Dayco crankshaft damper features on award winning Pentastar engine
Dayco has underlined its original equipment pedigree by designing and manufacturing the crankshaft damper for the award-winning 3.6L DOHC 48V eTorque V-6 Pentastar engine.
The engine, which is used in the Dodge Ram 1500 and 2020 Jeep Wrangler Sahara, was showcased at the 2020 Wards 10 Best Engines and Propulsion Systems competition, which took place in Detroit on January 16.
The Dayco crankshaft damper is designed to reduce noise, vibration and harshness, and incorporates technology that maximises power system stability, whilst minimising variations in belt tension, extending the lifespan of its associated components and improving the vehicle’s overall fuel economy.
Using proprietary software, in conjunction with state-of-the-art commercial software packages, the company is able to virtually optimize and validate its products before the creation of prototype parts, thus enhancing their performance in full production.
Alongside its diverse power transmission portfolio, Dayco produces a broad range of driveline dampers, which are designed specifically to absorb linear, torsional or mixed vibration. Innovation and creativity, coupled with analytical and empirical validation tools, are key factors that distinguish Dayco as the technical leader in this field. The recessed belt damper (RBD), radial internal tube damper (Radial ITD), and the low frequency grommet damper (LFGD) are all examples of how the company is able to develop effective solutions for its many customers.
Dayco’s crankshaft damper for the belt starter generator (BSG) system on the winning eTorque Pentastar engine, helps the Ram 1500 light duty pickup achieve EPA certified 20 mpg city and 25 mpg highway fuel economy. The damper mitigates vibrations caused by the stop-start system and allows smooth, quiet engine operation and, according to FCA, the BSG system helps the Ram 1500 achieve an 18 per cent improvement in city and 10 per cent in combined mpg, over the previous generation model.
Dayco also supplies dampers for some versions of the world-famous GM small block V-8 engine, including the 6.2L V-8 used in the Chevrolet Silverado that won the award in 2019. The latest incarnation of the small block V-8, the LT2 used in the all new eight-generation Chevrolet Corvette, was also one of the Wards 10 Best Engines and Propulsion Systems competition winners this year.
This is the 26th year for Wards 10 Best Engines and Propulsion Systems, a competition created to recognize outstanding powertrain achievement, world-class technologies and engines or electric propulsion systems that really help sell the vehicle. To be eligible, a new or significantly modified engine or propulsion system must be on sale in a production vehicle during the first quarter of 2020, with a base price capped at $64,000.