Idling problem / AC
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Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 70
Likes: 4
From: Lake View New York
Idling problem / AC
Last year before I put my 1996 6 speed Vette away for the winter, I was having a problem with the rpm dropping at an idea when the AC was on. I'm thinking the ac clutch is causing the the problem with some drag on it. My car only has 29,000 miles on it. Should I just change the clutch assembly or the whole compressor unit? I have read here you can change the clutch assembly without removing the whole compressor assembly. Any thoughts. Other then that the car runs great.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 1,312
Likes: 384
From: Northern California
When the A/C is on, the clutch is energized and (mostly) locked to the compressor axle / swashplate / pistons to provide rotation for the compressor shaft. So when energized, the only thing that provides drag is the compressor workload itself, not the clutch. In fact, if the clutch was going to provide drag due to bearing failure or other problems in the clutch itself, it would do it while the A/C was off mainly, not on.
This means that likely it's the compressor itself that is experiencing more drag due to wear and/or other reasons. If that's the original compressor in your '96, it makes sense...I had to replace mine at about the same age in 2004 (15 years old then) and used the opportunity to convert over to r134. I'm guessing it will fail after I finish writing this since it's also been another 15+ years.....
This means that likely it's the compressor itself that is experiencing more drag due to wear and/or other reasons. If that's the original compressor in your '96, it makes sense...I had to replace mine at about the same age in 2004 (15 years old then) and used the opportunity to convert over to r134. I'm guessing it will fail after I finish writing this since it's also been another 15+ years.....
