AC Compressor/Clutch Seized?

[Rileysowner]

I am selling the van, so it has not been driven a whole lot in recent times. I did have it out a week ago Sunday, and everything ran fine, and I have been starting it occasionally and giving it a brief run, but definitely not the daily driver it has been.

This past week had been extremely cold with lots of lake effect snow in Southwestern Ontario, so while shoveling I wanted to move the van. I couldn't get it to start as the battery was a little run down and very cold, or so I thought.

I hooked up the charger and checked back the next day. Battery was charged, but when trying to turn over, there was a squeal like a belt on a seized pulley. Either way, I couldn't get the van to start and figured that it was snow getting under the hood from it being open for the charger.

Today was much warmer so I tried again. The van started with some work, but there was a horrible screech from under the hood. I looked and saw that it was the AC compressor pulley which was not moving at all.

Any idea on a quick fix that would be inexpensive? BTW, the compressor has been leaking and not working for over a year, so I know it is shot, but since I don't use the AC I didn't expect the clutch to engage much less seize.

[Smiliesafari]

If it's only the clutch it should run free if you unplug it. If it's the clutch bearing frozen then you will have to replace it.

[Rileysowner]

Much too cold to be working on it right now in the Great White North. Where exactly would I unplug it? Now I think I should have taken out the compressor and put in a bypass pulley when it started to leak a couple of years back.

[Smiliesafari]

It's the connector right behind the clutch.

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Spray some rust penetrant on it. Hopefully you can break it free. The next option is a bypass pulley and new belt.

[Rileysowner]

A warming trend is supposed to be coming so I won't freeze while working on it. Hopefully I can get it to break free since I don't want to put more money into it.

[Rileysowner]

I was going to look at this two months back when things warmed up, then I broke my hand in a cycling crash, so I have been out of commission for things like this.

I am pretty sure the compressor is seized as unhooking the clutch wire doesn't make any difference to the situation. I am selling the van as I have switched over the a Silverado, but I would sort of like to get it running with the minimum of work/expense.

My question is, can an AC delete pulley be installed without removing the clutch and compressor on my '97?