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    Belt alignment

    So I noticed when I installed the new belt on the ac compressor that the belt looked like it was a little off like the ac compressor pulley was too far forward. It was fine until tonight when the belt got thrown off as I was driving from work. I reseated the belt and turned it on but it jumped again. What caused this? Can the pulley be shimmed in or out?


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    #2
    If I remember correctly you have a two serpentine belt system ( one just for the A/C and smog pump ) am I correct ?

    Do you still have the Smog pump installed ? have you checked to make sure all the bolts are in place and tight on each part of the compressor, brackets tensioner, etc?

    The only part that can be shimmed is the clutch plate but it would not effect the belt alignment.

    The bearing on the clutch could be going bad on the clutch or a snap ring could have broken or ( not installed correctly allowing the entire clutch assembly to move on the compressor. But one would think this would make a lot of noise and be obvious.

    I would double check each and every bolt and get back to us. Take some pictures while your under the hood maybe we can spot something wrong.
    2007 Ford Crown Victoria LX Sport

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      #3
      Typically the tensioner pulley is to blame when things start flying on the AC side. The AC pulley is pretty well caged and even when the bearing goes bad, you'll know way before it will throw the belt. The smog pump can do it as well if the pulley bolts get loose or the shaft on the pump gets bent.

      Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
      rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)
      Originally posted by gadget73
      ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.
      Originally posted by dmccaig
      Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

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        #4
        Its definitely the ac compressor. When looking down the belt from the compressor to the crank pulley its subtle but theres a bend right before the compressor on the top side of the pulley. For the past week or so theres been some belt squeal but it sounded more like it was coming from the alternator belt, but it wasnt. The belt is still in tact but the side closest to the block is frayed a little. Otherwise it doesnt look to be bad.

        Now the compressor bracket is original to the car so I dont think its that, thats why Im thinking the compressor or pulley is to blame. I bought a new belt and will install it later when it cools down and take pictures but I have a feeling itll be thrown like the old belt.

        Also just out of curiousity, does anyone else have to loosen the water pump pulley bolts to get the ac belt on? Theres not enough room between the crank and water pump pullies to slide the belt in there. My 85 wasnt like that so I know its not normal but maybe a few others have seen it happen too.


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          #5
          Do you have the original engine, brackets, pulleys etc for this car? or could there have been some sort of engine replacement done in the past that left you with close but not correct parts on your car?
          2007 Ford Crown Victoria LX Sport

          Comment


            #6
            Yes on loosening the water pump pulley to sneak the belt on. Seen several cars with this issue. Not sure if it's due to changing of parts or original build though. If the pulley doesn't wobble on the AC compressor when idle or engaged, the compressor may be leaning forward a little and need a bracket tweaked a bit. Might also need to make sure the pulley is fully seated and the retention nut in the center shaft didn't take off... depending on which compressor you have.

            Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
            rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)
            Originally posted by gadget73
            ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.
            Originally posted by dmccaig
            Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

            Comment


              #7
              Not much to the AC compressor pulley. It doesn't shim, it just goes on in one position. The nut that is visible from the end is what holds the clutch to the input shaft of the compressor. When that is removed and the clutch pulled off, the rest of the pulley is visible. There is a snap ring that holds it in position on the front, and it bottoms out against a shoulder on the back. Unless the snap ring is missing or the groove has been ground off for some reason (seen it), its either on or its not. If the ring wasn't on, the clutch would drag since the pulley would slide out towards the face of the clutch. It can't move enough to really cause alignment problems though. At most there is 1/4" of possible movement there.

              If the smog pump is gone, the lower part of the tensioner bracket can be out of position. In stock form it used a really long bolt, a spacer, and the body of the pump itself to pull the lower corner of that bracket back towards the motor. Most people don't make up spacers to replace the missing pump or it's bolt but maybe if yours got bent somehow it could throw things off. Mine has been running without that lower bolt for more than 10 years and has never thrown a belt.
              86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
              5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

              91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

              1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

              Originally posted by phayzer5
              I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

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                #8
                My smog pump is long gone and I have the older style compressor that has the clutch covering the bolt. The pulley might have a slight amount of wobble but its subtle. Now that I think of it I remember the belt used to bulge a tiny bit on the side that faces the block Im assuming because the pulley was pulling the belt slightly forward. Here is a video showing what the belt looks like and how it rides on the pulley. I dont know if you guys can see it in the video but the belt is slightly curved. Also I noticed that the belt rides pretty close to the side of the tensioner. I dont remember seeing that before. Maybe a tensioner with the pulley closer to the bracket would work.


                https://youtu.be/zTRAqMbPQQ0


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                Comment


                  #9
                  It looks like part of the belt is jammed up between the compressor and clutch ( may have forced the c clip off of broke the ridge the clip rides in ). but it was dark and hard to see. you can see where it is riding on the tensioner off to one side.

