A/C Compressor Dead?
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 11,813
Likes: 32
From: Work
St. Jude Donor '09
A/C Compressor Dead?
It seems my A/C may have bit the dust yesterday. The compressor started leaking a thick, dark sludge out yesterday which started to smolder and smoke heavily on the front of the A/C pully. Occationally, on start up, the compressor acts like it seizes and it also makes a lot of noise at times.
Yesterday after getting hot and smoking it must have damaged my belt. I went to start it and the belt broke. The breaking point was under the compressor.
Now my question is...is it fixable? Maybe just replacing the clutch and bearings would solve this? Or is it more likely buy my description that the whole thing needs replacement?
Thanks for any input.
Eric
Yesterday after getting hot and smoking it must have damaged my belt. I went to start it and the belt broke. The breaking point was under the compressor.
Now my question is...is it fixable? Maybe just replacing the clutch and bearings would solve this? Or is it more likely buy my description that the whole thing needs replacement?
Thanks for any input.
Eric
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 7,839
Likes: 22
From: San Diego, Ca
Re: A/C Compressor Dead? (HOWSER)
Sounds like the shaft seal failed allowing all of the a/c oil to leak out. Check the compressor by turning the outer hub - should turn over smoothly with little resistance; otherwise, it's seized. That generally puts a lot of metal into the system which will have to be flushed out. You'll need a new compressor, accumulator/drier, orifice, and some replace the condensor too (because it's really difficult to get all of the junk out of it. Lines can be cleaned up with brake parts cleaner and compressed air; ditto the evaporator - spray in the cleaner and then with a cloth held over the outlet, blow air through it until the rag stays clean.
Should the compressor turn freely, then it may just be the clutch assembly, but there isn't any oil in it, so I'd still suspect a bum shaft seal. You can get a kit from NAPA, but the compressor needs to be disassembled (front cover has to come off) to replace it.
Should the compressor turn freely, then it may just be the clutch assembly, but there isn't any oil in it, so I'd still suspect a bum shaft seal. You can get a kit from NAPA, but the compressor needs to be disassembled (front cover has to come off) to replace it.
