A/C Clutch or condenser?

[trent.brown]

Last week I developed a bit of a belt squeak at about twice a second. Popped the hood and reversed the belt, no more squeak. I checked all the pulleys while I had the belt off an had a little sound when i turned the tensioner pulley. All other pulleys spun clean and silent. So I'm thinking tensioner pulley is going and start to look around for a new one.

Yesterday I noticed the tensioner was bouncing about 1/4 to 3/8 in. This drove it home in my mind that the tensioner was about to pack it in. I went to Advance, got one, changed it. Still bouncing... Upon closer inspection I realized that it was only bouncing with my A/C on and runs smooth with it off.

So my question is, what do I do to fix this, A/C clutch, or is my condenser going bad? Thank God I'm a windows down kind of guy and its supposed to get cooler soon.

 

[Porkchop]

I would have put a new belt on and with the engine off you can turn the cluch pack by hand to see if the compressor feels bad as it would be disengaged.

 

[tjkj2002]

You need to buy a new tensioner(a better one then the one you bought) and a new belt.

Gates tensioner and a Gates EPDM belt(or a '02 KJ OEM EPDM belt),no other belts of tensioners worth a damn and I see alot of belt/tensioner issues at work and a Gates tensioner and EPDM belt always fixes it.

 

[trent.brown]

I would have put a new belt on and with the engine off you can turn the cluch pack by hand to see if the compressor feels bad as it would be disengaged.

It turns freely. I checked it again today. Does the A/c have to be on when I kill the engine? I think the clutch is disengaging just fine and allowing the pulley to turn freely. I really hope its not the condenser. Summer isn't over yet here in Georgia.

 

[trent.brown]

You need to buy a new tensioner(a better one then the one you bought) and a new belt.

Gates tensioner and a Gates EPDM belt(or a '02 KJ OEM EPDM belt),no other belts of tensioners worth a damn and I see alot of belt/tensioner issues at work and a Gates tensioner and EPDM belt always fixes it.

Its a dayco tensioner. It works fine but the A/C pulley seems to be sticking and making it jump. I think I have eliminated the tensioner now as the source of the problem.

 

[tjkj2002]

Its a dayco tensioner. It works fine but the A/C pulley seems to be sticking and making it jump. I think I have eliminated the tensioner now as the source of the problem.

I had the same issue.

At about 18k my OEM tensioner started making noise,went and had it,and the belt,replaced under warranty.Less then 4000 miles later the "new" OEM tensioner would chatter(jumping action like yours) only when the A/C was on(defrost for me since I rarely use A/C).The cure was a new tensioner and belt.

 

[Porkchop]

I'm with Tjkj on this I believe he's right I would put a better tensioner and a new belt on sorry to say.

 

[trent.brown]

Sounds good, ill give it a try. I'm just happy you guys don't think I'm out a compresser.

 

[mikeandamy]

is there any particular place you purchase the Gates EPDM belt? I see Rockauto has a couple Gates belts but nothing says epdm on it

 

[tjkj2002]

is there any particular place you purchase the Gates EPDM belt? I see Rockauto has a couple Gates belts but nothing says epdm on it

The Gates EPDM belts are labeled Micro-V AT belts.

 

[mikeandamy]

great. thanks for the info!