Car Issue (1 Viewer)

[Cjw_55106]

I had a belt hanging today when I got to work. Looking at the internets, it seems it is the V belt or A/C belt. Is the car safe to drive without this?

 

[Fat Nick]

If you're 100% sure it's just the AC and that's the only thing it drives, then yes. Your AC simply won't work.

If that belt drives anything else, you'll probably notice. Power steering and sometimes oil pumps are driven off belts as well in most cars...you'll notice power steering if your wheel is hard to turn. You'll notice the oil pump when your engine seizes up into a block of worthless metal.

 

[Cjw_55106]

Thanks Nick. I wheeled it around the parking lot and the A/C and the power steering both work, which is disconcerting.

 

[squidrope]

If PS and A/C are working then the belt probably runs your altenator and waterpump. DO NOT DRIVE or your car will overheat and you could ruin your engine.

 

[Cjw_55106]

If PS and A/C are working then the belt probably runs your altenator and waterpump. DO NOT DRIVE or your car will overheat and you could ruin your engine.

Thats what I figured. Thanks squid.

 

[comfortably numb]

thank god it's not ball cancer

 

[Cjw_55106]

A guy at work looked at it. He said its definitly the A/C and I can drive it. He said the air may work for a quick spin around the parking lot, but he's sure it will stop working pretty quickly.

 

[arrow1]

check the ball bearings

 

[3C's]

A lot of newer cars only have one large serpentine belt which drives everything (power steering, AC and alternator). What kind of car is it? In the old days water pumps were driven by an external belt but that's not the case often now.

 

[Cjw_55106]

A lot of newer cars only have one large serpentine belt which drives everything (power steering, AC and alternator). What kind of car is it? In the old days water pumps were driven by an external belt but that's not the case often now.

Its not newer.

This guy seemed pretty sure that the water pump is driven by the serpentine belt. The diagram inside the hood also lists it as AC.

 

[TheIronSheik]

Make sure you drain the oil before you flip the car over to do any work.

 

[belljr]

Hope your ac doesn't fall down

 

[Cjw_55106]

Make sure you drain the oil before you flip the car over to do any work.

I wont make that mistake again.

 

[playin4beer]

If it's a V-belt and not a flat serpentine belt, you can probably be running "historical" plates...

 

[Cjw_55106]

If it's a V-belt and not a flat serpentine belt, you can probably be running "historical" plates...

'97

 

[Cjw_55106]

New issue (or at least seperate):

2005 Expedition...air no longer cold. I always see the ads for "recharging", but this wouldnt fix any possible leaks, is that correct?

 

[Fat Nick]

New issue (or at least seperate):

2005 Expedition...air no longer cold. I always see the ads for "recharging", but this wouldnt fix any possible leaks, is that correct?

It'd fix it temporarily until the stuff leaks back out, assuming that's the issue. Sometimes your compressor is just dead and it's not even a leak. Get a can of the recharge with the UV dye included. Recharge it, let it leak back out, and then use the UV light (often included) in your engine to identify where it's leaking. That'll help you figure out where the problem is and how hard it is to fix.

 

[Cjw_55106]

New issue (or at least seperate):

2005 Expedition...air no longer cold. I always see the ads for "recharging", but this wouldnt fix any possible leaks, is that correct?

It'd fix it temporarily until the stuff leaks back out, assuming that's the issue. Sometimes your compressor is just dead and it's not even a leak. Get a can of the recharge with the UV dye included. Recharge it, let it leak back out, and then use the UV light (often included) in your engine to identify where it's leaking. That'll help you figure out where the problem is and how hard it is to fix.

Thanks Nick. I was talking to a mechanic last summer and he got in over my head pretty quickly. He was talking about....well, I dont know what he was talking about, but it had something to do with how the freon can leak out with smaller holes now because they make it differnt now or some such thing.

 

[Fat Nick]

New issue (or at least seperate):

2005 Expedition...air no longer cold. I always see the ads for "recharging", but this wouldnt fix any possible leaks, is that correct?

It'd fix it temporarily until the stuff leaks back out, assuming that's the issue. Sometimes your compressor is just dead and it's not even a leak. Get a can of the recharge with the UV dye included. Recharge it, let it leak back out, and then use the UV light (often included) in your engine to identify where it's leaking. That'll help you figure out where the problem is and how hard it is to fix.

Thanks Nick. I was talking to a mechanic last summer and he got in over my head pretty quickly. He was talking about....well, I dont know what he was talking about, but it had something to do with how the freon can leak out with smaller holes now because they make it differnt now or some such thing.

They had to change the chemical that they use b/c real freon was bad for the Ozone layer or something. Some tree hugger crap. I didn't know that the new stuff (I think it's called R22) was a smaller molecule that leaks more easily, but it could be, and that would make some sense. My wife's old Ford Escape had the compressor go bad. I thought it just needed a charge, so I bought one of those kits, and the pressure was fine. Dealer wanted almost a grand to replace the compressor. The car was worth maybe $5K, so I just waited till the fall and sold it.

 

[Cjw_55106]

New issue (or at least seperate):

2005 Expedition...air no longer cold. I always see the ads for "recharging", but this wouldnt fix any possible leaks, is that correct?

