According to the company, this new and efficient combination for the OE market reduces and prevents starter-related downtime for fleet owners and operators. The 38MT+ and 39MT Smart Starters with Smart IMS / IOCP will soon be available as an option from the factory on new truck orders from a major commercial vehicle manufacturer.
“We are committed to finding solutions that are effective, drive the industry forward and make our customers’ lives easier through gaining a deeper understanding of the challenges facing our customers world-wide,” says Randy Andis, director, Commercial Vehicle, PowerDrive Systems, BorgWarner. “Downtime is a major concern for fleet owners. The pairing of our Smart IMS and over crank protection technology gives us the ability to address this industry-wide problem by reducing starter-related maintenance and protecting the starter from an early life failure, enhancing the durability and reliability of our starters, and ultimately maximizing uptime.”
BorgWarner says its IOCP, a built-in circuit breaker that protects the starter from thermal damage by monitoring the temperature and automatically resetting at a safe operating temperature as needed, while also eliminating wiring harnesses, has been used by customers for many years. The Smart IMS, introduced to the aftermarket in 2017, ensures the solenoid receives the maximum available voltage by reducing voltage drop, and features six electronic functions that protect the starter from potential damage caused by operator or system errors, the company says.
By pairing these two technologies together, BorgWarner says customers will receive the highest level of starter protection available to the market. The dual technologies deliver extra layers of protection across a wide range of starting conditions by reducing damage due to excessive cranking, low battery voltage cranking issues, high circuit control resistance issues, starter click-no-crank, solenoid prolonged power, overruns, pinion and ring gear teeth damage, and more. Additionally, the technology encompasses driver/system protection features, such as time-limited crank, running engine lockout and auto disengage at engine start, the company says.
BorgWarner says the new starters are covered by a three-year warranty coverage, an improvement over the standard vehicle warranty (up to two years) that most starters in the commercial vehicle industry carry. While suited for new vehicles, the technology also can be retrofitted and the combined solution will be available in the aftermarket in the second quarter.
At the time of ordering, the company says customers purchasing a new truck from the major commercial vehicle manufacturer that BorgWarner has contracted with, have the option to choose the standard 38MT+ or 39MT or opt for the models with the enhanced starter protection: the 38MT+ or 39MT Smart Starter with Smart IMS and IOCP.
