How do I know if my alternator clutch pulley is bad?
If you ever hear growling or whining noises coming from under the hood, you could have alternator problems, which should be checked out by a professional ASAP. This growling or whining sound happens when the belt that turns the alternator’s pulley becomes misaligned or rubs against the side of the pulley.
Is there a clutch on an alternator?
An Overrunning Alternator Pulley (OAP) has a one-way clutch mechanism inside the hub that allows the belt to turn the alternator in one direction, but allows the alternator to free-wheel and spin at its own speed when the engine suddenly decelerates. Some replacement alternators come with pulleys and some do not.
Do you need clutch pulley on alternator?
Most modern vehicles have clutched or so called one-way or decoupler pulleys. Proper operation of these pulleys is vital to alternator health and the health of other components, especially the serpentine belt tensioner.
Why do some car alternators have a clutch?
An Overrunning Alternator Pulley (OAP) has a one-way clutch mechanism inside the hub that allows the belt to turn the alternator in one direction, but allows the alternator to free-wheel and spin at its own speed when the engine suddenly decelerates.
Can you weld alternator clutch pulley?
Do not weld the overriding alternator clutch pulley….it’s there for a reason, and that reason is that the inertia of large alternators is by far the biggest inertia driven by the engine auxillary system, without the overriding clutch engine speed fluctuations are passed directly into the alternator, this places a lot …
Why do some car alternators have a clutch pulley?
The function of the overrunning alternator pulley is to decouple the generator from the rotational irregularity of the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine. The large mass of the generator cannot follow the high irregularities of the crankshaft at engine start and drive resonances.
What does an alternator clutch pulley do?
As opposed to traditional solid pulleys, they allow the alternator to “free-wheel” or “overrun” every time the engine decelerates and, at the same time, dampen vibrations at the alternator. They come in two types: one-way clutches (OWCs) and overrunning alternator decouplers (OADs).
What’s a clutch pulley?
Many vehicles have pulley clutches to allow some of the belt-driven components to freewheel when not in use. The clutch functions by engaging when the accessory is needed and disengaging when it isn’t. This type of clutch can naturally disengage the internal shaft of the compressor from the pulley when it spins.
What will be the result of loose drive pulley in the alternator?
If your alternator belt gets too loose as you’re driving, it may cause your engine to stall. This means that you’re engine essentially shuts down and you’ll be forced to pull over onto the side of the road.