It'd fix it temporarily until the stuff leaks back out, assuming that's the issue. Sometimes your compressor is just dead and it's not even a leak. Get a can of the recharge with the UV dye included. Recharge it, let it leak back out, and then use the UV light (often included) in your engine to identify where it's leaking. That'll help you figure out where the problem is and how hard it is to fix.

Thanks Nick. I was talking to a mechanic last summer and he got in over my head pretty quickly. He was talking about....well, I dont know what he was talking about, but it had something to do with how the freon can leak out with smaller holes now because they make it differnt now or some such thing.

They had to change the chemical that they use b/c real freon was bad for the Ozone layer or something. Some tree hugger crap. I didn't know that the new stuff (I think it's called R22) was a smaller molecule that leaks more easily, but it could be, and that would make some sense. My wife's old Ford Escape had the compressor go bad. I thought it just needed a charge, so I bought one of those kits, and the pressure was fine. Dealer wanted almost a grand to replace the compressor. The car was worth maybe $5K, so I just waited till the fall and sold it.

Yep, that sounds like it. Im not willing to pay a grand, but my wife watches two babies so she probably needs it fixed. I'll try the cheap route first.

 

[Scoresman]

Check the Nelson flange. I had one of those #### the bed on me one time on a long road trip. Trust me, you don't want to be driving around with a bad Nelson flange.

Is that next to the Johnson rod?

 

[3C's]

New issue (or at least seperate):

2005 Expedition...air no longer cold. I always see the ads for "recharging", but this wouldnt fix any possible leaks, is that correct?

It'd fix it temporarily until the stuff leaks back out, assuming that's the issue. Sometimes your compressor is just dead and it's not even a leak. Get a can of the recharge with the UV dye included. Recharge it, let it leak back out, and then use the UV light (often included) in your engine to identify where it's leaking. That'll help you figure out where the problem is and how hard it is to fix.

Thanks Nick. I was talking to a mechanic last summer and he got in over my head pretty quickly. He was talking about....well, I dont know what he was talking about, but it had something to do with how the freon can leak out with smaller holes now because they make it differnt now or some such thing.

They had to change the chemical that they use b/c real freon was bad for the Ozone layer or something. Some tree hugger crap. I didn't know that the new stuff (I think it's called R22) was a smaller molecule that leaks more easily, but it could be, and that would make some sense. My wife's old Ford Escape had the compressor go bad. I thought it just needed a charge, so I bought one of those kits, and the pressure was fine. Dealer wanted almost a grand to replace the compressor. The car was worth maybe $5K, so I just waited till the fall and sold it.

R12 was the old, R134 is the new.

And you're telling the guy who had a coworker check his belts to charge an AC system.

 

[Cjw_55106]

New issue (or at least seperate):

2005 Expedition...air no longer cold. I always see the ads for "recharging", but this wouldnt fix any possible leaks, is that correct?

It'd fix it temporarily until the stuff leaks back out, assuming that's the issue. Sometimes your compressor is just dead and it's not even a leak. Get a can of the recharge with the UV dye included. Recharge it, let it leak back out, and then use the UV light (often included) in your engine to identify where it's leaking. That'll help you figure out where the problem is and how hard it is to fix.

Thanks Nick. I was talking to a mechanic last summer and he got in over my head pretty quickly. He was talking about....well, I dont know what he was talking about, but it had something to do with how the freon can leak out with smaller holes now because they make it differnt now or some such thing.

They had to change the chemical that they use b/c real freon was bad for the Ozone layer or something. Some tree hugger crap. I didn't know that the new stuff (I think it's called R22) was a smaller molecule that leaks more easily, but it could be, and that would make some sense. My wife's old Ford Escape had the compressor go bad. I thought it just needed a charge, so I bought one of those kits, and the pressure was fine. Dealer wanted almost a grand to replace the compressor. The car was worth maybe $5K, so I just waited till the fall and sold it.

R12 was the old, R134 is the new.

And you're telling the guy who had a coworker check his belts to charge an AC system.

Pretty sure I can charge the AC.

 

[3C's]

New issue (or at least seperate):

2005 Expedition...air no longer cold. I always see the ads for "recharging", but this wouldnt fix any possible leaks, is that correct?

It'd fix it temporarily until the stuff leaks back out, assuming that's the issue. Sometimes your compressor is just dead and it's not even a leak. Get a can of the recharge with the UV dye included. Recharge it, let it leak back out, and then use the UV light (often included) in your engine to identify where it's leaking. That'll help you figure out where the problem is and how hard it is to fix.

Thanks Nick. I was talking to a mechanic last summer and he got in over my head pretty quickly. He was talking about....well, I dont know what he was talking about, but it had something to do with how the freon can leak out with smaller holes now because they make it differnt now or some such thing.

They had to change the chemical that they use b/c real freon was bad for the Ozone layer or something. Some tree hugger crap. I didn't know that the new stuff (I think it's called R22) was a smaller molecule that leaks more easily, but it could be, and that would make some sense. My wife's old Ford Escape had the compressor go bad. I thought it just needed a charge, so I bought one of those kits, and the pressure was fine. Dealer wanted almost a grand to replace the compressor. The car was worth maybe $5K, so I just waited till the fall and sold it.

