Is it okay to drive with no AC belt?

[cb474]

I have a 2006 Mazda3 hatchback, with the 2.3L engine.

Last night driving home the AC belt broke. There was a lot of smoke from the belt melting a little in one spot. I don't know if the compressor seized (or something like that), causing the belt to start to melt, and then break. Or if the belt broke, jammed in something, and then melted a little, causing the smoke. The melting is just a little bit on one edge of the belt, it doesn't look like much, for all the smoke and smell it produced. The break in the belt is right in the middle of the couple inch section where the melting/glazing can be seen.

The car seems to be running fine, no check engine light, no codes when I checked the computer. Is it okay to keep driving the car for a couple days, without an AC belt? Or should I take it straight into the shop?

*

Also, this is the belt that goes from the crankshaft pulley down to just one other pulley below it. (There is a separate belt that goes to the alternator and water pump, higher up on the engine). Am I correct in concluding that this is the belt to the AC compressor?

One other odd thing, if anyone has any thoughts about it. Immediately after the belt broke, I noticed that I could hear a static interference sound through the stereo when the CD player is on, but no music is playing. I use the CD player all the time and am sure that the sound started immediately after the belt broke. Does that make any sense somehow?

Thanks for any thoughts on this.

[krimsalt]

It's completely and 100% fine. I cut my own a/c belt and have been driving without it for 6 months. You just wont have A/C. I don't know why it broke - probably an old worn out belt?

But you'll get better gas mileage :P

[schmat66]

my ac belt has been off for over a year :)

ac delete!

[cb474]

Thanks for the replies. It gets plenty hot were I live, so I'm not going to live without the AC. But not having to run the car into the shop first thing Monday morning would be nice.

I'm hoping that I just need to replace the belt. But given the way that the belt burned and melted a little bit, I'm afraid it may be that the compressor of the pulley on the compressor seized, leaving the belt spin around a stationary object, which cause it to heat up and break. That would be a bummer, since compressors look to be pretty expensive.

All that said, can people confirm from my description in my first post that I have in fact correctly identified this belt as being only for the AC compressor and nothing else? Thanks.

[Wes08M3]

Definitely sounds like the A/C belt. Most compressors use an electromagnetic clutch to engage and disengage the compressor, so in some sort of odd way that I can't explain that may have had to do with the static you heard when the belt broke.

You can check to see if the compressor appears to be seized. Spin the pulley by hand and see if it overruns on the clutch assembly. If the pulley and clutch appear to spin together or won't spin at all it is likely seized.

[cb474]

Thanks Wes08M3.

That's interesting about the electromagnetic clutch. I was wondering (also in some way that made general sense, but I couldn't explain) if somehow a short in the compressor or something would cause this. I did notice today that the sound varies with engine speed. Anyway, I hope it's associated with the compressor, because I don't want to have to replace something else too. Or worse, have one of those annoying problems that no one can figure out!

Yeah, I thought of trying to spin the compressor pulley like that. It seemed hard to reach without removing the panel that covers the underside of the engine. So I may just wait and see what the mechanic says.

[Wes08M3]

It's a bit of a pain to get to without getting under the car and taking the skid plate off. It never hurts to let a professional deal with it, as long as you trust them.

Hopefully it's a somewhat simple fix. Shouldn't do any harm driving without the belt. Although since you're experiencing a strange electrical issue I'd make sure to have the A/C and defrost turned off (defrost uses the A/C) if possible when you're driving. Until you can get it checked out at least. Maybe try driving without the radio on and see if you can hear any sort of electrical interference. This type of information might be helpful to your mechanic.

[cb474]

Thanks again Wes08M3. Yes, I have been avoiding turning on the defrost or anything that would attempt to engage the compressor. I have driven without the radio and haven't heard anything. I suppose whatever is causing the interference is more of a concern to me now, in terms of driving the car, than the fact that the belt for the compressor is gone. Anyway, I'll take it in this week. I have a couple mechanics who I think are trustworthy.

[cb474]

It did just occur to me that I suppose if I wanted to get under the car and remove the skid plate, I could detach the electrical connection to the compressor and see if the noise goes away after that. I think there's just one wire that plugs in. Hmm.

[cb474]

I took my car in to an AC place today to have it checked out. If the compressor needs to be replace, do people think it's worth it for an OEM part? Thanks.

[McGuyver_3]

get a rebuild from a scrap yard

[RTEnthusiast]

my ac belt has been off for over a year :)

ac delete!

*bites tongue*

[Dave_The_BMXER]

I took my car in to an AC place today to have it checked out. If the compressor needs to be replace, do people think it's worth it for an OEM part? Thanks.

Ya mine does too, don't go with the OEM one get a rebuild for about 250. Still all said and done it was about 600 to fix mine so I have yet to.