mike123249

I have a 96 jeep cherokee with the straight 6 in it. I changed out the power steering pump and put a new belt on it. I then noticed it was over heating so I changed the t-stat and housing along with cleaned all.mud out of radiator fins. The main problem is the squeal the belt is tight and it still squeals so me and my buddies looked at it and noticed that the ac sticks and that's when the squeal starts. The ac then starts spinning again and squeal is gone. The jeep has no ac and heat only comes out of the defrosters. In wondering on how to get the ac pully arm to stop sticking because when it sticks my alternator and water pump slow down. This didn't happen prior to water pump and belt change. Please help because a new ac compressor is expensive but it sticks and effects everything else. Should I try another belt or can I grease up the ac pully or clutch or what ever it's called. I'm new to jeeps and really like this one. I've also put new exhaust on and changed the oil and had brake fluid radiator and of course power steering all flushed. Am I over looking something how do.I keep that pully spinning. I can spin it when belt is off. Also my passenger door won't open pulled panel and tried pulling the bars inside door still didn't unlatch. I need a lot of help but don't have a ton of money to put in to it at the moment and a new account compressor with pully is expensive. Please help me. Oh and if it says sequel instead of squeal I'm sorry I'm posting from my phone while trying to figure this out. And any good advice on upgrades or modifications are welcome to but first I gotta make sure she lasts

tech

You can try unplugging the A/C compressor , but it sounds like the belt is still loose and needs to be tighter .

dans98xj

if the ac pump is just free wheeling you might have a bad bearing in the clutch. you could remove the belt and try to get some grease or other lube into the clutch and try that. also make sure that the belt is the proper tension or it will squeal. I just changed my belt have been working out a squealing problem too, but mine was because it was not tight enough.

PNWjeeper

I just want to chime in on the heat only coming out of the defrost.
There is a football looking thing inside the passenger side of the bumper, this holds a vacuum which is used to switch between settings. More then likely one of the vacuum lines going to this has cracked causing your controls to default to the defrost. I ended up shortening up the lines and moving this ball up by the cowl on the passenger side, much shorter distance to the necessary components so less area for things to go wrong.
Hope this helps.

BlueRidgeMark

No, it doesn't. It sounds like the AC clutch is hanging up.


Too tight belts destroy bearings, but that's the first thing some people want to do when the belt starts squealing. It's usually the wrong thing. Serpentine belts don't need a lot of tension to work properly.

bluejeep2001

Free-wheeling meaning not engaged a/c pulley bearings rarely go bad...pull the 20amp fuse out of the fwd inboard slot of the fuse comp box by the overflow bottle...that disengages the clutch permamently. Verify its the right one by the picture on the inside of the lid. Press on the belt with good finger pressure between the water pump pulley (center) of motor and the power steering pump should have less than 1/2 inch deflection...if your vaccum beercan isn't cracked or disconnected....make sure those little check valves coming off the manifold aren't gummed up..they do get blocked

tech

He changed the P/S pump and the belt and then the problem started . it sounds like when the A/C turns on the belt squeals . sounds like a loose belt to me .

BlueRidgeMark

The AC is not turning on.

BruceB

Just to eliminate... verify serpentine belt routeing. https://www.2carpros.com/images/ques...9/original.gif

CurrySoSpicy

Also buy a krikit 2 belt tension gauge. They are around 10-15 dollars. That way your not guessing. 180-200lbs is what you should aim for on a new belt.