hi - i recently brought a 1989 magna wagon - had no probs for 4 months but now when she starts, it struggles to turn over ( it starts after while) - when she does start - there is a rubber burning smell coming from the belts - not sure whats caused this - the air con stopped blowin out cold air and then this problem happened - not sure if the air con unit has packed up or alternator belt slipping and causing friction??. After say 10 min - the car runs fine but when in idle, burning rubber smell appears.

Can anyone please explain what the problem may be and offer a solution please??

thank you :bowrofl:

how does the belt look.. its it copping any damage.. id look at the AC compressor first if you said it stop when this happened..

Oh yeah, and welcome to the freak show.. u will enjoy.. :D

how does the belt look.. its it copping any damage.. id look at the AC compressor first if you said it stop when this happened..

Oh yeah, and welcome to the freak show.. u will enjoy.. :D

:stoopid:

Try watching the pulleys wen the engine is running to see if any are seized or the belt is slipping especially the a/c. Turn the a/c on and off to see what the a/c clutch on the front of the compressor is doing.

Way the by, howdy. :)

how does the belt look.. its it copping any damage.. id look at the AC compressor first if you said it stop when this happened..

Oh yeah, and welcome to the freak show.. u will enjoy.. :D


wow - talk about quick responses - fantastic - just posted message and wham - a reply...

the belt seems to be meltin - at the AC - that causes the burnin smell and smoke - seems to me like the pulley is not rotatin - ( not a mechanic and know nothin about anything really mechanically) - if it is the AC - would i be up for big bucks - thats why too scared to take it to mechanic just yet :cry:

thanks so much for your reply :D

wow - talk about quick responses - fantastic - just posted message and wham - a reply...

the belt seems to be meltin - at the AC - that causes the burnin smell and smoke - seems to me like the pulley is not rotatin - ( not a mechanic and know nothin about anything really mechanically) - if it is the AC - would i be up for big bucks - thats why too scared to take it to mechanic just yet :cry:

thanks so much for your reply :D


Thats ok.. u find most people around here are happy yo help cause one day we will need it back..

If it melting make sure the AC compressor is actually turning.. if its not(Seized) then that explains the burning smell and melted belt..:)

Ditto to EGO again, dead a/c compressors can be pricey

You can take the belt off in the interim, it should just run around an idler pulley and the bottom pulley. Check your idler pullet isnt seized as well.

:stoopid:

Try watching the pulleys wen the engine is running to see if any are seized or the belt is slipping especially the a/c. Turn the a/c on and off to see what the a/c clutch on the front of the compressor is doing.

Way the by, howdy. :)


Thanks for the advice Ol' Fart - i tried to turn the car on about 20 mins ago and was on for maybe 5 minutes before the smoke got to me - is that bad :doubt: seems to me like it may be AC seizing up hey ?? - the belt around the pulley gets really hot cos i can hear it meltin :shock:

ok if ac is seized then u have two options..


1. find another in wreckers that works..
2. find one that doesnt work but still spins if your not fussed about the AC working... .(cheap option).. i dont think u can pull it out all together.. what else runs off the belt..?? prob power steer and water pump..??

Check my last post (i edited it).
Id take the belt off for the moment

Check my last post (i edited it).
Id take the belt off for the moment


Yeah aslong as it doesnt run power steer or water pump..???

Ditto to EGO again, dead a/c compressors can be pricey

You can take the belt off in the interim, it should just run around an idler pulley and the bottom pulley. Check your idler pullet isnt seized as well.


Thanks for the info - how do u take the belt off - you mean the whole belt?? may seem silly question but what if i cut the belt off - would that be just as effective so at least i can drive the car for a few more weeks?? Dont really need air con at this point.

ok if ac is seized then u have two options..


1. find another in wreckers that works..
2. find one that doesnt work but still spins if your not fussed about the AC working... .(cheap option).. i dont think u can pull it out all together.. what else runs off the belt..?? prob power steer and water pump..??

Just double checked on one of mine and the power steer and alternator are on 1 belt and the a/c and an idler are on the other. Water pump is on the other end of the engine.
Just take the belt off for now. :D

Have you noticed all these posts are out of synch. lol

Normally you just loosen of the idler wheel and take the belt off but if its as melted as you say feel free to cut it off.

I'll pm you a picture of the belt layout so you know which is which :D

hey - you guys are fantastic - all of u - first time i have been to a forum b4 and i have got so much info already - thank you all for your replies :bowrofl:

Still outta snych, EGO is right to be cautious, thats why I checked the manual and the car.
As long as you've got the 4 cyl, and you should, the ac belt can be removed. Check youre yahoo mail I sent you a drawing. :D

Still outta snych, EGO is right to be cautious, thats why I checked the manual and the car.
As long as you've got the 4 cyl, and you should, the ac belt can be removed. Check youre yahoo mail I sent you a drawing. :D


thanks for the drawin - will go now and cut it off and let u know the outcome :D

would it help to share this with me too Ol fart?

My aircon gas is run out so i just want to disconnect my aircon compressor thing to loose up a few revs :) (like i really need it in Tassie anyway)

Also in the manual it says the whole aircon systems weighs over 20kg!...

Whats an idler anyways???

