Overrunning Clutch

Overrunning Clutch









In all starter designs the rotary motion is transmitted via an Overrunning Clutch. The overrunning clutch allows the pinion to be driven by the armature shaft (or planetary gear set), however it breaks the connection between the pinion and the armature shaft as soon as the accelerating engine spins the pinion taster than the starter.

The overrunning clutch is located between the starter motor and the pinion and prevents the starter motor armature from being accelerated to an excessive speed when the engine starts.

EWS
The EWS system(s) is designed to provide electronic anti-theft protection for the vehicle through the use of coded keys and coded data communication between the EWS and the engine control module. The starter and engine control module are locked out until a properly coded key is recognized and the proper code is established between the EWS and the engine control modules.

Starter Safety Switch
The Starter Safety Switch is part of the transmission range switch on automatic transmission vehicles and a clutch switch on manual transmission vehicles (beginning MY 1997).
The purpose of the switch is to prevent engine start-up with the vehicle in gear or the clutch not depressed. On vehicles with EWS, this signal is sent directly to the EWS module for processing.

Cable and Wiring Harness
Gables to the starter from the battery must carry large amounts of current. The wiring harness from the ignition switch and/or EWS carry little current as they are control signals to a relay or starter solenoid. Minimum voltage drop in starter cables is necessary to ensure sufficient starter speed and torque.