I'm just starting a search for the answer, but if anyone knows the answer for sure, post it up please.

Brother's 1999 F-250 V-10 has just developed a squealing A/C clutch pulley bearing. He's 90 miles from home and I may just go tow him in, but thought if there's a way to bypass the compressor pulley with just a shorter belt and maintain tension, I would take him the belt instead.

Dunno anything about V-10's, so I thought I'd ask y'all here.

What belt will work in this case? Is the routing the same with and without the compressor?

Thanks in advance!

Pop

 

Hmmm. Looking through my service CD, it may be that the routing and even the tensioner may be different with and without.

Can anyone confirm that?

Pop

 

As a rule of thumb it is not so easy to "bypass" a AC compressor pulley on any vehicle. Even those that had AC as an option usually had a different routing and it isn't just w/o the compressor pulley. There are some co's that make AC compressor bypass pulley kits. It is usually a bracket that takes the place of the compressor but still has a pulley on it. Probably just as easy to go find a used or rebuilt compressor from the auto parts store.

 

we have a f450 v10 with no a/c at work i can compare it to mine and post back monday night.

 

Won't need an entire compressor, just the bearing, which is available (not from Ford) separately.

This is not a perminant fix, just to get him the 90 miles on his own rather than on my tow bar.

Naaa, by then he'll be home and we'll be working on that bearing. Thanks for the very kind offer, however!

Pop

 

no problem & thank you. (i work for a municipality and the bosses pay to remove a/c 's out of the trucks. they think guys will just sit in the trucks when its hot out)

 

What ever happened to "Be good to your employees and they'll be good to you"?

Ahhhh, Contemporary America.....

Pop

 

yeah its a bummer...but my masonry van was a fire marshall van, and the fire marshalls get a/c. lucky me.

 

Got the old clutch out of the truck today, and are awaiting a new clutch assembly. About $130, including the coil, which we won't be replacing.

It's not too bad a job after pulling the radiator and shroud, and was able to get the snap-ring off from the topside. Working with a couple of small pry-bars, and wiggling and jiggling the assembly, we were able to get it off with little trouble.

It was definitely the double-row ball bearing that had let go, and it appears that the ball spacers are plastic in these bearings, as there were no spacers left and a hint of melted plastic inside.

I had a tough time reading the bearing number, but I'll bring it home tomorrow evening and post the number for those who may be interested.

Anyway, we only need the new part in-hand to finish the job.

Thanks for the comments along the way.

Pop

 

Got the new parts and fixed the clutch today. It's not bad, but I would suggest that on a gasoline engine that you remove the shroud and radiator, as it frees up a lot of room to work and isn't that time-consuming to pull them.

Here's what was causing the bearing to rumble and occasionally squeal:



I'd guess that the lubricant had eventually run dry, the rollers began getting hot, which melted the plastic bearing spacers, allowing all the ***** to run to one side, causing a LOT of play in the bearing with rumble and squeal. The apparent rusty lubricant seen is some PB Blaster I shot in there to assist the ease of removal.

Additionally, all three rubber "inserts" in the clutch plate were missing, allowing the plate to make contact with the other half of the assembly, probably producing some heat.

The new part does not have the rubber dampeners, is a slightly different design, and is likely applicable to '99 only, as my 2000 does not have them,



All-in all, the bearing is pretty forgiving, as it allowed the truck to be driven at least 150 miles from first noticing the squeal and rumble before getting it fixed without self-destructing catastrophically.

The cost for the new clutch assembly, including a new coil (which we did not use) was about $130. I set the air gap at just over .010", which is a little tight, but recommended by the local A/C repair shop owner from whom we got the clutch.

For those interested, the bearing is "staked" into place in the clutch housing, but it CAN be removed and separately changed (we didn't), and the old bearing number is an NSK 30BD40DF2. Googling that number, I found it's also a 5106-WCC from either Timkin or BCA/National. NAPA may have them on the shelf.



It can be had for as little as about $25.

It might make a nice weekend P/M project if you've got over 150,000 miles or so.

And, you can re-shim the clutch air gap at the same time!

Pop

 

Auto parts stores sell an AC delete pully. It's for poor *******s that don't have the coin to replace an AC compressor. You remove the compressor and install the bracket and pully.

 

Spinella, any chance you ever posted the no a/c belt diagram and belt length from your work trucks? Could use it to limp along like above. I see the belt is possibly an 8 rib 1-3/32" x 81 -1/8" (outside length) belt motorcraft part# JK8813. Route Diagram would be awesome.
Thanks

 

If you use the non ac tensioner assembly, you can use the factory non ac belt. The tensioner assembly was 60ish$ last time i put one on one of the Fed Ex vans.