Truck down since last December

[Royk]

To make a very long story short, I need a new A/C compressor and serpentine belt. I really can't afford to have a rollback to take it to an A/C place (I live in a rural area) and pay them to do the work. I think I could replace the compressor and belt myself (heard it isn't too hard to do) but I'm not sure about discharging the freon into my yard, but not dead set against it if push comes to shove. Has anyone ever heard of an A/C guy who will travel to a customer's home to discharge a system? I would then take it to him to recharge the system once the truck is drivable again.

Also, I live close to Pennsylvania College of Technology which has courses in Automotive Air Conditioning Systems and Service and was thinking of having my son (who attends for a totally different major) hang a notice on a bulletin board looking for someone who might want to make some side money.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Roy

 

[B.G. Smith]

If the School has a HAVAC course they might take it for the experience plus parts. Are you sure the system still has refrigerant in it? Did the belt fail because of the ac locking up? If so, it might just be the clutch bearing? Some clutches are available, some not. bg

 

[Tuesdak]

Get a shorter belt for without AC, reconfigure the belt tensioner, and call it a day by bypassing the belt loop from the AC compressor. I am not 100% on what needs to be done to the belt tensioner to make it work without the compressor in the belt loop.

You could look on Crags List for "towing" as many operators will offer discounted services on it. Mobile AC repair and mobile mechanics may also advertise on CL.

Save some coin on a OEM rather than China knock-off compressor with the link below. I found a new compressor is cheaper than a clutch.
https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/sanden-direct-ac-compressors-for-1996-2005.264977/

 

[Timd32]

Always an option:

https://www.dormanproducts.com/applicationcheckfit.aspx?year=2002&make=Dodge&model=Ram%202500&origin=&parttype=Air%20Conditioning%20Bypass%20Pulley&enginebase=L6%20359%205.9L&productid=19732

 

[Crunch]

I think I could replace the compressor and belt myself (heard it isn't too hard to do)

Replacing the serpentine belt is one of the easiest repairs you can do. The only tool you need is a long handled socket wrench (not a ratchet) with the right size socket (I forget the size) to move the tensioner and get the last bit of the belt on. Because it doesn't have to go over the fan blades there are no bolts to loosen. You can do this repair on the side of the road in the desert in about 20 minutes. Just follow the belt pattern on the diagram located below the hood on the front of the engine compartment. And when you buy the replacement belt, buy two of them and keep one in the truck. If a serpentine belt fails you are pretty much dead in the water--no power steering, no power brakes and NO WATER PUMP!

 

[Wayne M.]

What exactly is wrong with the compressor? Did the clutch/ bearing fail, or did the compressor fail internally?
Did you get the belt off and examine all the other pullies, especially the water pump?
Regarding the drawdown of refrigerant, sometimes, you gotta do what you gotta do. The earth won’t blow up because of 2 lb of the stuff released- IF you still have it.
IMHO, it’s more of a sin to have that truck laid up for such a minor issue.
Make your repair, and get it to a place to have it evacuated and recharged.

 

[NIsaacs]

Years ago I changed out my '91 from R12 to R34, did not evac, just filled the sucker up with the recharge kit and it will freeze you out. From day one (it was 2 years old when I bought it) I have added a can every two years or so to the '01. The first few years I even added the stop leak stuff and on a 100* day it will still keep you comfy.

My point? Ya don't need a AC guy, Lol

 

[Royk]

Wow, those are a lot of good ideas. I never knew the bypass pulley existed. That seems like the best option to get up and running. The problem with the compressor is that the clutch seized up. I heard that for my year truck (2006) the clutches aren't serviceable.

 

[Royk]

Well, of course with my luck, nobody seems to make a bypass pulley for a 2006 diesel. I can't get a non A/C serpentine belt and relocate the tensioner (that's the long story). So it looks like I'll have to blow the freon into the atmosphere and replace the whole compressor.

