A/C Compressor Pulley siezed

Asked by Byrnes Oct 19, 2016 at 02:56 PM

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

The A/C Compressor Pulley is seized up on my
2006 Taurus.  Started the car, pulled out if a
parking spot, within a minute I see smoke, smell
burning rubber, and lose power steering.  
Serpentine belt had snapped. Didn't realize at the
time the pulley was bad, so I took off the belt,
drove it two blocks home, and replaced the
serpentine belt.  Started it and immediately there's
smoke from the friction and I can smell the belt
burning. Removed the belt immediately.  Pulley is
completely shot, rusty, seized (don't know how I
didn't notice).  I don't care about working A/C,
don't care about replacing the compressor.  But,
can the pulley be replaced on its own. Is it
something I can just buy and do myself., Or very
specialized and need an expert.  I've replaced
other pulleys, power steering pulley, but never
clutch/bearing.  I like to think I'm smarter than the
average girl working on her car...but have the
utmost respect for the skilled experts! Any idea
what a repair shop will charge me for replacing
just the pulley without a working compressor?

2 Answers

101,515

You could pull the clutch and pulley, but you'd need a pulley puller, otherwise you would have to replace the clutch/pulley and compressor as a single unit, they run about 200-250. I've read here and there they do not make shorter belts for the DOHC engines, but if you have the SOHC you might be ale to get one, then bypass the AC altogether. Your car is not that old, and you don't mention how many miles are on it, but you may want AC again in the future, it might be worth just getting the compressor and/or clutch replaced. If you decide to do that, just farm the work out, an AC shop can properly recover the refrigerant and recharge system after replacing a compressor (if it comes to that).

1 people found this helpful.

This is so helpful! Thank you! (I hate A/C... ha. I like my windows down, fresh air...even hot! Thank you so much!!)

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