Sanden AC compressor

[Madgyver]

I having a problem with V belt squeal. Can't find the happy tension. When I think I got it good and I turn on the AC, burp the throttle, the squeal comes and goes.
Can it be driven by the alt pulley alone or does it need the belt to also go around the crank pulley?
Crank pulley will drive the water pump and alt pulley (double groove) and thinking of using the alt pulley to drive the Sanden pump. This will provide more belt surface contact.

Any thoughts?

 

[marshall godron]

Belts

I have a York on mine running off just the alt no prob., but once I went to a 3G alt now I get it just at start up or when I'm winching%). I think serp belts are in my future ..

 

[broncnaz]

Wont hurt to try it although I might be a little concerned about the speed it will turn it may not turn fast enough or may turn to fast to really keep the compressor happy. But Im not sure what speed they are supposed to turn.
Along those lines then you will be drawing torque away from that small alt pulley and if you have a 3g trying to pull more amps when teh AC is on well you may run into more issues.
You may have to find tripple groove pulleys to run off the crank.

 

[Madgyver]

I realized why I made the alt bracket non adjustable the first time around. It was because that there was not much movement with the alternator and I didn't want to mess up my all ready painted inner fender. Fast forward to today with my abused bronco all battered up, I just got my plasma cutter and cut a notch in the front corner of the inner fender under the battery tray and tucked away the sheet metal. Welded up a slotted lower bracket for the alt. it now has about 1.75" of travel, after trying 6 consecutive sizes of belts I finally found the right useable one and returned the rest for refund. I now have adjustability and AC pump and alt belt tension can be tightened separately. No squeals now.

Makes me wonder why I never thought of this before. It comes down to the pretty inner fender. Lessons learned.

 

[blubuckaroo]

Could you describe the compressor belt routing? I a bit confused by your question.

 

[Justafordguy]

Hey Mad, how about some pictures? I'm having the same problem.

 

[Madgyver]

It's easier explained with a picture..
It was set up in the top pic, a fixed lower alt bracket (non-adjustable). Notice belt surface contact was minimal around all 4 pulleys so I had a belt around alt and AC pulley but had an intermittent belt squeal at rpm changes.

Changed it to bottom pic by bending inner fender for clearance and fabricating up a lower slotted alt bracket, to add adjustment to belt tension.

Sanden pump always had adjustment but now I adjust alt belt tension first and then set Sanden pump belt tension.

 

[Madgyver]

I had one of the first prototype AC kits that had Sanden pump mounted on passenger side.

 

[blubuckaroo]

My Vintage Air unit has the compressor on the passenger side like that. It drives the compressor with its own belt and uses a tensioner that sits above the water pump. I wouldn't think your alternator bearings would last very long if the belt was tightened enough for the compressor load.

 

[Madgyver]

I thought about doing a separate belt for the pump but that meant getting a 3 groove pulley and moving the sanden pump to line up and the a thicker fan spacer to clear the belt. Too much work than what I just did. Hopefully it holds up good. For now I'm just happy I get to enjoy the a.c. on these hot and humid Hawaii summer days

 

[blubuckaroo]

I thought about doing a separate belt for the pump but that meant getting a 3 groove pulley and moving the sanden pump to line up and the a thicker fan spacer to clear the belt. Too much work than what I just did. Hopefully it holds up good. For now I'm just happy I get to enjoy the a.c. on these hot and humid Hawaii summer days

Yea, I hope you throw a belt.

 

[Madgyver]

Yea, I hope you throw a belt.

It threw the 1st belt that I thought would work, I then went up a size longer (1/4") to 44" and that belt seems happy...

 

[Justafordguy]

Mine is on the driver side over the power steering pump. I have the same problem, no way to keep the A/C or the power steering pump from squealing.

 

[blubuckaroo]

My old dealer installed A/C had the compressor driven by the same belt that drove the water pump and power steering pump. To get the belt tight enough for the A/C, it would destroy the water pump bearings. I can only imagine what that set-up will do to your alternator.

 

[jim3326]

Any way of going around crank, alt. and A/C?

Jim W.

 

[blubuckaroo]

Any way of going around crank, alt. and A/C?

Jim W.

I wouldn't do it. Two and three groove crank pulleys are available for that.

 

[jim3326]

I meant extend your current alt A/C belt to the crank also. I believe the squeal is coming from the 1 belt that goes around the crank. When you turn the A/C on, that belt gets a double hit at once from the alt and A/C.

Jim W.

 

[blubuckaroo]

Could you just leave the alternator belt as is and run the compressor on its own belt? You'd need to mount an idler somewhere for tension.