So my fiance was driving home yesterday doing about 50mph. She heard a soft rattle noise that gradually got louder. She pulled over, turned off the engine and visually looked things over, but didn't see any issues. She got back in and started it back up and started driving again, she heard a loud noise and noticed a burning smell, then the noise was gone, but then the power steering went out and the temperature began rising quickly. She pulled over and called me. The serpentine belt snapped. We towed the car home thinking it was just a belt needed to be replaced, I replaced the belt, but the problems were still present. I also replaced the alternator(my neighbor was under the impression the bearings had either seized or broke apart causing the noises we were hearing). Issues are still present.

What should I look for? I don't have many tools and am not much of a grease monkey.

2004
Automatic
105,000miles

 

can you describe the noise a bit more, or get a video...

 

It kinda sounds like if you were to drop something solid into a blender, just without the high pitch noise of the blender

 

Did you inspect all of the pulleys while you were down there (AC, power steering, idlers) ?

As for weird smells, a snapped serp belt can damage things... maybe you're leaking AC from a cracked line or something (but you would know... that stuff will make you sick)

 

It turns out that the bearings on the pully that is on the a/c compressor failed and that is what was making the sound and smell. A new compressor will cost $475.

 

is it the bearings? or the clutch? cause a clutch overhaul kit is about $235 from mitsubishi...otherwise i would look at a salvage unit...I did a search for you on car-part.com, there's a couple in rancho cordova according to google maps, it's just down the road from you...$125 and $150, from KHS, and MLH auto dismantling...give them a call

 

I don't know.
I don't even know what a clutch on the compressor is.
I rented a tow dolly and towed it to the shop that my brother takes his work truck/vans fleet. His mechanic said the compressor was bad due to the bearings being shot.
*Side note... I took the car a little over a week ago to get my ac recharged because it wasn't working, the guy told me that my compressor was bad and it didn't need chargin, but i should get a new compressor. Me, not know much of anything simply thought i wouldn't worry too much about it since its starting to cool down anyway and i wouldn't be using the ac much for the next 6 months.

I need an experienced helper that lives close to me that can gives me direction so that i can learn how to do things and what to look for!