How to find/fix AC compressor? 01 XJ

[Kimber6331]

Hey guys, I was hearing a funny knocking noise under the hood so i checked it out and it looks like the pulley on the ac compressor (the part that the belt hooks onto) is loose or has some bad bearings. I had a coworker check it out and he said i prob wont have much time because once the bearings are done, the belt moves no more, and my xj will be incapacitated. :thumbdown: I am only trying to fix that actual part, i DONT NEED A NEW AC COMPRESSOR, so if you guys know where i could find parts for cheap or anything please let me know. Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks guys!

[Mudderoy]

Hey guys, I was hearing a funny knocking noise under the hood so i checked it out and it looks like the pulley on the ac compressor (the part that the belt hooks onto) is loose or has some bad bearings. I had a coworker check it out and he said i prob wont have much time because once the bearings are done, the belt moves no more, and my xj will be incapacitated. :thumbdown: I am only trying to fix that actual part, i DONT NEED A NEW AC COMPRESSOR, so if you guys know where i could find parts for cheap or anything please let me know. Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks guys!

Silly question. Turning the A/C to off didn't solve the problem?

[Kimber6331]

no its off the a/c works fine its the pulley connected to front of it that the belt wraps around is damaged. ill put a pic up.

[Kimber6331]

http://http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs818.snc4/69815_10150278821040316_838830315


http://http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs116.snc4/36147_10150278821065316_838830315

[Kimber6331]

http://http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150278821040316&set=a.221661830315.289251.838830315

[4.3LXJ]

Pics not coming through.

[Kimber6331]

damn. u just copy and paste url right?

[4.3LXJ]

damn. u just copy and paste url right?

Almost as easy as that. Check our FAQs on posting pics. I use Photobucket.

[Kimber6331]

http://www.xjtalk.com/picture.php?albumid=144&pictureid=1756


http://www.xjtalk.com/picture.php?albumid=144&pictureid=1757

[Mudderoy]

Yeah that the pulley that is connected to the clutch. Most times the clutch will seize up and if you turn off the A/C the clutch stays disengaged and everything runs as normal.

My wife's new A/C on her mustang did this. The replaced the clutch.

Maybe you are having a different problem.

[4.3LXJ]

OK, that is the clutch and pulley. You say it is frozen? Does the pulley work OK without the AC on? If so, it is the compressor internals that have frozen. If it won't turn it all, then you can replace the bearing in the front of the compressor.

[Kimber6331]

The problem isnt that its frozen or wont work. the problem is the pulley moves waay to much back and forth like something is loose, whether a/c is on or off. it may be the bearings? a/c is usually always disengaged its just the belt/loose pulley that is making the sound and causing a potential problem. i was hoping just to get a new pulley and not have to replace the whole a/c, you know?

[Mudderoy]

The problem isnt that its frozen or wont work. the problem is the pulley moves waay to much back and forth like something is loose, whether a/c is on or off. it may be the bearings? a/c is usually always disengaged its just the belt/loose pulley that is making the sound and causing a potential problem. i was hoping just to get a new pulley and not have to replace the whole a/c, you know?

Well hopefully it's just the clutch, but it's sounding like it may be the main shaft inside the compressor. If that's the case it sounds like you'll need another compressor. I mean I'm sure that could be rebuilt, but it would probably take more time money and effort than just to replace it.

Maybe a junk yard compressor, or how about a belt that comes on XJ's without A/C?

[Kimber6331]

Yea thats what i was afraid of. i heard they're not necessarily cheap. Any good intel on where i can get one for decent price or just a stock ac compressor?

[cantab27]

i put a 2nd hand one in mine and got it re gassed.....about $160.00 all up , thats down here , so your parts must be cheaper there .....

[Kimber6331]

yea i might have to do that. not tryin to spend that on much on ac when i never use it

Where could i find a belt for that?

[Kimber6331]

I could always get a bypass pulley as well right?

[Mudderoy]

I could always get a bypass pulley as well right?

Well I don't know that much about it. I just assumed they used a different belt, maybe they have an idler pulley that goes there and you keep using the same belt.

[Kimber6331]

thats what im thinking. ill have to do some research

[bluedragon436]

Well I would either say hit up a JY, especially if you rarely use the A/C... but if you don't really care to have it on your Jeep than you can do a bypass... in which case, just take off the A/C compressor and trash it, and then purchase the belt for the non a/c Cherokee... the installation doesn't require any other parts other than a shorter belt. PN#:5060895 or PN#:895K6 at your local Autozone or other autoparts store... According to everything I have seen or found online on the subject of bypassing your A/C is that the belt is the only difference and that you need to remove the A/C compress as the belt may still bind on the bottom of the pulley... New routing would be like this one for a Wrangler 4.0 http://autorepair.about.com/library/images/bl243lib.htm

[Kimber6331]

thanks man that diagram helped. i def am gonna do that. i rarely use it and i can always add it on later. appreciate it.

[Kimber6331]

Im about to start on this. had a question though. If i took my ac compressor out, is it possible to get a belt from a non-ac 4.0 wrangler and just swap? if not, what years of the xj came with no a/c? Im honestly looking to just trash compressor and switch belts out to a shorter one.

[Punisher]

Im about to start on this. had a question though. If i took my ac compressor out, is it possible to get a belt from a non-ac 4.0 wrangler and just swap? if not, what years of the xj came with no a/c? Im honestly looking to just trash compressor and switch belts out to a shorter one.

You should find this helpful for a shorter belt...
PN#:5060895 or PN#:895K6 at Autozone

And when you decide to put the ac back on you can get one cheap on e-bay cause I priced one in a auto store and it's around 250.00 compressor and clutch combine and I got one from e-bay for 120.00...