98 Jeep Grand Cherokee Question

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by cpayne5

The evaporator has nothing to do w/ the belt. With the symptoms described, it's almost a certainty that your compressor has seized, PFunk.

The a/c compressor has a clutch on it. When the a/c is turned on from the cab the clutch is engaged which transfers power from the spinning pulley to the internal parts of the compressor. The smoke comes from when the clutch is engaged. The clutch engages, but then the pulley is locked up to the compressor (seized, and not spinning), which makes the belt skid across it, creating smoke.

What he sadi and if you decide to wait on getting the AC repaired I would get that belt replaced. It sounds as if you burnt the belt and if you do not replace and it breaks the car won't runn very long. Maybe 2 to 3 minutes before it will start to over heat as the water pump is driven by this belt.