Thats what I was thinking. If I understand correctly, if I don't hook up the electrical connector for the clutch, it should never engage the pump and it will act just like an idler pulley.

How many bolts hold this thing onto the motor? I really can't see them too well, it looks like 3 of them.

Do you think I'd be able to just disconnect the hoses, loosen the bolts holding it on and take it out of the belt? Conversely, is it reasonable to think I might get it into the belt then set it into place and bolt it down? Thus not having to deal with loosening anything else to make room? I was hoping there might be enough play in the tensioner to let me get away with this.

Obviously I can screw around at the junkyard with this, but knowledge is power, so any help is appreciated.

 

If you hook up the electrical connector and have no Freon, the compressor will never engage. and the pump will never turn, only the pulley will turn.there are like 3 or so bolts holding it to the motorI remove the compressor out the top, it is VERY easy and the last one took me a whole 30 min total. I have NO clue what you are talking about with the belt, all you do is releive the tension on the tensioner just as if you were to replace the belt, then when you have the compressor installed, re-install the belt. BTW did you know there was a diagram of the belt routing on the right strut tower... it includesa showing where the tensioner is located. Oh, and to make this job A LOT easier, I removed the upper radiator support. It's a 5 min job and makes for tons of room to work. Didn't even need to go under the vehicle at all.

 

It sounds like the clutch bearing on the compressor is on its way out.I do not think it can be serviced seperatley and the compressor would have to be replaced.If the bearing locks up there goes the belt and everything it runs.

 

the clutch can be serviced separately but it's not much fun to do and some special tools are needed. It's a lot easier to just toss in another compressor assembly.

 

Thanks alot for this discussion. It really is helpful as I don't know this car too well. What I'm talking about with the belt is that even though everyone says it's easy to relieve the tension, I really don't see how it's easy. How do you relieve the tension on the belt? I think someone (maybe you) said there is a hex bolt and I just need to put hex wrench into it and use some force to move it. But it's far back into the compartment and although their may be a hex bolt, it's only about 4 inches from the body so I can't see it and I'm not sure how to get a tool into it and then move the tensioner. What I'm hoping is I can put the pulley on the replacement compressor into the belt and use force to get it into position and then bolt it down. This would be instead of bolting it down, then slipping the belt onto the pulley.

There was also a suggestion to loosen the alternator, but I can really only see one bolt and it doesn't look as if it would be any help.

 

i aint seein y yalls gotta make this harder than it is. the mans spoon fed yall even i can prolly do this job but if shes gotta 3.0 just cut the belt off or y not just gets a shortr belf and bypass the a/c. i dun belts on 3.3 and man its super ez i just use a 15 rench and then anothr rench to make it ezr to move the tensuner