New Belt - No AC

[badkittystt]

So.... Mr. Darcy recently got a new tensioner because he was making a strange noise when the AC was on. This was fixed for the cost of on the house, which is AWESOME:badger_1: especially since I was almost 2 weeks out of my warranty.

A few days after getting him back I turn the AC on and smell something burning. I turned the AC off and kept driving (I was on my way to lunch and it was about a 2 minute drive, wasn't too worried). When I got to my destination I popped the hood and saw a tiny bit of smoke coming up off the very top of the serpentine belt. Upon closer inspection I noticed a few shreds on the belt. I don't know how to turn the belt so I assumed that if there were a few shreds there, there could me more shreds elsewhere, so I went and bought a new belt.

Next day a friend of mine replaces the belt and said that after running for a few minutes the burning smell went away (must have been some rubber in the engine?) I'm happy, thought all was groovy. Well, now I don't have AC. WTF? :shrug:

What do I need to look at? Could the shredded belt have damaged something on the AC or is it more likely just a massive coincidence?

 

[jnaut]

My guess is, the strange noise you heard when the AC was on wasn't the tensioner, it was probably something related to the AC, more than likely the clutch.

I'd start there because it sounds like you've had a clutch failure which would describe 1: the smell and 2: the lack of AC.

 

[desync0]

My guess is the same as jnaut's, it probably wasn't the tensioner, it was the a/c compressor.

The original noise was probably the a/c compressor bearings on the way out, which would be why it only made noises when the a/c was on.

The compressor is probably seized now, with the added tension from the new tensioner, when you turned the a/c on and the clutch engaged, the a/c pully stopped turning, and shredded the belt.

 

[diyman]

Sorry to hear that!

An A/C compressor is something I'd really like to stash as a spare part, but hey, what a price

Sad part is, You'll have to swap more parts other than compressor itself.....

 

[badkittystt]

Sorry to hear that!

An A/C compressor is something I'd really like to stash as a spare part, but hey, what a price

Sad part is, You'll have to swap more parts other than compressor itself.....

Go on.... I plan on having someone who works with the boy look at it tomorrow. We've given him enough lobster this year that he shouldn't complain about anything but I would like to have some ideas so I can sound smart while he's looking. I've already replaced the tensioner (which the mechanic where I bought Mr. Darcy said was bad) and then I replaced the belt, what else could possibly be in there???

 

[waywardtravel]

Just to make sure, with the fan on and any vents on it blow's air right? Turn off the little A/C button but everything else works? all four speeds?

 

[diyman]

Just to make sure, with the fan on and any vents on it blow's air right? Turn off the little A/C button but everything else works? all four speeds?

Yes, agreed. One should always double check everything, just to rule that out... Guess You mean the blower resistor,
blower motor, failure in A/C lines, sudden loss of R-134 gas, pressure switch and so on...

I've heard that when going bad, A/C compressors might create ( or already have ) some debris in the oil/gas system,
so inline filter should be swapped too, evap. as well maybe??? Hey, I plead innocent

 

[badkittystt]

Just to make sure, with the fan on and any vents on it blow's air right? Turn off the little A/C button but everything else works? all four speeds?

I didn't check all the speeds. I've been using the air just for circulation but I haven't gone through the whole range of air options. I just got home but next time I make a foray I'll double check all that.

Thanks

 

[waywardtravel]

You don't need to check all speeds I guess. If it blows air but not A/C time to check the A/C parts.
Your A/C guy will know what to do. First check pressure then go from their. Hopefully just low on gas but it sounds like maybe worse depending on what the idler pulley/compressor sound was. Good luck.

You don't happen to know a dive instructor named Dwaine do you?
He last told me he was going to the V.I.'s from Hawaii years ago and no one has talked to him since. Had an Iron Maided album cover across the back of his wetsuit.

 

[OneOneNiner]

A burning up belt is often due to a frozen pulley.
Has the smell "definitely gone away"?, because a fresh belt can still get you running till it completely burns through the frozen pulley, or shreads.
Hopefully your compressor is ok.
Check all pulleys to make sure they're fine.

 

[huntbuggy]

X3 Agree sounds like AC clutch, ours fried up bad and turned the compressor like a red/brown colour - murphy's law - hottest day of the summer a couple years ago. Was a bit $$ replacing compressor and recharging etc.

Did a search on AC clutch shredding belts till they burn, and compressor replacement:

http://www.jeepkj.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39743&highlight=conditioning&page=3

Another post on different serpentine belt part #s due to Libby tensioner replacements and replacement belts burning up repeatedly if wrong one put in:

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=9141&p=87736&hilit=belt+shredded#p87736

Good luck!

(Maybe memorize the AC chapter in the FSM and freak out the guys at the shop something my wife might do - along with the tight jeans of course.)

 

[OneOneNiner]

X3 Agree sounds like AC clutch, ours fried up bad and turned the compressor like a red/brown colour - murphy's law - hottest day of the summer a couple years ago. Was a bit $$ replacing compressor and recharging etc.

Did a search on AC clutch shredding belts till they burn, and compressor replacement:

http://www.jeepkj.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39743&highlight=conditioning&page=3

Another post on different serpentine belt part #s due to Libby tensioner replacements and replacement belts burning up repeatedly if wrong one put in:

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=9141&p=87736&hilit=belt+shredded#p87736

Good luck!

(Maybe memorize the AC chapter in the FSM and freak out the guys at the shop something my wife might do - along with the tight jeans of course.)

Here's some more carnage:
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=51958&p=578952&hilit=belt#p578952

 

[badkittystt]

Here's some more carnage:
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=51958&p=578952&hilit=belt#p578952

Awesome. Thanks guys p:

Seriously though... Thanks for the advice. Esp the tight jeans...

 

[badkittystt]

So the guy I was hoping would look at my AC wasn't working today and I'm really trying to avoid taking Mr. Darcy to an AC shop.

Is there any way I can check to see if the compressor is working or if the pulley thing is turning or do any other tests to narrow down what is wrong with the AC?

 

[waywardtravel]

So the guy I was hoping would look at my AC wasn't working today and I'm really trying to avoid taking Mr. Darcy to an AC shop.

Is there any way I can check to see if the compressor is working or if the pulley thing is turning or do any other tests to narrow down what is wrong with the AC?

Check all fuses, buy some gauges and the adapter for automotive valve and check pressure within the system. Buy some 134A refrigerant and the valve adaptor if you don't get the bigger 20lb bottle to charge and test.

 

[gijoe31484]

mine did the same. look for a bunch of dust surrounding the AC pump area--that would be your burnt and ground AC clutch.

 

[gijoe31484]

I just removed my AC pump altogether and have been getting roughly 35-40 more miles per tank of gas.

http://jeepkj.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45242

take a looksie.

 

[waywardtravel]

I just removed my AC pump altogether and have been getting roughly 35-40 more miles per tank of gas.

http://jeepkj.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45242

take a looksie.

But doesn't that mean you were more comfortable before? I guess it's winter now and you have lot's of time to fix it in PA.

 

[badkittystt]

So after a VERY long I got a mechanic to look at the ac today and he said that the clutch is shot and should probably just get the whole compressor assembly. Any opinions on this? Apparently when he reached in and turned it with his hand there was an awful grinding.

 

[sparkman70]

I think Mr Darcy needs a day at the spa lol