                  Shouldn't be too hard to figure out what is going on with some better lighting.
                  2007 Ford Crown Victoria LX Sport

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Ill take more pics tomorrow. And for what its worth the car didnt have a compressor when I bought it so I got a supposedly nos part off ebay. I know its old based on the instructions I got with it but I dont think its really nos. Maybe an old rebuilt unit.


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                    Comment


                      #11
                      I'm glad my car isn't the only one with a noisy A/C compressor like that.

                      Anywho, regarding the belt, EaOutlaw is right that belt is riding up all over that compressor. If anything it looks like it stepped back a groove on the pulley.

                      BTW, no idea if it would have any affect, but have you tried routing the belt around the tensioner the opposite way?

                      Something like this?


                      I know with certain belt sizes that gets fairly difficult to do, but I've been running mine like that since the smog pump went away. I know it's a lot of belt running through free space, but with proper tension it doesn't chatter or bounce with the compressor engaged. I've noticed even on my car, the belt runs really close to the "back" of the tensioner pulley, and it certainly seems so in your case. I'm wondering if since your belt is tensioned on the feed side versus the return side if the tensioner might be allowing the belt to walk back a bit so it forces it out of alignment with the compressor.


                      My Cars:
                      -1964 Comet 202 (116K Miles) - Long Term Project
                      -1986 Dodge D-150 Royale SE (112K Miles) - Slowly Getting Put Back Together
                      -1987 Grand Marquis Colony Park LS (325K Miles) - April 2017 + September 2019 POTM Winner
                      -1997 Grand Marquis LS (240K Miles) - The Daily Workhorse & March 2015 + January 2019 POTM Winner

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Lol yeah its a little noisy. My 85 was like that too. And I see you also have an msd coil, I have a stocker in the trunk just in case...

                        You know I havent thought about switching what side the tensioner is on but thats a good idea to try anyway. Ill swap it when I get the chance. And as far as the belt itself, thats the way it always is. Thats why I think the compressor pulley isnt right.

                        Also what holds the tensioner in place? The car didnt have the tensioner bracket or pulley when I got it. The tensioner now is being held by the belt on one side and is held by the lip of the bracket on the other side so I dont need the bolt as is.


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                        Comment


                          #13
                          I may have been seeing things in that video ( eye sight sucks LOL) but I was trying to say I thought I saw part of a old shredded belt jammed in the back of the compressor clutch where the wires would come out. It may have been the wiring but for me it was hard to tell.

                          And yes the belt did look like it walked back on the pulley toward the engine.
                          2007 Ford Crown Victoria LX Sport

                          Comment


                            #14
                            The tensioner is held in place at two locations. The lower right side of the compressor mount shares space with one corner of the tensioner. The other is a bolt through the backside of the flat plate. You will see a groove (smilies face shaped) and the bolt goes through there and into the tensioner. The tensioner has a 1/2” or 3/8” ratchet indentation on its front side you use to set tension then You tighten via the backside and the lower front corner to hold the tension.

                            Originally posted by 87GrandMarq View Post
                            Lol yeah its a little noisy. My 85 was like that too. And I see you also have an msd coil, I have a stocker in the trunk just in case...

                            You know I havent thought about switching what side the tensioner is on but thats a good idea to try anyway. Ill swap it when I get the chance. And as far as the belt itself, thats the way it always is. Thats why I think the compressor pulley isnt right.

                            Also what holds the tensioner in place? The car didnt have the tensioner bracket or pulley when I got it. The tensioner now is being held by the belt on one side and is held by the lip of the bracket on the other side so I dont need the bolt as is.


                            Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
                            ~David~

                            My 1987 Crown Victoria Coupe: The Brown Blob
                            My 2004 Mercedes Benz E320:The Benz

                            Originally posted by ootdega
                            My life is a long series of "nevermind" and "I guess not."

                            Originally posted by DerekTheGreat
                            But, that's just coming from me, this site's biggest pessimist. Best of luck

                            Originally posted by gadget73
                            my car starts and it has AC. Yours doesn't start and it has no AC. Seems obvious to me.




                            Comment


                              #15
                              The belt is not in the compressor pulley correctly. Looks back one groove.

                              As for compressor noise, I think mine wins. Its a Motorshaft reman compressor but it sounds like a dying air raid siren. Horrible noise. The old-ass genuine Ford compressor with unknown miles from John's 86 Vic that now lives on my Continental is almost completely silent.
                              86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                              5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                              91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                              1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                              Originally posted by phayzer5
                              I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

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