Alternator Clutch

Greasey Bob · **Joined:** Tue Dec 14, 2010 3:34 am **Posts:** 228

I have replaced it a few times it always starts making noise at idle first. Then wears out and breaks. but it makes squealing noises the whole time. I changed it a few months back when doing the timing belt it lasted 3 week before it started squealing.

What if I glue it together so the clutch can not activate maybe with some JB Weld? To far fetched. Would not actually work it would just blow up the alternator or battery or both.

flash7210 · **Posted:** Sun Oct 04, 2015 10:15 pm

Maybe you need a new tensioner and/or belt?

dirtmover · **Posted:** Mon Oct 05, 2015 6:24 am

Agreed, an OAD should last around 100K these days. Check the other components of the system before replacing again.

95Z28A4 · **Joined:** Sun Mar 30, 2014 9:53 am **Posts:** 297

Try an upgraded Litens 920834A de-coupler from Advance Auto.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=83062

Greasey Bob · **Joined:** Tue Dec 14, 2010 3:34 am **Posts:** 228

I believe I have new idlers and new belt and tensioner, the 200k mile "tune up" was very expensive. Timing Belt, water pump, idlers, belts they are all new. A friend helped me i.e. he did most of the work I said can we change out the pulley to a standard pulley off a different alternator so we tried it and it did not fit so we got a factory one since the last two Advance auto parts ones lasted less than a month before squealing. To the factory versions credit it is still working well and only squeals at idle.

So back to the original question if I find a way to eliminate the clutch part will it blow up the belt or alternator or battery by not having the clutch in there. Obviously I do not care about it's effects on fuel miles

dirtmover · **Posted:** Wed Oct 07, 2015 8:29 am

Greasey Bob wrote:

So back to the original question if I find a way to eliminate the clutch part will it blow up the belt or alternator or battery by not having the clutch in there. Obviously I do not care about it's effects on fuel miles

An OAD absorbs vibrations and allows the system to run at lower tension. I dont think anything is going to blow up but I'd guess replacing with a fixed pulley will result in possibly more squeal and the tensioner will have to work more to absorb vibrations resulting in a compromised life expectancy.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Wed Oct 07, 2015 9:48 am

Probably nothing will blow up immediately but in the relatively near term you will lose the belt tensioner and the clutches on the viscous heater and AC will chirp/howl; how much damage you will cause to them and how soon I don't know. My recommendation get the upgraded Litens pulley (their PN 920834) and install it. Note a good alternator/auto electric shop may have it in which case they likely can install it for a total price less than your cost for just the pulley.

Use of cheap decoupler pulleys is well known to result in short pulley life and tensioner damage.

If you have been using quality pulleys and still having short pulley life I'd look for other problems in that belt system. For example replacing just a pulley after pulley problems have damaged the tensioner will result in short pulley life until BOTH the tensioner and pulley are replaced. Quick check after installing new pulley - if tensioner is "leaning" toward or into power steering pulley or noticeably bouncing as opposed to barely twitching then tensioner is bad.

See the video at http://www.decouplerpulley.com/ for more information.

Billy M · **Posted:** Wed Oct 07, 2015 10:22 am

papaindigo wrote:

if tensioner is "leaning" toward or into power steering pulley or noticeably bouncing as opposed to barely twitching then tensioner is bad.

Mine did that. It was chirping against the front of the PS pulley. I replaced it with a tensioner from IDParts. She went through 2 decouplers before that (under my watch), so I figured the tensioner had all the abuse she could handle. New tensioner fixed her up good.

thermorex · **Posted:** Wed Oct 07, 2015 5:14 pm

I am also for the updated Litens oad clutch, but for the life of me, I can't explain how yours lasts only a month... I replaced my original alt with a pos advance auto in 2012, that pos lasted 6 months and about 5-6k miles, but the oad pulley was fine. Then I got an original (not the updated) Litens pulley which works still perfect (maybe about 30k miles later). I wonder if what papaindigo said about a bad tensioner is the issue that causes yours to fail...

papaindigo · **Posted:** Wed Oct 07, 2015 6:48 pm

My old school underlying "logic" is based on the KISS principal. If and only if you are using the correct decoupler tensioner, as opposed to anything else, AND the tensioner is regularly failing then look elsewhere in the serpentine belt path for the cause.

Greasey Bob · **Joined:** Tue Dec 14, 2010 3:34 am **Posts:** 228

It is not squealing so bad now, the A/C is getting worse. I have figured out that with the A/C off it only squeals a little some times. The A/C is squealing at idle but that makes the alternator squeal more at idle also. Maybe I will fix the A/C and see if the alternator improves. It is the only thing that has not been changed in the last 9k miles.

Alternator Clutch

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