I guess I'm stranded about 120 miles from home. The car has been hiccuping on idle randomly and also a bit of a bearing noise.
Now it began real rough and the belt squealing popped the hood and the serpentine belt smoking like it was gonna burst into flames.
I get my face down in there and observe the AC Pulley not rotating. Bearing I guess is spent. This is my second AC compressor on this car!!!

I'm looking not to get this thing towed the 120 miles back to my guy, but for a cleaver way if possible to by pass...

Thanks

Kevin

There is a shorter belt for a non-AC car, the routing is different of course. Unfortunately there are very few of those cars in the USA.

Pull the fuse for the climate control. At start up, the ECC will try to engage the AC for a test.
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My name is Klaus and I am a V♂lv♂holic

Klaus, I missed this response. Assuming it is the Clutch, Two questions:

1- you mentioned at start-up the ECC does a system check and engages activates the AC. If I remove the Fuse whatever mechanical issue that is causing it to lock-up will not occur if not energized?

2- After the Start-Up routine, can I put the fuse back in so I will have heat? and obviously refrain from putting the defrost on...

Just trying to get an understanding if this thing will make the 120 mile journey.

I found this link and purchased this belt last night:

http://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=37457

I was searching from my cell phone and did not realize this was for a '96 850. Think there is any possibility this will work for my 2002 XC70?

Guess that makes a least tree questions!!

Kevin

Sleep always helps. If you pull off the pressostat connection, the plug on the AC pipe going to the wirewall, the AC will assume no pressure and will not turn on the AC. Easy.

As to the belt for non-AC, the AC belt is the same length for 1999-2002+. I cannot be sure if the 1996 will fit. It might be too narrow.

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My name is Klaus and I am a V♂lv♂holic

Better yet. What if I pull the AC Relay FMI1?

Whatever you are comfortable with. The object is to keep the compressor from engaging.
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My name is Klaus and I am a V♂lv♂holic

Seems not to be engaging and running like a top. In trying to understand what is actually going on; so until the clutch engages the a pulley is rotating about a shaft and when the clutch engages it the grabs the shaft in attempt to rotate it, would that be correct? and if the shaft is bound for any number of reasons, the sparks will fly!!

So this is my second bad clutch. The first time was basically the opposite situation; when it got real real hot outside (near 100F) or when you needed the AC really really bad, the clutch would release and would blow really hot air on your sweaty body!!

So since at the time I could not find a viable clutch repair, I purchased a used one from Erie Vovo......

You can fix an AC clutch that doesn't engage when hot by removing shims to allow the clutch gap to close up. Set the gap to 0.015".

Yes, I've done two of them. It's only viable if you do the work yourself; takes me about ten hours and a couple of skinned knuckles!

I 'shimmed' mine in about 30 minutes. Remove the air guide so you can see the clutch. Insert/glue in a shim in each of the 3 points on the clutch. Let the glue set and dry (a nice long beer in the shade, or overnight). No jack or stand needed.

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My name is Klaus and I am a V♂lv♂holic

OK. Glad to hear the clutch is free wheeling. You compressor is dead, do not engage it!!! There is nothing wrong with your clutch.

Now, listen up. Who ever installed your 'new' compressor probably forgot to add PAG oil, or didn't put in enough PAG oil to keep the compresor bearings lubed. The compressor siezed and is now worthless. Nothing wrong with the clutch.

With your description of the old compressor (OEM), nothing was really wrong. The clutch was worn and needed to be re-shimmed. There are 2 methods to do this: take off the clutch and move the washers from the rear to the front of the clutch, or, shim the clutch externally with the 'bread clip' fix (in your case it would be a glued thin piece of metal to the 3 points on the clutch.

As a clutch wears, it can get too far away from the electromagnet to get pulled towards the compressor and start turning the compressor. Usually, about .04 inches. Normal gap is about .028.

As it stands now, you are good to drive home. I suggest not red lining the tack, as you will need a new serpentine belt soon. You don't want the belt to break and wind up with the S belt wrapped around the timing belt.

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My name is Klaus and I am a V♂lv♂holic

Interesting thing is at that time the Dealer told me they could not shim the clutch. So I got one from Erie VoVo and had them install it. The only good news is that Erie has a Lifetime on parts. But I have to spend the $$ again on the labor///

"Wirewall" or Firewall?

I do see a plug attached shroud that has a massive amount of wires in it on the Firewall on the passenger side. The plug is two conductor maybe a white and tan wire...

The pressostat is a 2 wire plug. It is plugged directly into one of the AC lines that go to the evaporator. On the 850/70, it is close to the firewall on the passenger side.
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My name is Klaus and I am a V♂lv♂holic

"rust never sleeps"!
You're to good thanks.
So if the clutch does not "try" to engage she will not lock up?

Most likely, the compressor bearings are toast, and if that is the case then disabling the clutch is your best bet. If it is the very rare case of the clutch bearing, then you are toast! Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

You just have to try it for 5 minutes or so in the parking lot, with the hood up and you watching for stress and noise.
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My name is Klaus and I am a V♂lv♂holic

Bummer! I suppose you've done this, but make sure the compressor clutch is NOT engaged (A/C not on, DEFROST not on, etc) and then see if the pulley will spin freely. If the jamming were to be internal to the compressor, you could drive it as long as the clutch never engaged. Maybe disconnect the compressor power wire???

Perhaps I'll pull the fuse to verify. But no defrost or ac on. Massive amount of noise when it was rotating then the pulley stop rotating, sparks coming from somewhere, belt burning up and so much strain on the engine it would stall on idle.

Now that it has cooled off, start the car again and see if the clutch is moving. It sounds like the clutch bearing was destroyed, making driving impossible.


Too far at night to run completely off the battery.
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My name is Klaus and I am a V♂lv♂holic

Klaus, you were right. This morning I started it up and you can tell it was still under a load, but then seem to free up. Only ran it less then a minute, but now what? Could happen again at any time...

I'll try it in the morning. I left it at work. One thing to note is really wasn't hot, I literally went around the block from work to get a slice of pizza and coming back is started acting up. And popped the hoo
d and the belt was smoking
Is there a way to knock the clutch off or get another belt witch bypassing the ac?