Clutched alternator pulley
 

A4 CLUTCHED ALTERNATOR PULLEY $62 SHIPPED - Parts for all water cooled VW cars specializing in TDI models

dont know anything about it; but WOW.

I didn't know there was such a beast!

http://www.qxcomponents.co.uk/tech.pdf

Sounds like it's a pile of poo.

does sound that way.

My main question is what actuates the clutch?

It's a simple over-running clutch- freewheels in one direction, takes load in the other. Functions like the freewheel on a bicycle, but I'll make no comment on how this thing is put together. No external controls.

BTW I don't know WHAT they're talking about re: "The idea of which was to reduce possibility of sudden snatch when coming down from high revs such as motorway driving to a standing stop thus prolonging the life of expensive automatic tensioners."

The tensioners is what they're worried about? Automatic tensioners are just spring loaded idler pulleys right? (Unless VW has concocted some sort of dumb*** expensive high-tech version for something simple and cheap :rolleyes: ) The tensioners I've priced in the past are cheaper than this clutch thingie.

When shifting at 9000 rpm to the next gear and dumping the clutch there is extreme deceleration taking place?


how much parasitic drag could a freewheeling alternator possibly be in the first place if the stator and rotor loads are cut?

My daughter's Caravan has a clutch on it's alternator. I think it is easier on the belt and on the armature when you shut the engine off. It also makes a replacement alternator quite expensive.

sounds backwards to me. coming down is off the throttle, ride that energy for all its worth. Ahh, VW. the people that helped kill the boxer engine. Those silly kid engineers with crayons. :rolleyes:

I still can't get over the sideways engine smashing my face off. :confused:

These clutched alternators show up on lots of Chyrsler products. I was disappointed to learn it's not a fuel economy device at all.

I googled it and got this:

they pioneered these clutched alternator pulleys to reduce the load ont eh crankshaft because they had problems with crankshaft pulley bolts working loose and creating "wobble" and then getting out of time enough to grenade the engine.

Basically the rotational torques and engine decelerating faster than the alternator caused bad stuff to happen. Go physics.

My stuff seems to be doing fine w/o it...