Stupid human mechanic tricks -- Drive belt gone wild...

[Smoker324]

Hi,

 

 

*** Update on this one***

 

Turns out maybe I am not that stupid.... the belts just keep jumping off -- so I took a look and the crank pulley and the accessory pulleys and there is a 1/4" to 1/2" misalignment. Looks like the crank pully is closer to the front of the engine than it should? Searching on pulley issues now. Rubber delamination on pulley?

 

Old post below

 

So the a/c belt was making a squeal or two. They seemed loose. I figured a turn or 8 on the tensioners will quiet it down. If 1 turn was good -- then 7 more can't hurt right?

 

8 turns was too much. Caused the belt to jump out of the pully and spin on the compressor housing -- rubbing away the electrical connector. Moral of the story - check your tension before you make a 400.00 mistake like me. DOH.

 

Can this electrical bit be replaced without getting a new compressor? Does anyone know the maker of this compressor? Model #The a/c was working great.

 

-Dan

2005 lgt wagon 5mt

[laz]

Oh man I fell your pain, but that is just funny to me!!!

 

Maybe get a used one from a junkyard? Or just hack it?

 

X

[RudeMood]

Robot mechanics would have never done this.

[bdisco]

http://www.valvoline.com/images/products/productpages/bottle_bot_BD-5.jpg

 

^ next time

 

http://www.valvoline.com/pages/products/product_detail.asp?product=32

[LongHiway]

You got nothing to loose by trying to replace the connector aside from a hot ride unless, a working compressor is interlocked into the whole climate control and fan. Aside from a junk yard, a Subaru dealer might give you a bad compressor they replaced, unless these get re-built.

 

Be tough to match but you might be able to splice a new connector on, assuming you can source one via the internet.

[pillboy]

Are you a real mechanic or do you just play one on the Intranetz?

[ehsnils]

No chance to get the cables back using a soldering iron?

 

And the crank pulley - is it on backwards or isn't it in the crank as it should?

 

It seems to me that either the crank pulley wasn't mounted correctly from the beginning or that someone has been messing with the engine and mounted it incorrectly. Or is it even the correct pulley? It may be for a different engine model.

 

Is it even possible that your car has had an engine replacement?

[Smoker324]

Nope -- the car is stock and has been mine all along.

 

The crank pully looks like it has moved 1/4 to 1/2 inched back closer to the timing degree marks. The drive belts are jumping off of the accessory pulleys.

 

I am under the impression that the stock crank pulley is a 2 pc deal with 2 parts connected via a rubber vibration damper.

 

Has anyone seen these stock units fail? What do they cost to replace?

 

-Dan C.

 

I think i may post this as a new thread.

[LongHiway]

I decided not to replace a bad compressor on an older car - about 6 years ago (sold the car). Back then it was $650, installed.

[pillboy]

I believe the correct name for a crankshaft pulley is a harmonic damper, and it sounds to me like it has failed (separated). I have to bet this does happen, but how often, I don't know. If you're out of warranty and Subaru won't give you any "good will" help on the issue because of a part failure that should not have happened this soon (it never hurts to ask at the service department), I would try a salvage yard of a shop that specializes in A/C repair (you're gonna need someone to evacuate the system when the compressor is swapped out anyway). I am sure there are compressor alternatives besides going through the Subaru parts department.