Roy

 

[PWong]

Well I don't think you need a bypass pulley.
All you need to do is to re-position the stock tensioner to the other position for a shorter belt.

 

[Tuesdak]

What is the long story? Shorter belt gets you on the road quick... Mess with AC when you need it IF and later.

System is likely low or fart left it it empty if the compressor locked up. Do treat it like it is charged so no frost bite and blindness result.

 

[Motorhead]

I changed my AC compressor a few years back because the compressor got noisy while the AC was running. I bought two new OE compressors as I am keeping my truck until I can't drive any more. I was able to remove the old clutch assembly from my noisy compressor because it was still good. I saved it in case I need it for parts. What I suggest is to find a core compressor that has a good, free spinning clutch on it and exchange it on to your truck until you can afford to completely repair the AC.

 

[JR]

As has been stated you can reposition your tensioner And buy a non a/c belt to get you going. Tensioner has to be rotated counter clockwise to the next set of holes in the engine.

 

[Royk]

Ok, here's the long story and why I can't (easily) re-position the tensioner. That was my original intention. However, re positioning tensioner requires not only the key hole and pin moved, but the bolt hole as well. When your truck is 12 years old, the threads in the other tensioner bolt hole get pretty funky. I shot it with blaster, scrubbed it, scraped it repeatedly until I could finally get the bolt started. I would have liked to retap the hole, but I had neither the correct size tap or room for the tapping tool. So I bought a shorter bolt of the same thread size and started using that along with more blaster to open up the threads. I think you can guess what happened next. Let's just say I only have one bolt hole open now and that's the one for a/c. Perhaps this weekend I'll examine the clutch to see what I can do to at least getting it to spin freely.

Roy

 

[Timd32]

Ok, here's the long story and why I can't (easily) re-position the tensioner. That was my original intention. However, re positioning tensioner requires not only the key hole and pin moved, but the bolt hole as well. When your truck is 12 years old, the threads in the other tensioner bolt hole get pretty funky. I shot it with blaster, scrubbed it, scraped it repeatedly until I could finally get the bolt started. I would have liked to retap the hole, but I had neither the correct size tap or room for the tapping tool. So I bought a shorter bolt of the same thread size and started using that along with more blaster to open up the threads. I think you can guess what happened next. Let's just say I only have one bolt hole open now and that's the one for a/c. Perhaps this weekend I'll examine the clutch to see what I can do to at least getting it to spin freely.

Roy

Is issue this on the tensioner?

Genos lists

03-12

• Gates 38285 Belt Tensioner

94-02

• Gates 38157 Belt Tensioner

If you call Genos and ask them the difference between those are, unless someone else knows, I might have the 94-02, think have one or two, maybe parts can be used from that will see if I can find it.

Im not going to use them if they are just sitting around, can send your way.

 

[Royk]

Is issue this on the tensioner?

Genos lists

03-12

• Gates 38285 Belt Tensioner

94-02

• Gates 38157 Belt Tensioner

If you call Genos and ask them the difference between those are, unless someone else knows, I might have the 94-02, think have one or two, maybe parts can be used from that will see if I can find it.

Im not going to use them if they are just sitting around, can send your way.

Thanks for the offer, but there is nothing wrong with my tensioner, I just can't relocate it for non a/c.

 

[Ozymandias]

Threads are all Metric, and standard size.

 

[JR]

Is there any bolt material sticking out or is it recessed in the hole?

 

[Royk]

There is some sticking out. I can actually get the tensioner on it and the pin in the hole, but don't know how to hold it fast. I tried wedging a PVC pipe between the tensioner and the fan shroud, which sort of worked, but I wouldn't trust it to actually drive the truck far.

Roy

 

[Royk]

Is there any bolt material sticking out or is it recessed in the hole?

There is some sticking out. I can actually get the tensioner on it and the pin in the hole, but don't know how to hold it fast. I tried wedging a PVC pipe between the tensioner and the fan shroud, which sort of worked, but I wouldn't trust it to actually drive the truck far.

Roy