R12 was the old, R134 is the new.

And you're telling the guy who had a coworker check his belts to charge an AC system.

Pretty sure I can charge the AC.

Make sure to plug into the high pressure side.

 

[berndog]

The A/C stopped working on my car and went to the auto store last night and got a can of freon. As I am sitting in the parking lot reading the instructions it says verify your compresor is engaged. Took a second look and it wasn't engaged. Returned the $35 bottle of Freon bought a $5 relay. I felt like a master mechanic when my A/C kicked on..

 

[berndog]

New issue (or at least seperate):

2005 Expedition...air no longer cold. I always see the ads for "recharging", but this wouldnt fix any possible leaks, is that correct?

It'd fix it temporarily until the stuff leaks back out, assuming that's the issue. Sometimes your compressor is just dead and it's not even a leak. Get a can of the recharge with the UV dye included. Recharge it, let it leak back out, and then use the UV light (often included) in your engine to identify where it's leaking. That'll help you figure out where the problem is and how hard it is to fix.

Thanks Nick. I was talking to a mechanic last summer and he got in over my head pretty quickly. He was talking about....well, I dont know what he was talking about, but it had something to do with how the freon can leak out with smaller holes now because they make it differnt now or some such thing.

They had to change the chemical that they use b/c real freon was bad for the Ozone layer or something. Some tree hugger crap. I didn't know that the new stuff (I think it's called R22) was a smaller molecule that leaks more easily, but it could be, and that would make some sense. My wife's old Ford Escape had the compressor go bad. I thought it just needed a charge, so I bought one of those kits, and the pressure was fine. Dealer wanted almost a grand to replace the compressor. The car was worth maybe $5K, so I just waited till the fall and sold it.

R12 was the old, R134 is the new.

And you're telling the guy who had a coworker check his belts to charge an AC system.

Pretty sure I can charge the AC.

Make sure to plug into the high pressure side.

Not sure if this is sarcasm but it goes in the low pressure side.

 

[3C's]

New issue (or at least seperate):

2005 Expedition...air no longer cold. I always see the ads for "recharging", but this wouldnt fix any possible leaks, is that correct?

It'd fix it temporarily until the stuff leaks back out, assuming that's the issue. Sometimes your compressor is just dead and it's not even a leak. Get a can of the recharge with the UV dye included. Recharge it, let it leak back out, and then use the UV light (often included) in your engine to identify where it's leaking. That'll help you figure out where the problem is and how hard it is to fix.

Thanks Nick. I was talking to a mechanic last summer and he got in over my head pretty quickly. He was talking about....well, I dont know what he was talking about, but it had something to do with how the freon can leak out with smaller holes now because they make it differnt now or some such thing.

They had to change the chemical that they use b/c real freon was bad for the Ozone layer or something. Some tree hugger crap. I didn't know that the new stuff (I think it's called R22) was a smaller molecule that leaks more easily, but it could be, and that would make some sense. My wife's old Ford Escape had the compressor go bad. I thought it just needed a charge, so I bought one of those kits, and the pressure was fine. Dealer wanted almost a grand to replace the compressor. The car was worth maybe $5K, so I just waited till the fall and sold it.

R12 was the old, R134 is the new.

And you're telling the guy who had a coworker check his belts to charge an AC system.

Pretty sure I can charge the AC.

Make sure to plug into the high pressure side.

Not sure if this is sarcasm but it goes in the low pressure side.

It very much was.

 

[stbugs]

The A/C stopped working on my car and went to the auto store last night and got a can of freon. As I am sitting in the parking lot reading the instructions it says verify your compresor is engaged. Took a second look and it wasn't engaged. Returned the $35 bottle of Freon bought a $5 relay. I felt like a master mechanic when my A/C kicked on..

I changed my own battery a few weeks ago after it died hard (couldn't jump it at all) and felt so proud of my accomplishment. I am not un-handy around the house, but I've never done any car work aside from changing bulbs, wipers and air-filters.

 

[playin4beer]

If it's a V-belt and not a flat serpentine belt, you can probably be running "historical" plates...

'97

"To qualify for historic vehicle registration, a motor vehicle (passenger vehicle, truck, motorcycle, or RV) must be 25 years old or older"

It's different for each State, but you're getting there..

 

[3C's]

If it's a V-belt and not a flat serpentine belt, you can probably be running "historical" plates...

'97

"To qualify for historic vehicle registration, a motor vehicle (passenger vehicle, truck, motorcycle, or RV) must be 25 years old or older"

It's different for each State, but you're getting there..

Yeah, ours is 20 and I have 2 cars with "antique" plates.

 

[top dog]

Had a 95 olds where the compressor seized up. Belt was smoking as it spun around the pulley. Was my kids first car. He said "what do we do???". I asked him if he had $350 for a new ac compressor. Since he didn't and the belt only ran the ac compressor, I cut the belt off and away he went. For the next 2 years. Moral or this story? Get a new car! Unless you are 18 and broke