HELP! Engine trouble, please help! Stranded!

csukoh78 · **Joined:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:34 pm **Posts:** 501

Ok, here's the deal. Two days ago, at 109F on the interstate, my AC started blowing hot air. I shut it off, sweated, but then later that night after everything cooled, started working again.

Then, again, a hot day on my way across the country to see my about-to-give-birth wife, the AC goes out again, and I smell burning plastic. I turn it off, sweat my balls off, drive 8 hours until midnight, then pull over for gas.

I go to start the car, and nothing. The engine won't even turn over, it tries hard, but is stuck. I thought it was the battery (nope) or the alternator (nope). There is melted black plastic and a reddish dust slung all over the compartment, all from the AC compressor. I had to get it towed to the local jeep dealership, and walked to a hotel at 2AM.

I think I melted the clutch in the AC. Is it possible that that stuff gunked up the compressor, preventing it and the engine from turning via the belt?

chetos · **Posted:** Fri Aug 17, 2007 10:15 am

Keep us updated about your Jeep. But more importantly, how is your wife and new child?

csukoh78 · **Joined:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:34 pm **Posts:** 501

Thus far both are fine. She is being observed now, and I am at the dealership waiting for them to install a new compressor.

I am normally suspicious of stealerships, but when he showed me the bearings sure enough there was a lot of rust and just general wear. I don't doubt him that the pulley and bearings are shot, but do I need a new compressor?

this is the worst thing that can happen. Stuck here, cant get to the wife and baby, and now I have to shell out approx $900.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Fri Aug 17, 2007 12:46 pm

yes, its possible that the bearings on the compressor went bad and wouldnt let the engine turn. Do you offroad in alot of mud often? Im fairly sure that you cannot just replace the bearing in the compressor.

How many miles are on it?

$900?! Gosh, thats alot.. we just got a new compressor for one of our Jeeps for $200.. Around $50 or so for freon and we are good.

tjkoen01 · **Posted:** Fri Aug 17, 2007 1:10 pm

yes, it sounds like you had a bearing go out (and/or your compressor had a mechanical internal failure) and the garbage under the hood and smells were probably from the clutch trying to turn the locked up compressor with the engine running.

$900 is a lot of money, but they probably had to flush the whole system and possibly replace the accumulator. when the compressor went bad, there were probably lots of chunks of metal released into your system. if they aren't removed, you'll be buying another compressor soon.

I did a system flush once....it was not fun. Just be happy your wife and child are doing well and you won't be sweating in the Jeep anymore... hey, it's only money! :wink:

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Fri Aug 17, 2007 1:21 pm

I've had a couple of compressors die (Texas is hard on AC units) a Ford and a Toyota, the Toy never went offroad and it took out the compressor clutch which took out the fan belt and locked up the car, it's no fun - it has to be towed. - it was over $700 and that was 10 years ago.

if you're at a Dealer - take a reasonable price and double it, they have a lot more overhead because of the interest they're paying on the cars sitting on the lot - if you can get a good independent shop it's a lot better.

I'm glad the wife and baby are okay -

Maximum Carnage · **Posted:** Fri Aug 17, 2007 1:27 pm

Jeepjeepster wrote:

Do you offroad in alot of mud often?

Which would be the best way to prevent this?

csukoh78 · **Joined:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:34 pm **Posts:** 501

the dealer is raping me, but not much I can do about it. With the belt design, you cannot turn the engine and still run the alternator, water pump, etc while avoiding the AC. You would burn out the engine, and I don't want to think about what it would do for electronics.

Getting the vehicle hauled to an independent shop is not feasible because of the time and effort, and add that to the fact that I am in an unfamiliar town hours from home and dont know a good shop and Im stuck.

I guess I am going to have to pay the MAN and look at my shiny new compressor. What sucks is that if I had made it home, I easily could have bought a $150 reconditioned compressor and had it installed, and used that $500 for the baby.

I couldnt work for a stealership. They know they are raping people, and even after giving my sob story you just see a cold blank stare and a "FU" smile. Evil.

BTW I dont offroad at all, really. I just think that the previous owner was from up north, because the compressor pulley was rusted pretty badly.

scoobysnax · **Posted:** Fri Aug 17, 2007 2:32 pm

Congrats on the new baby! If I were you I would hope for the best and see if the dealership will give you a loaner car so you can at least go see your new child. They might be open to that. Maybe even show them this post and the website and they might do it just so they can earn a little faith from all of us who love Jeeps and want to think we bought them from a good company.

Worth a shot right? You can decide how much you want to sugar coat the whole thing. Either way, don't let this situation bring you down about your newborn, again, congrats.

LiLredLibby · **Posted:** Fri Aug 17, 2007 7:13 pm

If you could have just limped into an "Autozone" or a "Carquest"they probably would have found you a shorter belt,or better yet,the aftermarket is making a bracket with just an idler pulley on it to eleminate the compressor.It bolts right in place of your AC compressor.In fact I believe it's called "The AC compressor eleminator".Just not sure if they make it for the liberty yet?As others have said,Don't let this get you down,I've been faced with simular problems and it SUCKS!
Congrats on the new baby,I'm sure it's getting a good father.

Ron

csukoh78 · **Joined:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:34 pm **Posts:** 501

all told, it was $849 for the compressor and labor, and then another $49 for the hotel room, so that little excursion cost me almost exactly $900

LiLredLibby · **Posted:** Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:11 pm

csukoh78 wrote:

all told, it was $849 for the compressor and labor, and then another $49 for the hotel room, so that little excursion cost me almost exactly $900

Hind sight is 20/20......If you would have knew,you could have rented a nice dependable luxury car for less.But thats still a small price for what your about to recieve.And this story alone that he or she can pass along to their kids will be priceless.
Hang in there!

Ron

HELP! Engine trouble, please help! Stranded!

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