What does a crankshaft pulley do?

The crankshaft pulley is positioned on the end of the crankshaft. It transmits mechanical power and torque through the pulley system which then operates the engine's accessories (alternator, air conditioning compressor, etc.) through the use of a rubber belt or system of belts.

The crankshaft pulley is also essential in ensuring other engine components operate in unison to allow the vehicle to run smoothly. Doubling up as an internal dampener, crankshaft pulleys also reduce the risk of damage to certain engine components as they reduce the vibrations caused as the engine runs.

The car crankshaft pulley may seem like a minor part in a vehicle, but it is actually a very important part and is vital in the smooth operation of a healthy car.

Volkswagen

Volkswagen (often shortened to VW) is a German automobile manufacturer founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front, a Nazi labour union.

Volkswagen is the flagship marque of the Volkswagen Group, who in turn is majority owned by Porsche. They own and operate a vast number of cars under other brand names—at the time of writing, they have 342 subsidiary companies.

How popular is Volkswagen in the United Kingdom?

Possibly its most well-known model of the current generation, the VW Golf, was the 2nd best selling car of 2018, behind the Ford Fiesta, which consistently takes the top spot year after year.

The Golf’s 64k registrations in 2018 added to the vast tally of 3.4million Volkswagen cars on the road today.

High quality, highly rated, appropriately priced cars

VW cars achieve consistently strong reviews and are highly respected by critics and drivers alike. They are renowned for investing more money into research and development than almost any other marque and distributing their wealth of motoring knowledge across the many partner brands under the VW Group umbrella.

The Volkswagen Beetle: The ‘people’s car’

A classic of its time, originally named the Volkswagen Type 1, it soon became nicknamed the Beetle due to its unique shape, and subsequently the bug. The unique looking car was designed by Ferdinand Porsche for Adolf Hitler, who wanted a cheap and simple mass-produced car to travel around his country’s new road network.

The new model Beetle, originally launched to celebrate the original classic in 1997, and with an updated successor in 2011, was designed around the VW Jetta platform sharing much of its build with the Jetta and Golf. VW announced in 2018 that the Beetle would finally be removed from production in July 2019.

How often should a crankshaft pulley need replacing?

A crankshaft pulley can last the lifetime of your car without failing, however unexpected issues can occur which may lead to your pulley needing to be replaced. In general, crankshaft pulleys are not part of regular maintenance so shouldn’t have to be repaired or replaced often

The car crankshaft pulley may seem like a minor part in a vehicle, but it is actually a very important component and is vital in the smooth operation of a healthy car. Therefore if you experience any of the symptoms above you should have your car inspected by a mechanic.

What happens during a crankshaft pulley repair?

Our certified mechanics will:

• Check the condition of the crankshaft pulley.

• If necessary, they will replace the crankshaft pulley.

• Advise if any other related parts need to be replaced.

• Test drive the car to check everything has been fitted correctly.

What causes a crankshaft pulley to break?

When an engine has a bearing failure, this can cause issues for the crankshaft and the pulley tension. Similarly, if the belt tension is too tight or the auxiliary equipment has failed the pulley will also fail.

Most crankshaft pulleys also have a rubber element that is prone to deterioration as it is exposed to continuously changing conditions. If this wears out a replacement pulley will need to be fitted.

What are the symptoms of a failing crankshaft pulley?

Usually, there a few signs you can look for:

• Engine vibrations

• Alternator failure - flickering headlights, car struggles to start

• Rough engine idle

• Difficulty moving the steering wheel

• Difficulty changing gears due to gearbox damage

How often should you replace your crankshaft pulley?

Generally a crankshaft pulley should last the lifetime of the vehicle, however wear and tear does occur so occasionally one may need to be replaced.

What happens during a crankshaft pulley repair?

Our certified mechanics will:

• Check the condition of the crankshaft pulley.

• If necessary, they will replace the crankshaft pulley.

• Advise if any other related parts need to be replaced.

• Test drive the car to check everything has been fitted correctly.

What is the average life of a crankshaft pulley?

A crankshaft pulley can last the lifetime of your car without failing, however unexpected issues can occur which may lead to your pulley needing to be replaced. In general, crankshaft pulleys are not part of regular maintenance so shouldn’t cause you too many issues.

Can you drive with a broken crankshaft pulley?

You should avoid driving with a failing crankshaft pulley as it can cause serious and expensive damage to your engine. If the pulley breaks and the engine continues to run, serious damage could be done to the crankshaft, which would be a very extensive and costly repair. Other belts and components riding on the pulley could also break or become damaged.