apply here.
High RPM engines, when modified well beyond the simple bolt-on stages, may have issues with solid aluminum pulleys. Such engines reach critical harmonics above 10,000 RPM, a range in which the dangerous wave of harmonics can come into play.  For such RACE engines, OEM dampers are also not sufficient.
The overwhelming majority of our customers’ engines do not fall into the above categories, and as a result, will actually benefit from the lightweight pulleys NST offers. These engines will not suffer damages in street and/or track use when NST products are installed properly.

​We're confident every “expert” preaching otherwise has little personal, practical, real world experience with the subject; as it applies in your case.

NST - NonStopTuning
​www.NonStopTuning.com