I have a squeak in the engine bay and I think its the A/C clutch/bearing/pulley. To test this I want to put a shorter belt on and bypass the A/C. I also want to unplug the A/C to keep the cluttch from engaging.

I found the plug, but couldn't figure out how to unplug it? It has a red tab thing that slides back and forth. I didn't give it much time, I had the thought to unplug it and went to do it real quick but ended up being a PITA.
Thanks

 

the red tab slides straight back(the lock)then push down on tab while pulling the plug off!

 

Thanks

I'll try it when I get home tonight.

 

Just for testing, simply remove the belt and run the engine for a few. Unless your plan is to bypass the a/c for a while.
WC

 

remember how well sound travels too, even take it to a local shop and get somebody to check it out with a stethoscope, the clutchfans are noted to wear out and squeal along with your idle pully,water pumpand tension pulleys, so check these things out before you start spendin money on the squeek. even if you take the belt off and try to wiggle the pulleys will tell you if there is an enormous amount of play in them, the clutch fan shouldnt spin very freely either and that another sign. just some experiance suggestions for you to bicker with.

 

I want to run it without AC for a bit, just no time to have the truck down for a silly squeak.

I had a shop stethoscope the front of the engine, nothing. I replaced the tensioner & pulley, the idler pulley, and the fan clutch. THe only thing left is the AC pulley/clutch and the water pump. The water pump is why they stethascope the front of the engine, to see if I really needed one.

This squeak has driven me nuts. When you first start the truck, no squeak, then you put it in drive, neutral, or reverse, any gear really, it starts in a couple seconds. I thought it was the transmission, but the noise is strongest from the front of of the motor. I even had the fan & fan clutch off with the motor running to determine that without fan noise. I also greased up the transmission linkage like a post had said to do, that didn't help.

Thanks for the help.

 

OK I unplugged the AC electrical. Took 20 minutes and some pliers.
I started the engine and it still squeaked, no biggie, the belt was still on.
Took off the belt, started motor, still squeaked, poked around, heard nothing new for the location.
Put the belt back on and amazingly enough, no squeak!
Went for a 5 minute drive and still no squeak.
I plan on letting the motor cool off and start it later tonight to see if it squeaks.

Why or how is the AC affected by putting the truck in gear??
Thanks

 

" Why or how is the AC affected by putting the truck in gear??"
Not at all; unless the a/c is on.
Don't know why you want to unplug the a/c compressor if the noise is in a pulley. Unplugging would only indicate if you had noise in the clutch when engaged. Seems like you have a bad pulley, somewhere. (DUH!)
"THe only thing left is the AC pulley/clutch and the water pump." NO, you also have power steering and a generator. I would suspect the water pump or generator. However, carefully check again...and again, if necessary instead of throwing money at the problem. Yeah, you'll eventually get it with your current approach. Grasp the fan and see if it will move at all. It should NOT; NONE; NUNCA! With the belt off, spin the generator; listen for noise of ANY kind. Push, prod, pull, pry, spin, ALL of the pulleys.
Is there anything you are leaving out about what you have/have not done?

 

I already placed the fan clutch and even had the fan off and it still squeaked. I forgot about the P/S but that was rebuilt less then a year ago. The AC clutch engages even with the AC off, I don't know why but it does I can hear it and when that happens the squeak changes pitch and speed. If it was the AC pulley, it would squeak whether I was in gear or not. The generator feels solid, the AC pulley/clutch is the only pulley that feels week and makes a slight scratching noise, but the clutch isn't engaged with the motor off.
I do have a method, I said I had a squeak with the belt off, so generator and P/S won't spin uless there is a belt,I try to test one variable at a time.
Thanks