# Reminder on vehicle maintenance



## zombieresponder (Aug 20, 2012)

A couple of weeks ago I replaced a few parts on my jeep. I put one part off due to the expense..the A/C compressor. Yesterday morning(Friday), it finally bit me in the rear, with the compressor locking up solid and leaving me stranded. I was only 5 miles from home and we have a 16 foot carhauler trailer, so I really got lucky. It caused me to be a couple hours late to work, but had we needed to bug out, it would have been a disaster.

I'll also share this: http://www.discountacparts.com

If you're wondering why I was stranded, the locked up compressor prevented the serpentine belt from moving. The belt not moving meant my mechanical fan wouldn't turn, nor would the water pump or alternator. Leaving aside the fan and water pump, modern electronics laden vehicles don't get far on battery power alone.


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## smaj100 (Oct 17, 2012)

Zombie,

I have a 02 chevy truck that I lost the alternator on completly. I was able to drive almost 25 miles off the hwy to get to a autoparts store to replace it in the parkinglot. Granted I did so about 10 miles into the trip with no instruments, windows or ac. Once the batt was dead so was everything else except the engine, she wouldnt idle at low speed had to drive my automatic like a stick once i hit the first stop light coming off the freeway. You might try bypassing that belt and leaving everything off, for an emergency shtf moment i'd drive that rig till I saw steam or got where i was going. Just my 2 cents worth.


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## cnsper (Sep 20, 2012)

One reason why I do not have AC on mine and also the reason I have an older truck with 2 v belts. One runs the power steering that I can do without if needed and the other runs the alternator and they both turn the water pump. Can replace them with pantyhose in a pinch but I always carry spares. Just replaced all the water hoses on the truck and put all the old ones behind the seat for spares. My AC is called a wing window.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Just my 2 cents but make sure any repairs you do yourself the other members of your group/family can also do in a pinch. If something happens to you the repairs can still be made.

My DH just replaced our rear brakes. I pushed and pushed for him to do them rather than spend the money to have them done for the simple fact that he needed to learn how. I already know how to replace the rear brake drums so if I had to I can do it.


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

this is a good thread, simple things can stop you. 
On the A/C compressor clutch bearing failure. as stated by the OP this one gives you lots of warning. actual compressor failure doesn't matter, just un hook the wires to the clutch.
When serpintine belts first appeared in general use the bearings in the driven accessories weren't up to the job and would often fail and lock up causing the belt to fail. 
multi v belt systems if designed right can have a component fail and the water pump will still turn, this was good in the days of mechanical fuel pumps, cause you could go for a long time with just the ignition system running on the battery. 
Even a newer one running the fuel pump and ecm should go more than 25 miles before flattening the battery, IF it was sharp failure not a slow low charge then no charge.

And Grimm made a really important point evverybody needs to be able to fix all that they can. and should know what they can get away with.


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## pawpaw (Dec 21, 2011)

I'm trying to picture it. My vehicle would be down too, if the serpentine failed, and Sooo many components it drives can each cause the failure.

My first thought after reading this was to immediately put panty hose on my list for Wally World today, but-
It now seems prudent to have the Dragon Lady acquire the panty hose for me; Otherwise, I'd be cooking for one if she happened to run across them in the cab of the truck.


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## Tweto (Nov 26, 2011)

The serpentine belt is only one item that can cause this. On my truck the serpentine belt tensioner went out the first time at 70,000 miles while I was on the interstate. When the tensioner went out the belt fell off and I lost power steering, the water pump, and AC. I got off at the next exit ramp and had to a stop at the next traffic light. In the min sitting at the stop light the temp gauge made it in to the red. Across the street from the traffic light I found a deserted parking lot to stop. From the time I lost power steering to parking in the deserted lot was only about 3 miles and it was already over heating. I never could have made it 25 miles.

When the truck hit 140,000 I replaced the tensioner to be safe and now the truck has 210,000 and I'm completely replacing any suspect parts, including rings, oil pump, timing chain, all engine gaskets, filters, brake lines, all senders, clean and inspect all wiring (found 2 spots where the insulation has burned trough) clean and inspect all electrical connectors, etc..

