Dan,
I believe I read on this forum of a compensator failure that took out the alternator (stator)and subsequently, the rectifier/regulator. That was obviously a little more than a clickety-clack.
The beating effect from a substandard compensator takes its toll on the balance of the drive train. Can't imagine it does anything to help the transmission, u-joints, bevel box or the driver, for that matter.
With that being said, as a compensator "loosens up", where do you draw the line? How much is too much? I can make mine hammer (which doesn't require an extreme amount of skill) or I can make mine reasonably quiet just by my driving technique. At that point, the M3W is dictating how to be driven as opposed to how I want to drive it. Naturally, it's going to make the most racket when there are other people around to hear it. When rolling into a reduced speed area, you still have to keep the RPMs up to keep the compensator pinned. To others, I bet they guess my car is stuck in 3rd gear running those kind of RPMs in a "relaxed" area.
On the bright side, I got an official PDF on the Centa install today. Other than the pulling of the engine, it doesn't look too challenging. No the engine pull wasn't included in the document. I like what I'm seeing on the Centa so far.
Z
