[Vwdiesel] TDI alternator pulley

[Val Christian]

Hayden is correct.  However, when I was faced with the failure, I found that
for one outrageous price I could get a lifetime of alternators.  I could
not find a lifetime warranty on the sprage clutch.  

My 91 Jetta IDI has gone through COUNTLESS brush replacements.  And a bearing.
Then a winding.  After all that, I finally bought into the lifetime part.
Since then, two more sets of brushes.

So consider how long you will own the car, and how many times you might be
going after the clutch pulley.

On the TDI, there is one more consideration...it is possible to replace the 
pulley in situ, thereby saving dropping the AC compressor (not evac, just 
unbolting).  So if all you want to replace is the pulley, that is an option.
But look at the price of the pulley, (when I was faced with it, $88, and the 
price of the alternator ($180).  



> 
> The thing is, the clutch pulley is replacable.  9 times out of 10 there is nothing wrong with the alt.  Hayden
> 
> 
> Sep 16, 2010 03:57:43 PM, val at valchristian.com wrote:
> 
> I can't address whether it was the pully which trashed the tensioner,
> but I recall checking the hydraulic damper each time, as cautioned.
> In each of my cases, the sprag clutch died, allowing freewheeling in
> both directions.
> 
> The initial symptoms, for TDI owner benefit, were flashing or intermittent
> battery/alternator light, as the clutch would sometimes grab. Within a week
> it wasn't grabbing at all. 
> 
> I replaced the alternator with one from Autozone, with the principal benefit
> being "lifetime" replacement. The second alternator went in at about 58k miles,
> and the third at 114k miles. I presently have about 149k miles.
> 
> I had hears that some people got rid of the sprag clutch, but I decided that 
> there was a method in the madness which put it there. It is the leading cause 
> of alternator failures on TDIs.
> 
> 
> > 
> > It's is a 'sprag clutch' (couldn't find a good example pic) and the reverse
> > direction resistence isn't really of much value as long as it locks in the
> > 'forward' direction.
> > It's there to reduce the spinning forces internal to the alternator when the
> > engine is shut off.
> > The tensioner died of it's own accord.
> > imho
> > 
> > BrianG
> > Iowa
> > 
> > 
> > Date: Wed, 15 Sep 2010 22:27:17 -0500
> > From: Shalyn Shourds 
> > Subject: [Vwdiesel] TDI alternator pulley
> > To: vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> > Message-ID: <4C918E95.4030503 at flash.net>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
> > 
> > A while back, I saw that my '00 Jetta TDI accessory belt pulley was
> > bouncing all over the place. I searched the TDIclub site and there
> > seems to be a history of alternator pulleys failing causing the tension
> > on the belt to exceed the dampening ability of the tensioner. Tonight,
> > I pulled off the belt and looked over the system. The typical alt.
> > pulley failure mode appears to be that the one-way clutch doesn't lock
> > in either direction. I did establish that the pulley locks in one
> > direction. I also noticed that in the other direction, it has far more
> > resistance than I would expect from a bearing, but I don't know what's
> > typical of this kind of clutch. Should it be completely free-wheeling,
> > zero resistance? I also ascertained that the little hydraulic strut on
> > the tensioner is completely blown--oil leaked out everywhere. I
> > definitely need to replace it, but did it die, or...was it murdered by
> > the alt. pulley?
> > 
> > Thanks,
> > 
> > -Shalyn
> > _______________________________________________
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> > Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> > http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
> > 
> 
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