Lag issue worse with pulley

[DirtyJersey]

A word of caution for those considering doing a pulley install as this is what I’ve experienced. Please note I am not an expert and I am only stating the facts as I see them and am in no way associating the actual pulley as being the problem however I am experiencing a serious issue. Furthermore, I don’t see how the pulley could have caused this but it is what it is.

Symptoms:

Immediately after my pulley install I began seeing a serious lag. The infamous lag, as it’s been discussed here in great detail was there before however it is now to the point where it is ridiculous. The lag/ hesitation is upwards of a sec or two. From what I’ve observed it happens in 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears with 2nd being the worst. It could also be occurring with the higher gears however I’m not downshifting as much in those gears so I can’t say. So, I’m driving along, I downshift into 2nd as I’m slowing down and then begin to get back on the accelerator to begin accelerating again. The car hesitates for a second or even two then lurches forward with an abrupt spike in rev/acceleration and then smooths out into gear. It did this before the pulley install but it was WAY less obvious.

When it began:

The lag was there before as I have mentioned but it is terribly worse now and I am terrified of having done something wrong to my car. I posted clues of this issue cropping up in my first thread but it’s become very evident now. I am so paranoid that I am thinking of going back (which I’m dreading doing) to stock but wanted to know if that is the only thing to do.

My question is could the pulley be badly compounding this lag issue? Are my belts slipping which can cause this (read something like this in another thread)? I re-checked routing and tension again and seems okay. Why could this be happening? Most important, if I go back to stock will it be back to “normal”?

I’ve been reading the threads about the lag getting worse with some but mine was an overnight thing after the pulley so I’m stuck with many questions and sleepless nights. I hate it this way and I’m no longer enjoying my car. My brain is constantly stuck on how it’s going to act next while I’m driving and I find myself constantly adjusting my driving characteristics due to it and it sucks. I'm desperate.

[Dascamel]

get rid of the pulley.....

[SoreHead]

Originally Posted by Dascamel

get rid of the pulley.....

+1 Quickly

[GT3 Tim]

Hmmm. Don't see how the two issues could be related. Strange.

I'm not saying it isn't the cause of the increased lag, but just not seeing the connection. Anybody have any ideas? I am stumped.

[DirtyJersey]

Now I'm getting even more scared...with the get rid of it "quickly" remarks.

I was afraid someone was going to say that...but as GT3 said I just don't see the connection. I mean there are plenty of people on here that have a pulley. As I've explained in my other thread I've noticed some "side affects" if you want to call them that but I don't see how it can be the actual pulley or particularly what the pulley does that can cause a greater DCT lag issue.

I've been thinking something could have played a role during install but I can't see where, how or why. I'm not knowledgeable enough to come to a understanding and hypothesis in which I can base a possible solution upon.

If you see my other thread I mention how the engine appears to be running ever so slightly at lower rpms when idling and I've been trying to make a any type of connection there but i don't know. http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=273441 This sucks.

I can't believe I will have to undo this. I am going to recheck EVERYTHING again but if anyone has any ideas please jump in. Fact remains that the lag is far worse and far more obstructive then before and for anyone considering a pulley I would be aware of this. Just calling it as I see it.

[swamp2]

I do not want to insult your powers of observation nor your findings. However, the two issues seem totally unrelated. I suspect just like your car can sometimes feel faster after you wash it or feel faster after a mod that clearly can't make it faster. Something like this must be happening. The intermittency of the occurence and severity of the lag contributes to conclusions such as a causal link between the pulley and the lag.

[SoreHead]

Originally Posted by swamp2

I do not want to insult your powers of observation nor your findings. However, the two issues seem totally unrelated. I suspect just like your car can sometimes feel faster after you wash it or feel faster after a mod that clearly can't make it faster. Something like this must be happening. The intermittency of the occurence and severity of the lag contributes to conclusions such as a causal link between the pulley and the lag.

+1 so take the pulleys off and see if the problem changes/goes away.

