Aftermarket May 2022

to match the OE number, the customer is at risk of receiving a unit that fails to communicate with the car, and thus will not work properly. To help our customers select the right model, we have developed a model search system on our web shop, where it is possible to search on the OE number and then get the right unit for that specific number. We put a lot of effort into securing and quality checking that all data is correct.” Relevant According to Autoelectro UK Sales Manager Nick Hood, remanufacturing is more relevant than ever: “As technologies move forward, it has become more of a challenge for a starter motor or an alternator to be copied, and copied accurately, in the aftermarket. The costs of smart alternators, combined starter/alternators and 48V, for example, are much higher than before. What’s more, some of these units are becoming more vehicle- specific, so remanufacturing has become more pertinent because it is a way of bringing that unit to market quickly, rather than a new unit created by a spurious source that isn’t the original manufacturer.” Nick continued: “One of the main reasons for returning a component under warranty is because of a vehicle fault, something inherent in the design, which is causing the failure of either the starter motor or alternator.” When faced with problems, on some parts faults may be more apparent than on others: “The starter motor or alternator is the most obvious part to diagnose. In the case of a starter motor, the vehicle may not start, it might be clicking, so the argument could be the starter motor has failed. There has been a tendency to replace a starter motor and not investigate the reason why it’s failed – and I would say the same is often true of an alternator.” “On a smart charge system that can charge at variable voltages, the system is reliant on information coming from other sensors within the vehicle, so there can be a situation where an alternator appears to not be charging at the correct voltage or not charging at all –something else on the vehicle might be creating that situation.” Nick added: “It’s a default diagnosis, then somebody buys a replacement part and doesn’t resolve the issue. The net result is that it fails again or fails to work on fitment because something else that is the real problem has failed.” All-time high It’s not just engine parts that benefit from the reman process, as ACtronics COO Thijs Jasink observed: “Faulty ECU? That’s going to be expensive. If your customer is on a tight budget you might choose for a used part, but this requires some complicated reprogramming and there’s no guarantees on how long this replacement part will last. So how can you help your customer in a decent matter without breaking the bank? Remanufacturing might just be the perfect solution. “Of course, whenever money isn’t an issue, the most obvious solution is to just buy a new ECU. However, with repair costs rising to an all-time high, people start looking for cheaper alternatives. There’s just one drawback with cheap solutions; Both quality and reliability will be less in comparison to new, and exactly these matters are strengths of remanufacturing. Because of the well thought- out process, remanufacturing is just as reliable as a new part, without costing that much. Moreover, a remanufactured part doesn’t require reprogramming. It’s exactly the same part that came out of the car, but just without the problems.” On the difference between repairing and remanufacturing, Thijs observed: “Before we list car-electronics in our assortment, we do extensive research do develop the best remanufacturing solution. We also develop our own testing equipment, such as our Vision 6 simulation platform. We are always looking to improve quality and life span in every possible way. So, during a remanufacture all weak points in a part will be attended to, not only the components that are actually defective. We probably don’t have to explain that this approach will create a high quality and therefore a long life of the part. It’s not just a repair job. It’s a solution on a whole new level.” Left: Remanufactured alternator from Autoelectro Remanufacturing enables a single part to have more than one life and, in many instances multiple lives ” Bosch MEV 17.4 ECU receives the ACtronics treatment MAY 2022 AFTERMARKET 51 www.aftermarketonline.net Remanufactured major units from Ivor Searle Ivor Searle offers an all-makes programme of remanufactured automotive major units, including petrol and diesel engines, cylinder heads, gearboxes and turbos for cars and LCVs. The Ivor Searle product range covers around 90% of the UK’s vehicle parc. Ivor Searle also provides a fast-turnaround DPF cleaning service that removes all soot and ash deposits. All Ivor Searle engines, cylinder heads and gearboxes are covered by a 12-month unlimited mileage parts and labour warranty, while a two-year warranty covers all turbochargers. Professionally-cleaned DPFs are covered by a no-quibble, 12-month unlimited mileage warranty. www.ivorsearle.co.uk