Car question: AC compressor

[TC Chris]

AC systems are beyond my competence. On my '86 Mustang, the Freon escaped long ago and since it was escape-prone, I gave up on having it refilled. So for many years and many miles, the compressor has served as just another pulley for the serpentine belt, there just to take up the extra length. Is there any danger that the bearing are going to seize up on me some day, or the compressor innards when I flip the ever to "defrost" and the AC is activated?

The Mustang got its front end alignment last week. The guy said "we got it right on, but it pulls slightly left. Drive it and see what you think." I found it sightly annoying but first I got the new tires put on today. BF Goodrich 225/15 R60. Drove away from the tires store and no more pulling. I stopped in at the shop and told 'em the new tires cured the problem. The guy said something about "radial pull," maybe a problem of old-tires deterioration?

Yesterday it was snowing but today the roads were dry for my venture to the tire shop. I am ready for spring, any time, please.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

A better plan would have been to have the new tires installed then align the front end. Otherwise like taking a shower with your socks on. Did the front end tech drive the car before alignment? Did it pull then?

The front bearing an an AC compressor runs the same whether the compressor clutch is engaged or not. The bearing can fail at any time, with or without warning. There are modern leak detection methods that are light years advanced from what was used when I was a wrench. Have you had the leak checked out ? There isn't much in the system to leak, and nothing cheap in that system that can leak. Good luck.

[TC Chris]

A better plan would have been to have the new tires installed then align the front end. Otherwise like taking a shower with your socks on. Did the front end tech drive the car before alignment? Did it pull then?

The alignment was because I had the steering rack replaced and they did the tie rod ends at the same time. The post-repair alignment was very approximate. The alignment shop next door couldn't do it then because their overhead door had broken and they would not have the part until snow was flying and the Mustang was in hibernation. Remember, we're on the opposite schedule from you. Cars get put away here when it gets cold.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

Every shop I ever worked in somehow elected me to be the alignment man. I disliked alignments. They were hot, dirty, something was always wrong. People got tired of hearing from me. If a car needs an alignment for a specific reason, tire wear, pulling, shimmy, there is something wrong 99% of the time. Bad tires, worn front end parts, something bent. If it is a Cadillac Eldorado or an Olds Toronado, you need to qualify your customer for how stout their wallet is. I could put $2000 into a front end of an Eldo 35 years ago. I would call James at the parts store, tell him what year Eldo I was working with, then he'd send me one of everything except the rims. The front end was good for about 5,000 miles after being totally rebuilt before it started wandering. Just too much weight on the front wheels. Ford forgot to put any front end under a Falcon. Nothing you could do with one after it got tweaked. All you had to do to change the caster on a Chevette was to take a "toothpick" one of those 8-foot long pry bars you break concrete with and bend whatever you needed to to get the caster right. There were no adjustments for caster or camber. The old-time hands used to do alignments with a tape measure.

[William]

Chris, Greg is right about the compressor bearing running all the time, and, that is could go all the time. I'm not familiar enough with Fords compressors bearings, but GM's really did not give much trouble. As far as turning on the defrost and having the compressor come on. There should be a safety switch that prevents that when Freon is low. Do you hear the compressor clutch engage when you switch to defrost? If so, find the wires that go to the clutch and just unplug it.

Bill

[19&41]

If you intend the A?C to remain out of service, the Mustang parts suppliers sell delete pulleys that take the place of the compressor pulley. When my compressor failed I got one on Ebay and had it installed a bit cheaper. You would also need the R134 conversion.