I owned a 1982 xjs HE V12. After driving for a while with a damage compressor pulley bearing, my a/c compressor also broke. Now both the pulley and the compressor are making noises under my hood. I have ordered new parts, but it might take over a while to arrive(from USA to Denmark), so my question is:

will I be doing any damage to my xjs, if I remove the a/c compressor belt and drive the car around until the parts arrives? Unless I'm mistaken, I do not believe that the belt is attached to any other important components such as alternator or water pump. Thank you in advance.

Submitted by ninull@get2net.dk on Thu, 06/23/2005 - 16:28

Thank you Thomas for your reply. I forgot to mention that my xjs is European, but the belt is also attach to an air pump besides the compressor and the pulley like the us specs jags. I am new to car mechanics, but am trying to learn and the belt just don't seem to be attach to anything important to the engine itself, so I thought why not just remove it. The noise the pulley makes combine with the noise from the compressor is just horrible to listen to. And after removing the belt today, I can again hear the sound of my V12 engine (actually I have to listen hard to hear anything. After 23 years, it is incredible how smooth and silent it is).

Niels Olesen

Submitted by mr442nt@wideop… on Tue, 06/21/2005 - 13:53

On my US spec 89, the only other thing driven by the compressor belt was the air pump. My compressor clutch siezed and I drove for a year with no belt at all (about 12,000 miles) with no ill effects. I replaced the compressor and everything worked fine, until I cracked the evaporator trying to remove a line. Now there are all kinds of ill effects, the effect being I feel ill thinking how much it will cost to get fixed. I'm learning to get used to sweating on leather seats.

Tom Kipp
89 XJ-S Coupe