The only reason I'm saying any of this is that in a SHTF situation your vehicle is more important to your safety then anything else and preventative maintenance is the only way to ensure a reasonable reliable truck/car.

Don't get cheap when it comes to fixing what might be going bad.


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## zombieresponder (Aug 20, 2012)

smaj100 said:


> Zombie,
> 
> I have a 02 chevy truck that I lost the alternator on completly. I was able to drive almost 25 miles off the hwy to get to a autoparts store to replace it in the parkinglot. Granted I did so about 10 miles into the trip with no instruments, windows or ac. Once the batt was dead so was everything else except the engine, she wouldnt idle at low speed had to drive my automatic like a stick once i hit the first stop light coming off the freeway. You might try bypassing that belt and leaving everything off, for an emergency shtf moment i'd drive that rig till I saw steam or got where i was going. Just my 2 cents worth.


I judged it based on my experience with having lost the alternator in an 84 K5 blazer and on a 95 nissan pickup. Within 5 minutes, in the blazer, I could feel the difference in how the engine was running. I just barely got it out of the slop and back on a decent road before it completely gave up. I'm guessing it gave me 15 minutes, and the battery was larger on it than on this jeep. The little nissan ran quite a while, but it was a four banger, and I had installed a battery large enough for a full size truck.

My other problem on this jeep is that the year model I have was known to have a casting defect in the head, prone to cracking between cylinders 3 and 4. I wasn't going to chance blowing a $400 head and possibly losing the engine as well. The head will be replaced with an updated casting when I put another motor in...which may be a while given the 4.0's reputation for longevity.



cnsper said:


> One reason why I do not have AC on mine and also the reason I have an older truck with 2 v belts. One runs the power steering that I can do without if needed and the other runs the alternator and they both turn the water pump. Can replace them with pantyhose in a pinch but I always carry spares. Just replaced all the water hoses on the truck and put all the old ones behind the seat for spares. My AC is called a wing window.


This is Texas and the jeep is dark green. Lack of A/C wouldn't bother me a great deal, but my 3 year old and the wife wouldn't care much for it.


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## cnsper (Sep 20, 2012)

WTH does Texas have anything to do with it. I have seen temps here many times, higher than they were in Texas. Well my jeep was in Tennessee and it was black. Texas is not any hotter than any place else, y'all just seem to whine about it more.... LOL


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

zombieresponder said:


> I judged it based on my experience with having lost the alternator in an 84 K5 blazer and on a 95 nissan pickup. Within 5 minutes, in the blazer, I could feel the difference in how the engine was running. I just barely got it out of the slop and back on a decent road before it completely gave up. I'm guessing it gave me 15 minutes, and the battery was larger on it than on this jeep. The little nissan ran quite a while, but it was a four banger, and I had installed a battery large enough for a full size truck.
> 
> My other problem on this jeep is that the year model I have was known to have a casting defect in the head, prone to cracking between cylinders 3 and 4. I wasn't going to chance blowing a $400 head and possibly losing the engine as well. The head will be replaced with an updated casting when I put another motor in...which may be a while given the 4.0's reputation for longevity.
> 
> This is Texas and the jeep is dark green. Lack of A/C wouldn't bother me a great deal, but my 3 year old and the wife wouldn't care much for it.


Come on are you serious? or did you have a bunch of extra electrical load that you didn't turn off, a GM HEI will run well all day on just battery power.
Done it, seen it


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## zombieresponder (Aug 20, 2012)

Tirediron said:


> Come on are you serious? or did you have a bunch of extra electrical load that you didn't turn off, a GM HEI will run well all day on just battery power.
> Done it, seen it


Absolutely serious. I had the heater on until I saw that the voltmeter wasn't reading 14, which is when I shut it off and turned around. It was down to 9 volts when it finally sputtered and died.

Come to think of it, the alternator in my 77 C10 went out and I didn't get much more run time than I did in the blazer. That was during the summer, no A/C and I never used the fan. Wing vents and a sliding rear glass were more than enough.


