NAPA AutoCare Corner: Overrunning Alternator Pulley System
Each week the NAPA AutoCare Corner brings you an article from our experts at the NAPA AutoCare Blog.
Creating more efficient parts within a vehicle takes a combination of ingenuity, perseverance, testing, and “KNOW HOW”. Because vehicle systems such as self-parking assist, rear bumper cameras, vehicle performance diagnostics, other electrical systems and crash avoidance systems are getting more and more complex – they require a constant supply of energy to run effectively. Energy to power these systems, the engine, and many other vehicle applications come from the car battery, but must be powered through the conversion of electrical energy from the battery – through the alternator.
In order to create that much needed flow of electricity, your vehicle depends on the dedicated work of the serpentine belt, which “snakes around” and spins the alternator. Until recently, the alternator was always spinning while the engine was running but now some newer model vehicles come with overrunning pulleys – which assist the alternator in continuing to produce energy – allowing it to “coast” when the engine is decelerating.…
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More than 90 years ago, the National Automotive Parts Association ("NAPA") was created to meet America’s growing need for an effective auto parts distribution system. Today, 91% of do-it-yourself customers recognize the NAPA brand name. We have over 6,000 NAPA Auto Parts Stores nationwide serving all 50 states with a unique inventory control system that helps you find the exact part that you need.