I've had a few problems with my car, ranging from tire
leaks to air
conditioner problems. After I wrote the air conditioning blog, my A/C
steadily declined until I had to bring it into a shop to see if it could be
fixed once and for all. The mechanic found nothing wrong with the compressor
and stated that it worked fine, but for some reason it wasn't turning on when
the A/C button was hit.
The mechanic wasn't sure what the issue was and I was left
with two options: a costly part that wasn't completely guaranteed to fix the problem,
or a cheap fix that included adding a relay to keep the air compressor running
constantly. I chose the cheap fix (pictured at left).
I Spy a Broken Belt
I drive a lot, including 40 miles to-and-from work every
day, which is a lot of wear and tear on my car. On my way home from a
particularly long drive, I heard a whining sound that stopped after
approximately 30 seconds. It didn't take long for the battery light to turn on
and for my nerves to kick in. Upon arriving safely in my driveway (which was,
in-part, due to luck) I popped the hood and noticed a broken belt.
A few weeks ago, my father (with little assistance from me)
changed two belts in my car. One of the belts he changed was one of the belts
that broke. It affected my alternator, air conditioner compressor, and
crankshaft. As I peered under the hood, I saw melted rubber from the belt
everywhere. I called my father and he asked me if all of the pulleys moved
freely. I checked them all and they did.
Guess and Check
My father and I attached the old belt back on and tried
replicating the scenario. A few seconds after I turned my A/C on, smoke rose
from the hood and I quickly turned it off. One of the shafts wasn't moving,
causing an ample amount of friction. Calls were placed to see if there was an easy
fix to the problem. There were many estimates on how much a new compressor
would cost, ranging from ~$300-$670. Not only would I have to pay for a new
compressor, but for the labor and the cost of a tow (there was no way my car
was getting anywhere without the alternator functioning).
Then I remembered the fix that kept the compressor running
constantly. I took out the relay that kept the compressor running and I crossed
my fingers as I turned the key. The car was running and there was no smoke. The
battery light disappeared from the dashboard and a sigh of relief came over me.
What could have been a well over $1000 fix only ended up costing $20 for a new
belt (shown in the picture to the right with an orange arrow).
Now I am left with a left time-pressing choice: Do I suffer
through the winter without an A/C, or do I pay for a fix? I think I am going to
have to brave it through the winter. I have never been so happy to have a
semi-functional A/C! I have driven to work several times and I am happy to report no issues or
squeals. I am not sure what I will do when next summer hits the need for an A/C
is direr, but I will have plenty of time to weigh my options. Feel free to
leave any suggestions in the comments!
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