A/C Help: Clutch or Compressor?
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Joined: Feb 2003
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A/C Help: Clutch or Compressor?
I need a bit of help. My warpony (1997 ford f150 lariat 4x4) is a bit down in the mouth.
Let's start at the beginning. Two weeks ago I was driving and I noticed the A/C started blowing warm air instead of cold. I didn't think a whole lot about it, cuz I read where some would automatically regulate the temp. Then, when it became hot in the truck and it wouldn't kick back on, I knew that wasn't the case. However, after about 30 minutes or so of sweating, it DID come back on. I noticed a pungent odor though. It smelled like rubber burning or something? I opened the hood just in time to see a puff of smoke coming from something around the a/c compressor area, but couldn't isolate it 100%.
From then on..the a/c compressor would kick in sometimes and work, and sometimes it wouldn't. When it DIDN'T work, it made a racket. Sounded like bearings, or a rabid hamster on a wheel. It was enough to drive me batty. The A/C stopped blowing cold a couple of days ago, and it still made alot of sporadic racket...whenever it wanted to. Still that grinding / bearing racket sorta thing.
Today, my wife drove it to the store and then called me shortly after arriving there. The truck died and wouldn't turn over, it was locked up tight. I knew what it was, the compressor / clutch doohickey had locked up. I went there and took of the belt, and I was right..it fired right over without the belt on.
My brother said he had a ford that done that and it was just the clutch, but he could be lying...he's a republican.
So...my question is this...is it the clutch, or compressor? Clutch's aren't super cheap, but the compressors are enough to make Bill Gates squeak. I don't wanna get the compressor if it's just the clutch, and vice versa. Any help would be greatly appreciated, and I'll name my next litter of kittens after you and your favorite nascar drivers if you can help me with the predicament. Thanks!
Matt
Let's start at the beginning. Two weeks ago I was driving and I noticed the A/C started blowing warm air instead of cold. I didn't think a whole lot about it, cuz I read where some would automatically regulate the temp. Then, when it became hot in the truck and it wouldn't kick back on, I knew that wasn't the case. However, after about 30 minutes or so of sweating, it DID come back on. I noticed a pungent odor though. It smelled like rubber burning or something? I opened the hood just in time to see a puff of smoke coming from something around the a/c compressor area, but couldn't isolate it 100%.
From then on..the a/c compressor would kick in sometimes and work, and sometimes it wouldn't. When it DIDN'T work, it made a racket. Sounded like bearings, or a rabid hamster on a wheel. It was enough to drive me batty. The A/C stopped blowing cold a couple of days ago, and it still made alot of sporadic racket...whenever it wanted to. Still that grinding / bearing racket sorta thing.
Today, my wife drove it to the store and then called me shortly after arriving there. The truck died and wouldn't turn over, it was locked up tight. I knew what it was, the compressor / clutch doohickey had locked up. I went there and took of the belt, and I was right..it fired right over without the belt on.
My brother said he had a ford that done that and it was just the clutch, but he could be lying...he's a republican.
So...my question is this...is it the clutch, or compressor? Clutch's aren't super cheap, but the compressors are enough to make Bill Gates squeak. I don't wanna get the compressor if it's just the clutch, and vice versa. Any help would be greatly appreciated, and I'll name my next litter of kittens after you and your favorite nascar drivers if you can help me with the predicament. Thanks!
Matt
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 149
Likes: 1
From: Atlanta,GA
Ohhh what fun I'm having with you.... search for my posts...
I'm currently looking for my orifice tube to check for black death due to my AC compressor's clutch assembly "meltdown". The out clutch plate basically fell apart and the sealed bearing for the pully was.... uhhh no longer sealed when I took everything apart ( it pretty much fell off the compressor shaft). The field coil behind the pulley was so "gone" that you could see all the wiring. The clutch assembly was $135 and the brand new compressor with clutch was $220. I went with the compressor due to the amount of "damage". Luckily I've gotten to know a guy 10 minutes from me that basically custom builds AC systems ( www.hosewizards.com ). I've got the compressor out ( somewhat interesting but really not too bad ) and will be installing the new one tomorrow without hooking evrerything up ( hosese and electrical so the AC can't be engaged) ( and there is no way to re-route the belt without the compressor ... hmmmm engineered that way? YES so the dealers make $$ ) or using the AC til I can determine if the compressor really "black deathed" and contaminated the entire system. My other problem is that I also have rear AC which could mean replacing the rear components as well ( Fun ).
I'm currently looking for my orifice tube to check for black death due to my AC compressor's clutch assembly "meltdown". The out clutch plate basically fell apart and the sealed bearing for the pully was.... uhhh no longer sealed when I took everything apart ( it pretty much fell off the compressor shaft). The field coil behind the pulley was so "gone" that you could see all the wiring. The clutch assembly was $135 and the brand new compressor with clutch was $220. I went with the compressor due to the amount of "damage". Luckily I've gotten to know a guy 10 minutes from me that basically custom builds AC systems ( www.hosewizards.com ). I've got the compressor out ( somewhat interesting but really not too bad ) and will be installing the new one tomorrow without hooking evrerything up ( hosese and electrical so the AC can't be engaged) ( and there is no way to re-route the belt without the compressor ... hmmmm engineered that way? YES so the dealers make $$ ) or using the AC til I can determine if the compressor really "black deathed" and contaminated the entire system. My other problem is that I also have rear AC which could mean replacing the rear components as well ( Fun ).
Last edited by Pre-Runner; Jul 29, 2005 at 09:20 PM.