[DirtyJersey]

I know what your saying Swamp, but its safe to say that I've ruled that out. Trust me, I've seen plenty of threads where something like this has been questionable based on the owners perception. I’m in IT and it’s the golden rule of assumption that its always the users fault so I can relate. However, I'm convinced this is not the case. Its too distinct to me and drastically obvious between the vast difference of before and after.

Unless of course this whole thing is normal and its supposed to get progressively worse and the pulley just accelerated that whole process despite the fact that it got significantly worse overnight and/or coincidentally on the day i decided to install my pulley. I find that very hard to believe but I'm drawing dead here. Question then is, is my lag comparable as it is now to the normal lag others are seeing (not compared to they way it was before the pulley)? This i don't know but i'm guessing its not.

Let me ask you this. Is what I've described above consistent with what you have experience with the lag. Do you see the lag in 1st and 3rd gears. With me I never did and if it was there I never noticed it at all. However, now there is absolutely no question its there even in 1st and 3rd gears although worst in 2nd. It seems like the conclusion is that despite the facts and the clear evidence of before and after its unlikely that the pulley would cause this. If I was simply on the other end of the computer responding to this same inquiry I would say yes however I'm having trouble believing it.

Sorehead I'm just upset that I would have to take it off given what a PITA it was to put i on. If i go that route don't know if I'll put it back on, dam.

[AMPowerJ]

Isn't there a specific pulley for DCT equipped cars? If so then that would seem to mean the pulley has some sort of interaction with the DCT tranny but I will admit I don't know of anything that would be affected. I wonder if other folks have seen the lag issue become more pronounced with modifications that increase HP, etc.?

[ZorroSoBe]

I don't know this engine in detail, but it makes no sense that a pulley would add lag.

yeah, take it off and sell it to me :-)

Seriously, do a dyno run with and without it, and study the graphs. If the "lag" is not noticeable in the power and torque curves, the problem is with that piece of crap DCT tranny, sorry.

[swamp2]

Originally Posted by DirtyJersey

Let me ask you this. Is what I've described above consistent with what you have experience with the lag. Do you see the lag in 1st and 3rd gears. With me I never did and if it was there I never noticed it at all. However, now there is absolutely no question its there even in 1st and 3rd gears although worst in 2nd.

I think most folks experience the lag at very low speeds in 2nd gear. However, it can occur in many gears and when going much faster as well. One key way to induce lag it to simply accelerate medium or hard AFTER you let the car begin it stall prevention/auto downshift sequence. Good luck.

[DirtyJersey]

Originally Posted by swamp2

I think most folks experience the lag at very low speeds in 2nd gear. However, it can occur in many gears and when going much faster as well. One key way to induce lag it to simply accelerate medium or hard AFTER you let the car begin it stall prevention/auto downshift sequence. Good luck.

Hey Swamp2,

Let me ask you something if you don't mind. If you recall from above my lag getting WAY worse after I installed a pulley. Needless to say we are all kinda of in agreement that it is highly unlikely that it was a direct consequence of the pulley despite happening RIGHT after the install. Hearing that it gets worse for most over time as noted in many threads makes me think the level of lag was SOMEHOW accelerated. So in other words the theory is that at this stage of how much more worse it got for me can be seen as normal to what everyone else is experiencing at its most heightened levels. Nevertheless, based on this thinking and conclusion do you guys suggest I do the software update first before actually taking off the pulley, which many first advised? What do you guys think?

[nvez]

Talk with the company that makes the pulley?

[DirtyJersey]

Originally Posted by nvez

Talk with the company that makes the pulley?

I tried to at one point but actually didn't get a call back and I didn't follow up. I was kinda unwilling to talk to them as well only because I could assume they are going to say no way it could be anything to do with the pulley. I'm pretty sure they’d say that since we've kinda drew that conclusion ourselves. But I think your right it’s probably sill worth talking to them.

[powertrip]

You shouldn't have any change in DCT performance from the pulley change. I've had my pulley on for over 1500 miles right now, and have zero issues. I believe the only possible consequence of a pulley change on a DCT car is slightly higher operating temps for the tranny since it is cooled by the radiator. Again, my car doesn't run much warmer (if any warmer at all), so I wouldn't think the issue is related to the pulley.