a/c compressor belt removal

Post by **rgk** » 16 Jun 2010, 21:35

Can someone please explain to me how to remove the a/c drivebelt off a pre-89 244?

I've read at Volvo Forums and at Swedishbricks that you're supposed to remove the faceplate off the crankshaft, but have no idea how to achieve this. There is one bolt at the front of the crankshaft, but when I try to turn it, the shaft turns and all the belts with it. Another page at Volvo Forums speaks of "shims under the bolts," but I'm not sure whether they mean the a/c compressor or the crankshaft.

Help! One of my alternator/crankshaft/water pump belt will soon need to be replaced, but I have to remove the a/c belt to remove any of these! Thanks.

Post by **billofdurham** » 17 Jun 2010, 11:42

You certainly go to strange places to read!

This is from Haynes up to 1986 models:

: Crankshaft pulley adjustment shims1.jpg (28.8 KiB) Viewed 6861 times

There are six adjustment bolts around the pulley face as indicated by the red dots.

Bill.

Retired MVS Contributor · Post by **Retired MVS Contributor** » 17 Jun 2010, 13:46

What year is your 240?...Prior to 1978 Volvo used a 2 cylinder York compressor that sat upright and looked like an ordinary air compressor...The belt set-up was as shown in the previous post and had the shims...There were 6 bolts for making adjustments...

Later they used the familiar round compressor and the belts are adjusted by moving the compressor...There are 2 locking bolts on the compressor mount that have to be loosened and then the compressor can be moved by turning the long 10mm jack screw that sticks up towards you next to the compressor...The locking bolts are hard to find and see and it will be necessary to remove the air cleaner housing to see them...They have a nut on the back so you will need 2 wrenches, one to turn the bolt and one to hold the nut...

Post by **rgk** » 19 Jun 2010, 06:45

Bill,

That's a very good diagram, but it still leaves me confused. Where are the bolts? Here is what my crankshaft looks like:

I see six holes, but no bolts.

Wait a minute ... now in the picture I see where the front of the crankshaft has a little opening where one can slide a flat-head screwdriver ... maybe this is the way to pry off the face?

Retired MVS Contributor · Post by **Retired MVS Contributor** » 19 Jun 2010, 07:07

Your 240 does not have the shim adjustments at the crankshaft pulley...The adjustment is on the compressor mount...If you had the shims at the crankshaft pulley, there would be no holes through the pulley...Instead there would be 6 10mm bolts aranged in a cirular pattern around the center of the pulley...

See my previous post...

Post by **rgk** » 19 Jun 2010, 11:25

I have already found the a/c accessory, but when I loosen it and try to move the compressor toward the engine, the pipes that lead in to and out of the compressor bump up against the mounting bracket, making it impossible to move it close enough to the engine to create the slack required to remove the belt.

Post by **billofdurham** » 19 Jun 2010, 11:41

Loosen the tension as far as you can then, using a flat bladed screwdriver, ease the belt onto the edge of the crankshaft pulley and turn the crankshaft using the centre nut. The belt will come over the edge of the pulley, a bit like tyre removing machines. One of our old time fitters never loosened a pulley if we snapped a fan belt. He used the screwdriver method. He could fit a belt in about 30 seconds.

Bill.

Retired MVS Contributor · Post by **Retired MVS Contributor** » 19 Jun 2010, 14:44

Are you trying to move the compressor by hand by pushing on it?...That will not work...There is a bracket sticking out that has a LONG 10mm bolt on it...That bolt is a "jack-screw"...Turning it one way or the other moves the compressor in or out to tighten or loosen the belt...The connections to the compressor are rubber hoses...They will not keep it from moving...

Retired MVS Contributor · Post by **Retired MVS Contributor** » 19 Jun 2010, 14:51

I would not force a belt on or off a pulley with a pry bar or screw driver...Old belts are stretched...That's why we have to adjust them...New belts are not stretched yet...FORCING them onto a pulley puts eccesive tension on the pulleys that can burn out bushings and bearings...It can even force pulleys out of alignment to the extent that the belt might climb up the pulley cheek and jump off...

Post by **rgk** » 19 Jun 2010, 20:58

I am aware of the jack-screw bracket with the 10mm nut that adjusts the compressor, and this is what I (and Haynes) call the accessory.

The fittings coming out of the compressor are indeed made of metal, not rubber, and are preventing the compressor from moving close enough to the engine to create the slack necessary to pull the belt off with ease.

I suppose at this point I have to use the screwdriver method of which Bill speaks, but like jerrymcc, I am concerned about the solidity of the method when it comes to putting on a new belt, especially as I have never done so before.

I wonder whether loosening the nuts and bolts that hold the compressor attached to the bracket might accomplish anything. Is it difficult to remove the compressor from the mounting bracket entirely? Can it be done without disconnecting any of the pressurized fittings?