Hey there, I have a 00 Sport. The serpentine belt has been squealing lately when I turn on the AC and usually it goes away. I decided last night that the belt must be a little too loose and I tighten it up a bit.

Today my wife drives it to work and it throws the serpentine belt. It appears that it knocked a hose off of the compressor that runs back towards the radiator, (i'm guessing some sort of oil cooler line.) It also sprayed yellowish oil all over the engine compartment.

Anyways I got the belt back on and reconnected the hose and a special clamp. I told my wife not to run the AC because i did not want the compressor to freeze up. I suppose it lost all it's contents.

Is there anyway to save the AC system, or is it shot?
Thanks

 

It knocked the hose off the compressor??? That was PAG oil all over the engine compartment. You will have to have the system evacuated with a vac pump, then recharged. The squealing is possibly the compressor clutch going, or seizing. Or the compressor itself is going to seize. Not cool. Keep an eye on it for a day or 2.

 

Well not really off the compressor, but a hose that runs to the compressor. It was located beside the battery and runs to the radiator area.

 

This is happening to my rig currently and has been going this way for several months. Unfortunately its been getting worse.

I hope my compressor isnt on its way out...

 

Its freon stuff i think. Its like a neon green color when the stuff comes out and goes to the small radiator infront of the main one

 

Yep, that is PAG oil, from the AC system. Not good. You can't just put freon back in after the system has been open up to air contamination.

 

What's this problem cost to fix? I'm sure it will depend on how much has to be done.

 

Crap...i just put freon in after i disconnected the hose..what kind of damage could it be doing?

 

The worst that will happen is, air got in the line and it could cause the system to freeze up if there was a high humidity level that day. The humidity in the air will form ice crystals in the system and clog the cap tube(oriface tube). If you run it and see ice forming in the larger of the 2 tubes that is the oriface tube clogged. SHUT IF OFF at that piont or you will blow up the compressor. Also it will contaminate the oil and cause the compressor to try to compress the water in with the refigerant, not good. Have it vacuumed out and recharged.

 

PAG oil is important. it keeps all your compressor's moving parts lubed. like he said. get it vac-ed and have them put some more oil in it. (the neon green color is a dye used to locate leaks.)