I drove about 260 miles today. Most of the day I didn't get that burning smell while the AC was on. I did once but I wasn't able to pullover to investigate so I just turned the AC off and the smell went away. When I got home I let my truck run for about 15 mins with the AC on but no burning smell. The condenser fan ran most of that time as I had the inside fan on high. There was no burning smell coming from the condenser fan. So, I guess I will pull my drive belt and see if there is any movement in the AC compressor pulley. On a side note, I have only heard the squealing once and it hasn't done it since.
Glad to hear you didn't have any failures on the road. I had mentioned above about watching the belts specifically at the A/C compressor when it would engage/disengage is if there was an issue there whether it is seized internally or it is the magnet that holds that clutch that has failed you should notice/hear something when it is operating.
I had put two belts on my parents 2002 Suzuki XL7 last yr that had 13X,XXX miles on it (they had severe cracking on the OE belts probably) another PITA job to do with absolutely no room in there w/ their 2.7 V6. Long story short after getting the one belt out from underneath a pully (tried to have it ride onto the pully with engine rotation but did not get that lucky) and finally being able to start the car and once it idled up and pretty sure something on the heater control was on and all sorts of loud chatter and some squealing started coming in from underneath the hood. Made me feel sick.
I installed them w/what help my dad could provide, He just so happens to be thebest man, mechanic and fabricator (for what he is working on) that I know and look up to. Seeing that I was defeated he was determined to get to an answer, so he got into the electrical circuit that controls the magnet that holds and releases the clutch for the compressor and upon giving it full ground (I think) we could get the chatter to quiet down a lot. Upon test drive with the circuit still tricked in whatever faction he did it started loosing its hold and went right back to the loud squeeling and chattering pig it sounded like after the belt install. The magnet could not retain its hold even when supplied with proper circuit. Seems to be a lot of different parts and layers to the clutch assembly on the compressor and I think he mentioned something about shims possibly too but at any rate it was and still is loud and a noisy MF.
That and I had once replaced a compressor on a dodge dakota when I worked for a guy that was so siezed the owner had thought he seized the engine because the starter wouldn't slip the belts or attempt to start his truck. This one seized from improper maintenance I would suspect. No refrigerant, oil or debris in the system, who knows but she wasn't turning for the life of that starter or battery.
You never did say what type of smell it was, rubber, wires, oil
If it is your A/C compressor I would find local shop with a good A/C reclaim machine have them do the install and service the system. Those machines are slick giving you your refrigerant and oil all at once. I have hear that A/C systems can be real finicky if there is any trace of moisture in the lines, air pockets and so on. I woud take my truck to an a/c guy with a machine so I knew that $300-400 bill on the part is going to be covered by his specialty or him practicing his trade.
From what you have described above I doubt your compressor is going out but I could be very wrong. I would think that if you sat and watched the compressor throwing itself on and off you would of either seen something with your eyes or noticed something audible that stuck out.
How many miles are on your truck again? If you take the time to drop the drive belt I would defiantly be inspecting the tension pully.
Best of luck keep us updated.
I just got my condenser fan in the mail here this week. Plan on installing it once the rain has passed.
From what yo have described if you didn't see any thing suspicious
