08.11.2018 Can start-stop systems damage your engine and surrounding components?

More and more new vehicles are leaving the factory with start-stop technology installed. The technology is increasingly being used to tackle emissions and to promote more environmentally friendly vehicles while providing a cost benefit for the end user. Benefits are proven for the environment and the vehicle owner as the system improves fuel economy by between 5 to 7%. By 2022, it is expected that start-stop systems will be fitted as standard on more than 82% of vehicles sold in Western Europe.

Although, the system has many benefits for the environment and the owner of the vehicle it can also have a detrimental effect on inferior engine and vibration control components. As the vehicle comes to a standstill, the engine is stopped and the restarted after a short period of time. This process although reducing fuel consumption increases the strain on components by increasing the vibrations transmitted throughout the auxiliary drive via the crankshaft pulley and engine mount.

Typically on average an ordinary pulley and engine mount will have to withstand up to 50,000 to 70,000 starts over the lifetime of the vehicle. However, under the start-stop system a pulley and engine mount will have to endure 500,000 to 700,000 starts increasing the vibrations transmitted by 10x.

Developing engine mounts and pulleys that can withstand as many starts without breaking or failing, poses enormous challenges. Extensive research, development and testing carried out by Freudenberg makes it possible to deliver these solutions. Counterfeit or inferior parts are exposed to none of these stages and therefore cannot match OE requirements.

Installing a counterfeit or ‘white boxed good’ into a vehicle with start-stop capabilities can risk other components in the auxiliary drive. As vibration control parts are used to absorb excess vibrations from leaking and damaging surrounding components it is imperative to install quality products that can effectively achieve this. Vibrations often arise as a result of aging components or poor quality vibration dampers. These vibrations don't just affect driving comfort. Unwanted vibrations can spread throughout the vehicle and cause damage to the engine and other components. Without quality parts being used the vehicle will be returned to the garage for several repairs due to premature failure of surrounding components.

With this in mind Corteco stocks over 1,410 components for vibration control that have been designed especially for start-stop systems and the pressures it puts on the other components found within and around the engine.

Head to www.corteco.com/en/product/vibration-control/ to find out more about our quality components alternatively, contact one of our local customer service team on 01455 550000 or email them at service@corteco.co.uk.

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