Why would BOTH alternator and a/c compressor freeze with no spin at same time? | Ford Explorer Forums

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Why would BOTH alternator and a/c compressor freeze with no spin at same time?

SidCharming

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January 20, 2012
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Location
Minneapolis, MN
City, State
Minneapolis, MN
Year, Model & Trim Level
2012 Explorer Limted 3.5l
2013 Explorer Limited with 3.5L motor

Drive belt snapped off. Daughter drives this vehicle. She was not sure when it snapped off but became aware the a/c was not working and the charging system also was faulty. I opened the hood after a few questions about when and how the belt broke (thinking bad belt, tensioner went bad, alternator went bad or the a/c compressor went bad). I reached down to the alternator and it did NOT spin any amount. Bingo, that's why the belt broke. Purchased a new alternator and began my gravel parking part swap. With loads of patience I was done with alternator swap and new belt in place. We had to recharge the battery while we had dinner. Went to start the car and immediatly smoke came bellowing out from the area I had worked. O.o What the heck and in less than a minute the new belt was blown off. I waited a few minutes because it was all hot, but reached from under the car to the a/c compressor to find the wheel did not spin/turn (same as it was for the alternator)... WHAT THE HECK! why would both of these components exhibit the same (no spin wheel)? They are not related other than sharing a belt. I do not know the answer but would this be if the car was in a flood? The old alternator looked worse than any that I had ever seen from a pick junk yard in all my 30 some years.

Thoughts?
 



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Sounds like danged bad luck as to the simultaneous failures. I'd suspect that the failure of the original belt due to one of the item's original failure cause the second to fail. It's a stretch but that's about the best I can come up with.

I'd put a new idler pulley/tensioner in there while you're at it.
 






Was the car ever in a flood? You're not supposed to operate a car in flood waters above the bottom of the wheel hub. Any component with a bearing cannot be used under water without seriously shortening the bearing life including wheel bearings. I have heard of some Escapes having multiple pulley failures at the same time.
 






Was the AC working before? Like blowing cold, or was the AC clutch just in free spin? If the compressor was locked up before and she didn't tell you, just riding around with no AC, a piece of the old belt could have gotten caught in the there and locked up the clutch.
 






Was the AC working before? Like blowing cold, or was the AC clutch just in free spin? If the compressor was locked up before and she didn't tell you, just riding around with no AC, a piece of the old belt could have gotten caught in the there and locked up the clutch.
The AC was working before, yes. I don't know more than what my daughter said, but she said everything was working as it should and then quit... Now you and I would ask further questions, as I did, but she doesn't recall which happened first. Fortunate for me, my daughter has a person who has a hoist and shop to work on the ac compressor replacement. :)

I am wondering if it was flooded at one time.
 






My guess was the alternator locked up first which is not uncommon. The smoking hot belt transferred heat to the A/C pulley and bearing thus destroying that. Odds of both randomly seizing at the same time about 1 in a million IMO.
And I agree those alternators when removed look like they crossed the Atlantic in the water towed behind a ship.
 






The AC was working before, yes. I don't know more than what my daughter said, but she said everything was working as it should and then quit... Now you and I would ask further questions, as I did, but she doesn't recall which happened first. Fortunate for me, my daughter has a person who has a hoist and shop to work on the ac compressor replacement. :)

I am wondering if it was flooded at one time.
If replacing the alternator I suggest using an OEM Ford unit. There have been many issues using aftermarket alternators.
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Peter
 






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