Yoon

Sorry I tried the search and I couldn't find the answer to my question.

Anyhow, I was pulling into my driveway today when I noticed a strange burnt rubber smell. I tried starting the car again and one of the belts started squealing and smoke began pouring out of the engine compartment. I took a closer look and realized that one of the pulleys melted the belt and it had snapped.

After I pulled the snapped belt out, I tried starting the car again and it sounds fine. Now I'm just trying to figure out which belt broke and/or which compressor froze.

Its a smaller belt (about 14 inches in diameter) and it is located down towards the bottom on the left when facing the engine compartment. Can anyone tell me which belt this is and what compressor/pump it hooks up to?

Thanks in advance.

ChickenLover

What engine do you have?

Paul H.

What vehicle and what engine?

Yoon

Sorry, should have added that information! Its a 1995 4runner 6 cylinder. Also I should also clarify...the pulley (for whichever pump or compressor it connects to) is on the bottom-left when facing the engine compartment.

slosurfer

ac possibly

Yoon

Yeah, I think we've narrowed it down to the a/c compressor. I'm hoping the belt just wore down and stretched out and not that the compressor froze...anyone know how much something like that would cost to get fixed including parts/labor at a dealership or shop?

ChickenLover

Yeah, that's the a/c belt. The screeching and smoke you described is almost always indicative of a seized pulley. Let's hope it's the little idler pulley (on the very bottom), it's relatively cheap. Get under there and start turning pulleys by hand.

Your a/c compressor should turn effortlessly. As should your idler.

Paul H.

If its the compressor, about $1000. Thats what I was quoted. Hope it is just the belt.

Yoon

Thanks for the input guys. I'm going to try turning the pulley tomorrow by hand and pray that the compressor isn't shot. Just my luck that the a/c goes out at the beginning of summer - with a camping trip in Eastern Washington next week to boot (hot desert climate)

4biker

My wife's honda spit out its ac clutch plate doing 85mph on the freeway a year and a half ago (it's never fun to see chunks of your engine in your rear-view mirror ). We were able to salvage a used compressor at a wrecking yard for about $65 and it works fine - it was about $120 to have installed. Look around for options (if it does turn out to be the ac compressor) to save you some dough if you don't want to go through the stealership. Good luck - it's a hot one this year!

kpaxfaq

you could replace the belt yourself. I have abolsutely no mechanical knowledge what so ever and it took me a few hours to complete the job myself (with some beers in the process) just take your time and it's easy to figure it out. Once i realized that I just had to remove the fan guard and fan blade it was cake from there.