Air conditioner making grinding noise

[zippityzee]

I have a '95 3.2L. I noticed today that even with the AC off (vent on) it seemed to be on, but I didn't think it was a big deal. Later in the day all of the sudden this bad grinding noise started, the car was idling low by a few hundred RPMs, and there was smoke and a horrible plastic/rubber burning smell coming from the engine. I hobbled home, jacked up the car, and took a look at the belt.

I appears that the AC pulley is screwed up: the belt isn't turning the pulley. The pulley will rotate about 45 degrees and then stop, then it'll turn a little more and stop, on and on. This happens even when the AC and vent fan is off. It's almost as if there's something holding up the pulley from turning.

The relationship between the AC being on and the grinding noise may just be a coincidence, but I thought I would point it out anyways.

I've attached a photo of the offending pulley just in case I'm completely wrong about the diagnosis . . . .

Any thoughts or ideas of what I can do to fix this? Thanks!

 

[JJHarr]

There's a pretty good chance that the AC idler pulley is broken. The idler turns all the time if the engine is running whether the AC is on or not. They're only made out of cast aluminum and after all the years of the clutch engaging it usually breaks the center of the hub out. It happened on my 94. Just buy an AC clutch kit and change it out.

 

[rubydist]

yup, the bearing is bad in the a/c pulley.

 

[zippityzee]

Got it towed to the shop: the entire compressor is shot. It's a $1000 job . . . .

 

[sho_ted]

COST ME 850 ON my 94. the air died on the way home from Carlisle.

 

[JJHarr]

Bummer!!