Air Con Pump Bearings Collapsed

January 8, 2009

HI, A few days before my last service at Toyota I began to notice a loud rattling noise, the service (110,000) showed that this was due to the bearings collapsed on the aircon pump. I have, due to Xmas and the credit crash been driving my 53 Avensis D4D like this for almost 3000miles now, there apears to be no ill affects other than the loud rattling when engine is idling and no air con (it's winter anyway). Mr T quoted me £1036 to replace this, which I can not afford. A local garage has advised me £450 for part and approx £100-£150 labour, which I will still struggle to find. I am hoping to find someone breaking a D4D for spares ( probably on flea bay) and then looking for someone to fit this for me. Can anyone advise whether this is a really big job to do? Also, is this likely to damage my engine in other ways, so needs dong quickly? Any advise would be much appreciated, as I know nothing about mechanics of cars. Thank You.

January 8, 2009

HI, A few days before my last service at Toyota I began to notice a loud rattling noise, the service (110,000) showed that this was due to the bearings collapsed on the aircon pump. I have, due to Xmas and the credit crash been driving my 53 Avensis D4D like this for almost 3000miles now, there apears to be no ill affects other than the loud rattling when engine is idling and no air con (it's winter anyway). Mr T quoted me £1036 to replace this, which I can not afford. A local garage has advised me £450 for part and approx £100-£150 labour, which I will still struggle to find. I am hoping to find someone breaking a D4D for spares ( probably on flea bay) and then looking for someone to fit this for me. Can anyone advise whether this is a really big job to do? Also, is this likely to damage my engine in other ways, so needs dong quickly? Any advise would be much appreciated, as I know nothing about mechanics of cars. Thank You.

Presumably there is only the one belt that drives everything on the diesel? If so, when it gets worse it could throw the belt off or shred it completely and leave you with no belt to drive alternator, power steering etc. and leaving you stranded somewhere.

What you can do (with help from your friendly local mechanic, if necessary) is to fit a shorter belt missing out the air con compressor pulley if it is possible. If not, you could unship the air con compressor out of the way to facilitate this but seal off the pipe ends after removal to prevent moisture entering the air con system. (it will need to be recharged at a later date anyway if you fit another compressor)

If the air con has a seperate belt (I don't think it will have) then just remove the belt.

If it is just the pulley bearings that have gone, you can usually replace those seperateley without fitting a new compressor unit.

Hope this is of some assistance.

January 22, 2009

HI, A few days before my last service at Toyota I began to notice a loud rattling noise, the service (110,000) showed that this was due to the bearings collapsed on the aircon pump. I have, due to Xmas and the credit crash been driving my 53 Avensis D4D like this for almost 3000miles now, there apears to be no ill affects other than the loud rattling when engine is idling and no air con (it's winter anyway). Mr T quoted me £1036 to replace this, which I can not afford. A local garage has advised me £450 for part and approx £100-£150 labour, which I will still struggle to find. I am hoping to find someone breaking a D4D for spares ( probably on flea bay) and then looking for someone to fit this for me. Can anyone advise whether this is a really big job to do? Also, is this likely to damage my engine in other ways, so needs dong quickly? Any advise would be much appreciated, as I know nothing about mechanics of cars. Thank You.
Presumably there is only the one belt that drives everything on the diesel? If so, when it gets worse it could throw the belt off or shred it completely and leave you with no belt to drive alternator, power steering etc. and leaving you stranded somewhere.
What you can do (with help from your friendly local mechanic, if necessary) is to fit a shorter belt missing out the air con compressor pulley if it is possible. If not, you could unship the air con compressor out of the way to facilitate this but seal off the pipe ends after removal to prevent moisture entering the air con system. (it will need to be recharged at a later date anyway if you fit another compressor)
If the air con has a seperate belt (I don't think it will have) then just remove the belt.
If it is just the pulley bearings that have gone, you can usually replace those seperateley without fitting a new compressor unit.
Hope this is of some assistance.

Hi i had the same problem the mechanic just put on a shorther belt on the ac doesent work but take the rattle out of it who needs ac in this country anyways