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Sanjay Patel on Supporting Carquest’s ‘Diverse Business’
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By Dorman Products
The best way to help customers find your auto repair shop | Set up your Google Business Profile
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By Counterman
You might not be able to see it, but an accessory-drive belt is always both speeding up and slowing down. When a piston accelerates downward after the ignition of the fuel and air, the crankshaft speeds up and then slows down as it reaches the bottom of the stroke. These changes in speed are minimal, but big enough to cause problems over time.
If the pulses aren’t minimized, they can hammer the belt and the attached rotating components. On a four-cylinder engine, the degrees of rotation between power pulses are greater than on a V-8 – so the amount of change in speed on the four-cylinder pulley is greater than on a V-6 or V-8. This has a direct effect on how the belt system is designed.
The belt-drive system is working hardest when the engine is at idle. When the engine is below 1,000 rpm, the alternator, A/C compressor and power-steering pump are putting the greatest strain on the belt.
Some of the forces can be taken up by the belt slipping on the pulleys. But, slipping causes friction and wear on the belt, as well as flutter. Over time, the slipping can get worse as removal of material from the ribs causes the belt to bottom out.
There are three components that help to keep the belt on the pulleys without slipping. The tensioner, harmonic balancer and decoupler pulley work together to keep the accessory-belt system quiet and the belt lasting until the replacement interval.
Tensioner
The tensioner applies force on the belt. Some tensioners have devices that dampen the movement of the spring and arm, helping to keep constant force on the belt even under a wide variety of conditions.
Harmonic Balancer
The harmonic dampener puts a layer of soft material between the crankshaft and outer ring of the pulley. The material helps to dissipate the power pulses and resonant frequencies. While the dampener may only flex one or two degrees of movement, this takes a lot of strain off attached components.
Decoupler Pulley
Some alternators have a decoupler pulley. This device serves two purposes. First, it helps to decouple the pulley from the alternator with a one-way clutch. The decoupler reduces parasitic losses by not having to fight against the momentum of the armature in the alternator while the engine is decelerating and accelerating.
Some decoupler pulleys have a spring and friction dampener to reduce vibration. When an alternator decoupler pulley is compromised, it can no longer absorb the same level of abuse, which has a trickle-down effect throughout the system.
Alternator decouplers and pulleys should be inspected every 10,000 miles for wear. Early design versions have a service life of 40,000 to 60,000 miles, with more recent versions lasting more than 100,000 miles.
When inspecting a decoupler or pulley, there are two signs that replacement is needed. First, after shutting down the engine, if there’s an audible buzzing, the bearings in the pulley have likely failed. The second sign depends on whether the vehicle has a one-way clutch (OWC), overrunning alternator pulley (OAP) or decoupler (OAD).
With the inspection cap/cover removed and the center locked, turn the pulley or decoupler with the appropriate tool. If it’s an OAP or OWC, the pulley can only be turned in the clockwise direction. If it’s an OAD, a counterclockwise turn will reveal a noticeable increase in spring force; a clockwise turn will only have slight resistance. The tensioner, harmonic balancer and decoupler pulley work together to keep the belt in contact with grooves in the pulleys. The three components are engineered together to match the engine. If one part is compromised, all are compromised, including the belt.
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By Alex
We are setting up this topic to share information on any impact the current
link hidden, please login to view has on the auto parts industry. Sourcing, distribution, parts availability, and business impact. General questions and sharing of knowledge are welcome. The WHO has designated this a global pandemic that is already affecting many industries, including most sectors in the automotive industry. Corporate and Independent automotive parts stores are being impacted by repair shop businesses slowing down. As you know, many parts come from China and other parts of the world, which are affected by the current pandemic.
Please share how this is impacting you and what you are seeing.
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By Counterman
To further enhance and expand its replacement parts and service business in North America, Stellantis announced the bproauto aftermarket parts brand as its new line of high-quality, competitively priced, replacement parts.
Following decades of success in Europe and other international markets, including the Middle East and South America, the newly introduced
link hidden, please login to view is available for most makes and models to help combat the rapidly changing aftermarket and the long-term shift to electrification as vehicles and their components are becoming increasingly complex and digital, the automaker noted. The original-equipment-backed parts come with up to a two-year/unlimited-mile warranty. In addition, batteries have up to two-year free replacement coverage and brake pads carry a limited lifetime warranty, according to Stellantis.
