2013 Mustang GT Track

My AC compressor broke at 90k miles and I know that replacing the system costs an arm and a leg, and they wont warranty the new compressor without the new parts. The AC belt is included in the repair. ($1.9k after tax).

While they are working on it, I decided I wanted to also have a new serpentine belt, without thinking of the cost, I said yes. They want $125 more ($40 part, $85 labor).

I realized, they have to take off the main belt to replace all of the AC components anyway right? Why would they want to charge me an extra hour of labor if its already coming off. Unless by chance its possible to replace the entire AC system with just the AC belt and not touch the serpentine.

I'm half thinking about negotiating that labor price for the main belt if its required to come off.

Any thoughts?>

Thanks

 

That sounds like a ripoff. The labor for the main belt should be part of the AC repair.

 

From my understanding you have to take off the main belt from the crank in order to slide on the new AC belt to the crank.

$130 for a $20 belt thats already mostly removed sounds like ripoff to me.

 

Called the shop back about the belt, He claims that he doesn't need to touch the Main belt at all, because the compressor is already being taken out.

How does one slip on the AC belt while the main belt is blocking access to the pully? Am I in the wrong here?

 

The only way he can do that is if he is not replacing the AC belt (pull compressor and leave the old belt on the crank). You have to remove the main belt to get the AC belt on/off the crank pulley.

 

Thank you for the input.
I was having them replace the AC belt anyways, which is why I wondered how they can put a new AC belt without moving the main first.


Thanks!

 

Ok, well... that's different.


So yeah, there's two belts, the stretch one for the A/C, then the main one. They don't need to take the main off to get the A/C one off, it just gets spun off and spun on, or whatever. And since they'll be working on the car underneath on a lift, even easier.

And in looking at what all that guy apparently thought he had to do... maybe the hour labor isn't all that bad? It's definitely not related to the A/C at all given what they'll be doing.

I'm a bit waffly on the 'fariness' of the charges, frankly. Seems sorta ok to me...

For what my opinion is worth. But then, my opinion is to do all that stuff myself because I can, and monies saved(?), so there's that... Maybe I just exit now...

Good luck with it, OP!

 

Hey! Thanks for the reply.

The problem I was trying to figure out was that they are already replacing the AC belt. To put the new AC one on, how does one get around the main belt pully with the main belt still in place?

 

Oh, that. Well, obviously magic.



Yeah, ok, I somehow missed a detail there. My bad. Sorries. I ain't been feelin' well today...

So... if the whole A/C thing *includes* a belt... then definitely the main one has to come off to do that. You can ignore that up there, they're trying to rip you off if they're actually going to replace the old A/C one.

Carry on.

 

I replaced my ac compressor a few months ago. I don't know how you would do it without removing the serpentine belt. The stretch fit belt for the ac compressor is not made to come off. The Ford service manual says to cut it off for removal. If they are going to charge you another $85 to put a new serpentine belt on instead of reinstalling the old one I would pass. Go to your local auto parts store and buy a belt. It only takes about 5 minutes to put a new one on.

 

I replaced the AC stretchy belt a while ago. The only tricky part of the job is to get the stretchy belt behind the crankshaft pulley for the reassembly. The serpentine belt doesn't need to come off completely to change the stretchy belt, you just need to unhinge it by pushing the tensioner sideways to get the lower part of the serpentine belt out of the way. That's what I did.. But when I was doing that the serpentine belt almost slipped off completely by itself so that it appears to me that you're being charged slightly too much. Might be that you have to pay extra attention to make sure to hold all pulleys in position correctly while changing the serpentine belt, but I don't remember to have read something like that for the 5.0 in the workshop manual.

Cheers