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

First thing I do when I get a vehicle is change the belt or belts and put the old ones back for spares. I rarely have a vehicle with working AC so I just get a belt for the same model without AC that way it can't cause a problem I'd suggest rather than going and getting panty hose just go get the right belt or belts and keep them in the trunk you should already have basic tools and I have yet to run into a belt other than a timing belt that required more than basic tools and now a days usually it just requires a large ratchet or pry bar to turn the tensioner far enough to let you slip the belt on then let it go and it auto tensions your belt for you. 

I 'm betting that in the case of the short lived run time is that the alternator had been going down and not maintaining the battery for a good littl ewhile so when it finally stapped all together the batter was in pretty bad shape. Been in that boat myself with a old chevy car I once had. lucky for me I was close einough to my destination and that destination had many friends living in it.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

jsriley5 said:


> First thing I do when I get a vehicle is change the belt or belts and put the old ones back for spares. I rarely have a vehicle with working AC so I just get a belt for the same model without AC that way it can't cause a problem I'd suggest rather than going and getting panty hose just go get the right belt or belts and keep them in the trunk you should already have basic tools and I have yet to run into a belt other than a timing belt that required more than basic tools and now a days usually it just requires a large ratchet or pry bar to turn the tensioner far enough to let you slip the belt on then let it go and it auto tensions your belt for you.
> 
> I 'm betting that in the case of the short lived run time is that the alternator had been going down and not maintaining the battery for a good littl ewhile so when it finally stapped all together the batter was in pretty bad shape. Been in that boat myself with a old chevy car I once had. lucky for me I was close einough to my destination and that destination had many friends living in it.


This thread actually helped me figure out what was wrong with our AC. The alternator was replaced and the numbnut who did the work forgot the secondary belt to the fan.


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

oh that is sweet hahahaha one question was he a union mechanic   Sorry couldn't resist


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

jsriley5 said:


> oh that is sweet hahahaha one question was he a union mechanic   Sorry couldn't resist


You know, I have no idea if he was. My DH has a guy he has taken cars to since he was 16 and that is who he used. Personally I think the guy is a con. He started doing other things to the car we did not authorize. Now we take it to our neighbor. He is a certified mechanic and he charges us in beer.


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

ah well then that falls back to you get whatcha pay for


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Tirediron said:


> Come on are you serious? or did you have a bunch of extra electrical load that you didn't turn off, a GM HEI will run well all day on just battery power. Done it, seen it


Same here.
I once had to drive a F150 across northern South Dakota in 1986 for 3 hrs under a nearly full moon with no alternator output (turns out it was the voltage regulator). I pulled the fuses out for anything not needed to drive (even the brake lights fuse, LOL!), and made it home fine. No lights... I only turned them on for a few seconds when I saw an oncoming vehicle and then turned them off.

A few years later in 1993 I had the voltage regulator fail on a 1980 Chevy Luv while working my way across eastern Montana. I figured out that if I pulled all the fuses out and turned everything off except what was needed to make the engine run, I could jump full battery voltage to the alternator rotor and force it to make full unregulated output (probably about 40 volts!) for just a few minutes to charge the battery crazy fast.... and then pull the jumper wire off and drive for another hour or so. I had to do this for 8 hours until I got to Lewistown.

Recently, on my '93 Ford Ranger I had (of all things) a little idler pulley bearing go bad and seize on I-45 SE of Dallas (a bad area to break down!!!), stopping the entire serpentine belt with a horrific squeal. AMAZINGLY, (thank you, Jesus!!) I had a similar pulley lying in the back under some leaves... almost a full inch larger in diameter, but it had the same 12mm hole in the bearing (and no grooves), but it worked well enough to get home a couple hours later. I have since then replaced the other idler pulley as well as the alternator and water pump. Hopefully will go another 180,000 miles.


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

This maintainance thread brings up a good point for those who live in a warm climate. you prolly get pretty long life from your batteries, here when the cold weather hits it shows the weakness of batteries quickly, A battery that will spin an engine over easily in summer, will barely crank it at a few degrees below freezing. A good battery hold life under load for a long time. Our big fork lift (370 cubic inch hercules) and our ford 4500 shop tractor don't have functional charging systems and we get lots of starts out of both befor they need a recharge. no extra power loads on either one though


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