In this case, when you only have one driven device on a belt you have a pulley that serves no other real purpose other than to keep the belt tight.
You loosen the pulley and wind the bolt next to it until the belt is tight (with about 1 Cm play at the arrowed point in the drawing). Then you tighten the pulley again. Its called an idler as it just spins and does no real work. :D

Now if someone can tell me how to put a picture in a post I'll stick in the drawing. Wen I click insert picture I just get a explorer user prompt. :badpc:

Drawing hotmailed :)

Yeah aslong as it doesnt run power steer or water pump..???


hey thanks for your advice EGO - it has been valuable - i have disconnected the belt and all is back to normal - and very cheap repair job lol

hey thanks for your advice EGO - it has been valuable - i have disconnected the belt and all is back to normal - and very cheap repair job lol

Welcome too WWW.backyardHiPerformance.com.au

:bowrofl: :bowrofl: :bowrofl:


P.S. We are having Tech difficulties with the web site.. sorry for any inconvience..

hey thanks for your advice EGO - it has been valuable - i have disconnected the belt and all is back to normal - and very cheap repair job lol

No respect, no respect I tells ya :bowrofl:

Enjoy the site dood :D

Still outta snych, EGO is right to be cautious, thats why I checked the manual and the car.
As long as you've got the 4 cyl, and you should, the ac belt can be removed. Check youre yahoo mail I sent you a drawing. :D


Thank you so much OL' Fart for ur input and knowlede - i have successfully cut off the damn AC pulley - taken it for a test drive and she is back to normal - amazing - and to think i was gonna take it to a mechanic soon and fork our millions to get it fixed - when really i just need the car on the road right now and can go with out Air con this summer - thanks so much for the advice - ur all a credit to this forum :bowrofl: :bowrofl:

No respect, no respect I tells ya :bowrofl:

Enjoy the site dood :D


sorry OL' Fart - didnt mean to leave u out - you got ur own right up :D see.......

ur a credit to this forum :bowrofl: :bowrofl:


this joint will go down without me.. Would be the end of the world..:P lol :bowrofl:

sorry OL' Fart - didnt mean to leave u out - you got ur own right up :D see.......

Thems jokes dood, you'll get used to me. Tommorows friday funnies day too :D

Thems jokes dood, you'll get used to me. Tommorows friday funnies day too :D


oh - i see - thought i hurt ya feelins b4 - wasnt sure but your just a character i see..... good to see people with a bit of character and some really usefull advice - like i said before - i was gonna take the magna to a mechanic and would have paid to fix the problem - i need the car for my courier job - days off the road equals no money in da pocket - not good - u guys saved me at least $600 bucks easy - just by cuttin one pulley - no offence to any mechanics out there but there are some that really rip people off (not mentioning LUBE MOBILE at all) Any ways - until the next problem bye for now....

I hope you mean 1 belt not 1 pulley.
How'd ya cut the pulley off lol

I hope you mean 1 belt not 1 pulley.
How'd ya cut the pulley off lol

Yeah - sorry - meant one belt - dont laugh but i couldnt find my damn stanley knive so i had to use my trusty kitchen knive - does everything - took a while but it worked :redface:

Yeah - sorry - meant one belt - dont laugh but i couldnt find my damn stanley knive so i had to use my trusty kitchen knive - does everything - took a while but it worked :redface:

Too late :bowrofl: :bowrofl: :bowrofl:

Check if your alternator light isnt on next time you drive just to make sure you cut the right belt off :D

email me the aircon picture for my FAQ section im writing.

yay more ppl like me,

doing it without aircon.

Mine still rotated, but it didnt work, so i ripped the entire setup out.


(tho looks like the gf might make me install another one in :( )

I ha dthe same problem with my TN wagon, the mech he is a babe just cut the belt off and I was on my way, hot and bothered but on my way.

The wagons get very hot without A/C, they ain't cheap to install and re-gas but if she's a good 89er, I'd do it when ya can.

I have air-conditioning in my car, but I refuse to use it. It's just a simple waste of petrol, and anywhere I'm going to on a hot day is to the pub and their air-conditioned.

i quite like my air-con, was re-gassed as an insurance job a while ago, so figure i mite as well use it! nice n cool in this heat

1... OLD FART AGAIN what dont you know about magnas

2... DID YOU KNOW ITS NOT EASY TO GET TO THE IDLER PULLY TO UNDO THAT NUT BEFORE THE ADJUSTING NUT FOR THE BELT I GOT MY HANDS DIRTY AGAIN

3...ALSO THE IDLER PULLY IS USED TO TENSION THE BELT FOR THE MEMBER ASKING IT RUNS ON A SEALED BEARING and has an adjusting bolt

4...oh took the caps off sorry

5...yea i use the kitchen knife as well

6...then i have to sharpen it and get the grease off it wash it put it back before the wife notices its missing that takes skill

7...those stay sharp knives are no good for cutting belts ..use a serated one

8...i got my air con done 300 BUCKS PLUS and then the air started to not to work again
I found out the they didnt do up the nuts on the pipes to the trs(WHATEVER ITS CALLED ) valve and the pressure valve was leaking ..now they want to chaRge me for a regas..
.NOT HAPPY JAN

1....theres heaps I dont know, I just pipe up when I think I can help

2....Yep, fun huh

3.... I said that b4 but not the sealed bearing bit :D

4...Huh

5....Me too, I'm just workin up the guts to try the dishwasher as a degreaser. lol

6.....nah, I just wear the flak and wait till it dies down, I'm old, I'll take any conversation I can get lol

7.... Good call, I'll try one of the wife serrated one next time I cut sumpin, Oh oh, I'll blame you K :D

8.... Not good enuff dood, if they stuffed up and didnt check it properly, especially the TX valve then they should be responsible for the regas. Stand ya ground big boy, and if that fails, sik the missus on em, works for me. :badgrin:

i thought my aircon was losing gas so i was going to get it done.
sometimes the fan speeds dont work properly i need to replace the resistor pack, and i gave it a try on full and to my suprise it was nice and cold. so looks like i just need to replace the resistor pack.