Freelander 1 Air con belt snap

MGT · Apr 9, 2021

freelander 1 td4 air con belt has snapped. Far as I can tell no damage and main belt looks ok to me.
Can I drive it safely with no air con belt?
One thread I saw had Ming say ‘cut it orrft’ which suggests it won’t affect any other component if I just don’t replace it, but I would like to be certain.
There is rattle from idler pulley when I am at idle (disappears at speed) so I was planning to jam something in there to stop it.
I have to take other belt off to replace it, which I have never done, so will have to put time aside to do both at some stage.

andyfreelandy · Apr 9, 2021

Air con belt is separate and only drives ir con compressor.

Main belt needs a 15/16 inch spanner to turn the very strong spring loaded tensioner then remove belt.

Refit and tension air con then replace long belt using the spanner to take off the tension.

MGT · Apr 9, 2021

Thanks. Thread I saw said normal spanner no good (didn’t say why, maybe restricted space). Sounds like I need something with a bit of leverage anyway.
Thanks for confirming it just does air con. So ought to be ok with no belt on there I would have thought. Only reason for being cautious is that big wheel hosts both belts, with air con belt on inside of main auxiliary belt. So I wondered if both had to be fitted or would create imbalance.

andyfreelandy · Apr 9, 2021

I'm sure you'll be alright for a short time until replaced.

Wrt the spanner, you need a flat ring. Some say 24mm but that is too loose and can damage the thin bolt head on the tensioner. 15/16 af is correct fit.

You need a bar to fit on the spanner for leverage and I always slide a small block of wood up on top of the fitted spanner to hold it against the side chassis rail to stop it slipping.
Do not put your fingers anywhere where they can get trapped between belt and pulley as you remove it. If the tensioner let's go or the spanner slips then it will go very tight and very likely to break your fingers, or worse!!!

MGT · Apr 9, 2021

That’s great advice, thanks. The diagram I saw showed access to that tensioner wheel from below - that right? Be easier from above if there is a way.
Is that why they say take sump guard off - to get spanner in place?

andyfreelandy · Apr 10, 2021

Not possible from above. Undertray an side lower plastic flappy thing and front wheel off and access is good.

Arctic2 · Apr 10, 2021

Air con belt is nearly always the first to get cracks, as you say the auxiliary belt as to be removed before you can change out the air con belt.

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I use 24mm aviation spanner which as been ground down a little to air access.

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add new air con belt then the auxiliary belt after.

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Nodge68 · Apr 10, 2021

MGT said:
Thanks for confirming it just does air con. So ought to be ok with no belt on there I would have thought. Only reason for being cautious is that big wheel hosts both belts, with air con belt on inside of main auxiliary belt. So I wondered if both had to be fitted or would create imbalance.

There won't be an issue with using it without the AC belt, providing there's no bits of belt left hanging about to cause the other belt to derail.

It's also best to replace both belts, simply because the main belt needs removing to access the AC belt, so you might as well replace the main belt while it's off.

MGT · Apr 10, 2021

Arctic2 said:
Air con belt is nearly always the first to get cracks, as you say the auxiliary belt as to be removed before you can change out the air con belt.

1

2

3

I use 24mm aviation spanner which as been ground down a little to air access.

4

5

add new air con belt then the auxiliary belt after.

6

7

Very useful pics, thanks very much. Fortunately i have another one I parked up to use for spares, so I can have a crack at that one first.

As it happens I think the crankshaft pulley is making the noise. Hard to be certain, but reading up:a bit tells me it is a known failure, with these he rubber disintegrating.

However, it only clatters at idle and even at idle the noise is quieter and louder at times.
It happened immediately after I stalled, I do not know if I stalled because the air con belt snapped or if the belt snapped because I stalled, or even if air con belt had nothing to do with stall. Nose couldn’t be a coincidence though as it was there as soon as I started back up.

MGT · Apr 10, 2021

Nodge68 said:
There won't be an issue with using it without the AC belt, providing there's no bits of belt left hanging about to cause the other belt to derail.

It's also best to replace both belts, simply because the main belt needs removing to access the AC belt, so you might as well replace the main belt while it's off.

Yes, I will replace both belts If it is crankshaft pulley making clattering noise.

andyfreelandy · Apr 10, 2021

If the pulley clatters best change the pulley first!!!

MGT · Apr 10, 2021

andyfreelandy said:
If the pulley clatters best change the pulley first!!!

I was planning to. Soon as we get a bit of sunshine.

andyfreelandy · Apr 10, 2021

Don't use an impact wrench on the pulley bolt as you'll most likely bust the cast iron crankshaft!!

MGT · Apr 11, 2021

andyfreelandy said:
Don't use an impact wrench on the pulley bolt as you'll most likely bust the cast iron crankshaft!!

Thanks for that. Hopefully it can’t be any worse than the nut for a drive shaft. It’s not bad access as it happens. Anything else I should look out for? Haynes says to get someone to press on the brake pedal so nothing moves. Is that to keep car still while I heave or is there something inside that can slip out of alignment?

MGT · Apr 11, 2021

I’ve just had a thought - what are the chances it is making that noise because there is no longer any tension on the inner ring of the pulley housing? It sort of makes sense to me. The noise happened directly after I stalled which is when I reckon the air con belt snapped.

andyfreelandy · Apr 11, 2021

If the pulley makes a noise then it has failed and needs replacing.

Brake pedal with car in gear is to allow you to unscrew the crank pulley bolt.
If it's an auto then it's trickier!!!

Nodge68 · Apr 11, 2021

MGT said:
Haynes says to get someone to press on the brake pedal so nothing moves.

Your better off using the correct locking spanner, as other methods put the nut torque through the crankshaft, which can cause it to fail.

MGT · Apr 11, 2021

andyfreelandy said:
If the pulley makes a noise then it has failed and needs replacing.

Brake pedal with car in gear is to allow you to unscrew the crank pulley bolt.
If it's an auto then it's trickier!!!

I dare say you are correct, but I may as well try the belt first on the off chance. Nothing to lose since I will have to order pulley in.
Ok, thanks.

MGT · Apr 11, 2021

Nodge68 said:
Your better off using the correct locking spanner, as other methods put the nut torque through the crankshaft, which can cause it to fail.

I do not know what that is. Is there a tool that fits round those flanges? It makes sense, and thanks for the warning about it.

It would also make sense that Land Rover designed something that stopped you shattering crankshaft if it cast iron, and your knuckles, although I think they care more about the crankshaft.

MGT · Apr 11, 2021

Don’t mind proclaiming my ignorance here - what is this 30 degree, 30 degree, 80 degree (or similar) people talk about when it comes to re-torquing?

Freelander 1 Air con belt snap

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