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Serpentine Belt Problem

The A/C Compressor (with "Factory Air" and not "dealer air") died in my 93 Ford Mustang 5.0 GT about 18 months ago and the Compressor Clutch recently failed catastrophically. Since I cannot afford to replace the Compressor and it seems silly to replace the Compressor Clutch if I am not going to have A/C anyway, I decided to buy a shorter Serpentine Belt and simply bypass the A/C Compressor Clutch Pulley.

Makes sense, right?

Well, the specs for a 93 GT w/o A/C call for an 84.5" belt, which was too small. An 85.5" belt was also too small and an 86.5" belt was too big.

With the Automatic Tensioner up, I was able to get an 86.0" belt on with the help of a screwdriver and a fair amount of effort, but when I released the Automatic Tensioner, the "bottom" of the belt at a location in between the P/S Pulley and the Automatic Tensioner Pulley now comes with 1/16" of the "top" of the belt as it travels around the Fan Pulley. (Once the belt stretches just a little, the "bottom" of the belt and the "top" of the belt will most definitely touch as it did with an 86.5" belt.)

Now what do I do?

Thanks!

Steve gfr92y at yahoo dot com

Reply to
Steve Forrestor
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Maybe you have the belt routed over the idler pulley instead of under. I've had people digging through the yard for larger alternator pulleys for the same reason, if you can live with a lower output from your alternator.

Bill

Reply to
Bill Kitterman

If the Idler Pulley is attached to the Automatic Tensioner, then the belt is routed under the Idler Pulley and not over it.

If the Idler Pulley is not attached to the Automatic Tensioner, then what is it attached to?

No, I can not live with lower output from the alternator.

Some ideas I have considered include: (1) If possible and if advisable, reducing the force that the Automatic Tensioner applies to the belt. (2) Replace the Automatic Tensioner with a manually adjusted tensioner. (3) Moving either or both the Alternator and/or P/S Pump up. (The problem is I do not see what would appear to be a Pivot Bolt and a Slide Bolt. Everything looks like it is in a fixed position.)

Steve

gfr92y at yahoo dot com

Reply to
Steve Forrestor

Instead of reengineering the car, why don't you get a junkyard AC compressor with a good bearing and be done with it.

Reply to
Tom Adkins

The few times I have seen pre-1994 GTs in boneyards, I have never seen one with its engine! That said, I could check the offsets and possibly locate an alternate vehicle with the identical compressor.

Thanks... I will also look down that route to!

Steve

Reply to
Steve Forrestor

1988-1993 Mustang, Cougar, T-Bird 5.0 should interchange.

Rob

Reply to
trainfan1

lol, no kidding. Have you priced just a clutch? Or if its just the bearing those are about $20. Or, if one even exists, see how a non-AC car is configured and buy the stuff off of the junker. Well, now we are probably back to the $20 bearing price..............

Reply to
ShoeSalesman

The bearing can be replaced, BUT only when the early noise from failure is detected. When the bearing siezes to the point that it no longer spins the snout of the compressor is usually gone too. That compressor (FS-10 IIRC) was used on many different Ford products and is abundant in the boneyards.

Reply to
Tom Adkins

Tom, Thanks, again! Steve

Reply to
Steve Forrestor

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