What are your thoughts on this compressor failure?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2023
Posts: 164
Likes: 32
From: East Tennessee
What are your thoughts on this compressor failure?
Solved: Appears to have just been a compressor clutch failure
Hello all. Anyone have any ideas on how my compressor failed?
I was driving for over two hours on the interstate with the AC working just fine, but as soon as I took my exit and stopped at a stoplight, my air went warm and I smelled burning rubber/clutch.
I shut the AC off until I had a chance to look at it.
When I got home I found the compressor clutch had melted and slipped within itself. (The clutch itself is two concentric parts with a rubber bushing, almost like a harmonic balancer). It had slung melted rubber all over my engine/hood
I turned the AC on and the clutch engaged the compressor just fine, but the compressor failed compress. It just sits there and spins, but will not move freon. However, after evacuating the system and checking the compressor, it still creates strong vacuum and high pressure, even when I'm slowly spinning it with a drill.
Next, I thought there might be a blockage in the system, but I can blow through it with compressed air. Any ideas? 1995, R-134a
Hello all. Anyone have any ideas on how my compressor failed?
I was driving for over two hours on the interstate with the AC working just fine, but as soon as I took my exit and stopped at a stoplight, my air went warm and I smelled burning rubber/clutch.
I shut the AC off until I had a chance to look at it.
When I got home I found the compressor clutch had melted and slipped within itself. (The clutch itself is two concentric parts with a rubber bushing, almost like a harmonic balancer). It had slung melted rubber all over my engine/hood
I turned the AC on and the clutch engaged the compressor just fine, but the compressor failed compress. It just sits there and spins, but will not move freon. However, after evacuating the system and checking the compressor, it still creates strong vacuum and high pressure, even when I'm slowly spinning it with a drill.
Next, I thought there might be a blockage in the system, but I can blow through it with compressed air. Any ideas? 1995, R-134a
Last edited by OneRedVette; Jul 12, 2024 at 07:59 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,677
Likes: 812
From: Saskatoon Sask.
Hello all. Anyone have any ideas on how my compressor failed?
I was driving for over two hours on the interstate with the AC working just fine, but as soon as I took my exit and stopped at a stoplight, my air went warm and I smelled burning rubber/clutch.
I shut the AC off until I had a chance to look at it.
When I got home I found the compressor clutch had melted and slipped within itself. (The clutch itself is two concentric parts with a rubber bushing, almost like a harmonic balancer). It had slung melted rubber all over my engine/hood
I turned the AC on and the clutch engaged the compressor just fine, but the compressor failed compress. It just sits there and spins, but will not move freon.
So now I have a failed compressor, but I don't know what could've done it. Any ideas? 1995, R-134a
I was driving for over two hours on the interstate with the AC working just fine, but as soon as I took my exit and stopped at a stoplight, my air went warm and I smelled burning rubber/clutch.
I shut the AC off until I had a chance to look at it.
When I got home I found the compressor clutch had melted and slipped within itself. (The clutch itself is two concentric parts with a rubber bushing, almost like a harmonic balancer). It had slung melted rubber all over my engine/hood
I turned the AC on and the clutch engaged the compressor just fine, but the compressor failed compress. It just sits there and spins, but will not move freon.
So now I have a failed compressor, but I don't know what could've done it. Any ideas? 1995, R-134a
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 6,485
Likes: 566
From: Clearwater Florida
I had a similar failure on my Suburban tow vehicle . Burned up 2 clutches in the same fashion ... melted the rubber ring ... it turned out to be a corroded ground wire that was preventing the clutch from receiving full voltage . Once I cleaned the connection and replaced the clutch again all was well .
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2023
Posts: 164
Likes: 32
From: East Tennessee
Yep it was the clutch. I filled the system with compressed air and used a drill on the compressor to monitor the pressures. It did everything it was supposed to, so I vacuumed the system, recharged with freon, and tried it out with a different clutch. I shimmed the clutch to 0.020 too.
Works great again!
I ran it for quite a while and the pressures remained good, with low side in the 40s and high side in the low 200s
And that's a good idea about the clutch ground. Any idea where that comes from? I've cleaned the primary ground under the battery on the car before. I've noticed there is one near the blower attached to the frame rail.
My diagnosis of the original clutch failure:
It began slipping one way or another, as the clutch surface and idler pulley looks like a real clutch/flywheel when it slips. Full of heat discoloration and hot spots. It must've gotten hot enough to melt the rubber ring and begin slipping on the rubber instead. At this point it could not turn the compressor at all.
Works great again!
I ran it for quite a while and the pressures remained good, with low side in the 40s and high side in the low 200s
And that's a good idea about the clutch ground. Any idea where that comes from? I've cleaned the primary ground under the battery on the car before. I've noticed there is one near the blower attached to the frame rail.
My diagnosis of the original clutch failure:
It began slipping one way or another, as the clutch surface and idler pulley looks like a real clutch/flywheel when it slips. Full of heat discoloration and hot spots. It must've gotten hot enough to melt the rubber ring and begin slipping on the rubber instead. At this point it could not turn the compressor at all.
Last edited by OneRedVette; Jul 12, 2024 at 08:06 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 1,199
Likes: 449
From: NJ
Oneredvette, this is perfect timing. My dad’s car is having an issue with the compressor clutch. I don’t know if the source of the rubber is the belt slipping around the pulley or something internal but it’s an obvious clutch problem. The center part of the clutch wobbles when you press on it. It’s coming apart. Anyway, just wondering where you sourced your clutch from? I believe the compressor is totally fine and car only has 30k on it.
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