“With the introduction of bproauto, we’re further enhancing the customer experience by offering a new, competitively priced, private-label line of high-quality, factory-backed parts for most makes and models,” said Mike Koval, head of Mopar North America. “While Mopar will remain the global original-equipment parts and authentic accessories brand for Stellantis, bproauto will offer an alternative for nearly all brands and all cars – new, used, owned, rented or shared. With Mopar and bproauto, our dealerships offer a 360-degree, multi-brand, one-stop-shop solution for nearly all customers, all vehicles and all brands.”
In North America, 30 parts categories will be available for most makes and models to support the ongoing transition of the automotive repair industry. Additional product lines will phase into the Stellantis dealership network.
The following parts are available now from bproauto:
Air filters Batteries Brake pads Brake rotors Hub bearings Oil and oil filters Tire-pressure monitoring systems Additional high-quality products coming from bproauto will include:
ABS sensorsIgnition coilsA/C compressorsLubricantsA/C condensersO2 sensorsA/C evaporatorsRadiatorsAlternatorsShocksBall jointsSpark plugsBattery cablesSpark plug wiresBrake calipersStartersBrake hardwareStrutsBulbsTaillampsChemicalsThermostatsControl armsTie-rod endsFiltration: cabin and transmissionTiming belts/tensionersFuel injectorsU-jointsFuel pump modulesWater pumpsFunctional fluidsWiper bladesHeadlamps The post
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By Counterman
In our cover story for
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AMN/CM: What did your organization accomplish in 2022 that you are most proud of?
SP: As I’ve transitioned into this new role, I’ve been incredibly impressed by our Carquest team and our family of independent owners, along with their entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to the communities they serve. Our owners are resilient, and they find a way to win because they have hustle and heart.
With that said, there are three accomplishments that stand out, one being our first-annual Women of Carquest networking event. We had so many terrific women store partners in attendance, along with leaders from across our enterprise and industry. The breakout sessions and workshops were invaluable, and we’re already looking forward to hosting this again in 2023.
Another was our Leadership Summit in San Antonio, where we welcomed more than 525 store partners, members of our leadership team and supplier partners. After several years of virtual discussions and smaller group meetings, you could feel the energy in each mainstage session, training and panel discussion, especially as we unveiled our new Carquest logo and brand positioning.
I’m also proud of the passion our store partners have for supporting our military veterans. This was our first year fundraising for Hire Heroes USA, and our store partners helped us raise more than $100,000 to provide employment assistance for veterans entering the workforce.
AMN/CM: What are your thoughts about the business environment for the automotive aftermarket in 2023?
SP: Looking through the lens of our store partners, 2023 provides a strong environment for us to be successful. We’re seeing increases in personal vehicle usage and fleet miles driven. When you also consider advancing vehicle technologies as well as vehicles becoming more resilient, that creates health for our industry. These longer-lasting cars present a great opportunity, as older vehicles will require more repairs and maintenance, creating an increase on parts and supply demand.
And, when you bring in our Carquest independent owners, their product knowledge and unrelenting commitment to serving the customer … that’s where you get the magic!
AMN/CM: How can the independent aftermarket parts and service segments best prepare to repair the car of tomorrow as ADAS, EVs and other technologies become more prominent?
SP: I love this question, because I’m a car guy at heart! My background is in the service industry, and these technologies are so interesting to me.
The big area of opportunity is around training. Our independent owners can partner with Carquest Technical Institute (CTI) to offer training programs to repair shops. We encourage our owners to communicate this to their professional customers.
For a long time, technicians didn’t always have access to quality training. It always seemed to sit in the OE channel. Now, with CTI, Worldpac Training Institute (WTI) and events like the Supplier & Training Expo, we offer training on all makes and models, along with EVs, hybrids, ADAS and other emerging technologies. This increased availability of training helps technicians enhance their knowledge while giving independent repair shops the opportunity to serve a wider segment of the car parc. The fact is, there are a lot of vehicles – especially hybrids – that are hitting that six- to 15-year-old range. These vehicle owners are looking for options. They’re not just defaulting to taking their car to the dealership. When our owners communicate this training availability to repair shops, these shops can offer more services, serve more vehicles and tap into service revenues.
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