Dodge 3.9 V6 Update

Welllllllll I went outside and was able to determine the problem in the daylight, it was my SECOND guess (after I slept on it) as well as several other fine gents guessed, the problem was the AC compressor (and it off with elec clutch disengaged still dont help as its the bearing.) I shoveled snow away from shop front door, got it in the shop and lit the salamander, removed the serpentine belt and am calling a buddy to take me to town to see if I can get the shorter belt that's used if theres no AC, it appears it will still fit in place and work without having to wrap around the AC pulley if about 6 inches shorter. I hope they (NAPA or Car Quest, REAL parts houses) have a listing for the belt for the same set up ABSENT AC??? My 81 yr old buddy wants me to re mount his mailbox today also, coldest day wev'e had n here I am playing outside, NO rest for the wicked lol

Tell ya what, that Gates/NAPA belt must be a good one to have withstood all the tension and pressure and slipping and NOT burn up or split or crack, it actually still looks good. The load was strong enough to kill the engine at idle yet the belt still held up !! Idler and tensioner are fine by the way

John T Thanks yall

When that happened to a ford we had I unplugged the wire going to the AC clutch and let it freewheel, it depends which bearing is bad, the one in the compressor or the one in the clutch.

Tried that first thing, still rattles something awful and then locks up grrrrrrrrr

John T

That will work if the bearing in the clutch is still good, but if the bearing is bad it's still spinning on a bad bearing

John,that ac clutch can be replaced without opening up the system. You might want to price it at the parts store. Last one I did was $120. If the compressor is still good, you might want to consider going that route rather than changing belt sizes and deleting the ac

Agreed.

Removing the belt and not using it at all for a while will only cause more issues for the system from lack of use. Next summer when you want some AC the cost to get it running may be a lot more than $120.

Like I said in the other post, I have been where you are. In my case the belt for a/c delete didn't work as they used a different front bracket setup on the no a/c trucks.

I tried to replace the clutch but there was a roadblock of some sort(it has been 10 years I forget what it was). A new A/C pump was only a few $ more than the clutch.

EXACTLY RIGHT I bought a new belt NAPA showed to be correct for no AC BUT IT WAS ABOUT 2 INCHES SHORT I'm headed back to town grrrrrrrrrrrrrr

John T

Unfortunately, it needs a new compressor anyway, it was leaking Freon and I had to keep adding cans so I will belt it until next spring after I return home from Florida (it sets all winter) and fix it right then. All I need now is my 4 x4 as were getting more snow and I dont leave here until after Christmas.

Thanks

John T

Might be a good time to leave while the getting is good !

Just thought of it. Try tech choice auto parts google it they are out of texas and they have good prices on A/C compressors etc.
I bought a rear evap for our van from them.

I quit driving the old caravan last winter. Parked it out at the farm with a loud engine noise. This fall, for the heck of it , I jumped started it, fired right up but would not rev up at all. All of a sudden cloud of smoke. Shut it off, touched alternator pulley, burned finger tip a bit. Alternator was stuck solid.
So I flipped the serpentine belt off, let it just fall down. Restarted, crunch, ran fine with knock. The belt survived the burning on pulley but not going through the compressor pulley. So, now have an endless belt or should say, two ends. No matter I guess but was hard to believe that alternator could hold that engine from reving up.

After second trip to NAPA I got a belt 2 1/8 longer (then what called for if no factory AC) and it fit perfect, so now (with AC by passed) shes running no noise no squeal no rattles yayyyyyyyy when I return next spring from Florida I need a whole new Compressor and clutch/bearing anyway

John T

Thanks, yep next spring I will get a new compressor, filter dryer, oil, and pump down and recharge and a new belt yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy For now she runs fine with AC belt by passed

John T

John, there is a clutch on Ebay for $99 You will have to check the number on yours to make sure it fits. Not hard to change out at all. Leave all the lines connected and takes less than 1/2 hour to do. Link is to the instructions to change one. You don't need the special tools they say you do. Good luck.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dodge-Ram-1500-AC-Compressor-CLUTCH-ASSEMBLY-2002-2003-with-3-7-4-7-Liter-A-C-/221126475370?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item337c2a3e6a&vxp=mtr
changing ac clutch

Thanks MSD, I have the belt re routed and that will get me by since Im going to Florida (truck stays home) in a couple weeks. However that compressor has a small Freon leak so next spring I may replace it and filter dryer n just re do the whole thing as it needs it..........

John T

Yep ,,go with compressor even if there was no leakage1 I have done several clutch only jobs and they come back to bite you . that old, and that many miles ,for no more than a compressor costs its a no brainer .

Good deal. I have exactly the same setup on the Magnum 3.9 V6 setting down in the barn. The intake manifold has the mounting for the compressor because it was cast that way. But, mine doesn't have a compressor because I removed it. I got my belt from NAPA as well, but based off of my having measured it and giving them the length. One day, I too may replace the compressor because as I said, I intend to put it into the barn Jeep, a 2001 Cherokee that has a 4.0 I-6 that gets about 18 MPG highway. A Magnum 3.9 V6 gets about 23 MPG highway and oughta work just fine if I can match the computer and mate the its bellhousing to the trans, or the V6 to the existing Jeep bellhousing. I'm not betting on the latter since the factory V6 in the Cherokee was a 2.8 liter GM product.

Glad it all worked out.

Mark