belt seize???

[wyoworker]

Hey fellas,
I told my pastor that I would help him with a problem that has already cost him $360, the local mechanics won't touch, and threatens to keep kids from camp. I've been out of the game for awhile so I looking for some help.

His '02 windstar belt system is "seizing" intermitantly. It hasn't shredded a belt yet but I guess gives a bad bearing noise when it does it. He has replaced the alternator, ps pump, idler, and tensioner. He says all that is left is ac and water pump. I'm working now and won't be looking at it until Monday.

Hoping someone out there may have seen something like this before. I am leaning toward ac because I've never seen an intermittant water pump bearing fail, while the ac clutch could correspond, however, he has watched the clutch cycle and says it does not directly affect the problem. After replacing the idler he says he went 300 miles w/out a problem and now it happens 50% of the time. Weird. I need a guru.--Thanks for what you guys do.

[garync1]

I almost feel like if it were the water pump it would be over heating.
I would take the belt loose if you can get to it with out an act from congress check the water pump. lightly but with some force push pull and and wiggle and turn the pully for any free play. If that checks out ok I would take a hard look at the AC compressure...The clutch could be failing.. Not too sound funny but make sure they give you the right size belt. I have ran into that problem a few times.

[DRW1000]

I don't know if these things still use a thermactor. This is, as I understand it, a pump to pump air into the exhaust. I don't know if my Windstar has one but my 86 Mustang did and one day it siezed on me. Any attempt at running the engine did so without this pulley turning. I was able to remove it and using a lot of WD40 free it up and it has worked ever since. I know this doesn't explain the intermittance but I thought it was worth mentioning