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A/C question

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novellino21

Veteran CEG'er
Joined
Aug 14, 2006
Messages
657
Location
Brooklyn ghetto Park, MN
So just got my ac fixed and i come to find that the car runs really rough with it on. Whenever i up shift (under normal driving conditions) and take the clutch out, it takes a moment for the car to get full power and then it kicks in. Kind of like a really big flat spot, this happen to anyone else?
 
Any belt squeaking? Sounds like you may have a failure related to the compressor clutch. If its not engaging, disengaging properly, it can put an undue load on the car.
 
LauraSVT said:
Any belt squeaking? Sounds like you may have a failure related to the compressor clutch. If its not engaging, disengaging properly, it can put an undue load on the car.
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the heck is a compressor clutch and how does it work? No belts squeaking, I had a new condencer put in along with a recharge, more free-on, and all that jazz. Even at cruising speeds like 70mph, if i try and accelerate to pass some1 the car takes a second to "engage" then takes off.
 
novellino21 said:
the heck is a compressor clutch and how does it work? No belts squeaking, I had a new condencer put in along with a recharge, more free-on, and all that jazz. Even at cruising speeds like 70mph, if i try and accelerate to pass some1 the car takes a second to "engage" then takes off.
Click to expand...

The compressor clutch is attached to the pulley on the compressor. It allows the the belt to move independently of the compressor, when necessary. This enables your A/C compressor to run when needed, not all the time. However, if that clutch mechanism decides to quit, the resulting failure can often be a seizing or binding of the compressor pulley. In your case, it is possible that you've got some movement, but a lot of resistance, which would explain the hesitation that you're getting when you put the "go pedal" down. Keep in mind that since the belt integrates many aspects, including the crankshaft, any force that has to be overcome in the belt's rotation will have to be overcome by the crankshaft, and thus the engine itself.

You should be able to pick up a compressor clutch without having to buy the entire compressor. If your A/C is still cold, this may be the way to go. I'd check up with Steve at Tousley to see about price and availability.
 
I'd lean more toward this being normal than this being an issue Peter. Does the car actually stall when the AC is on and your idling? The 3L SVT I recently built, which I plan on keeping, seems to idle a bit rough when the AC is on and I pull up to a stoplight. It keeps running just fine though. The AC on these cars really sucks the power out of them.
 
Blackcoog said:
I'd lean more toward this being normal than this being an issue Peter. Does the car actually stall when the AC is on and your idling? The 3L SVT I recently built, which I plan on keeping, seems to idle a bit rough when the AC is on and I pull up to a stoplight. It keeps running just fine though. The AC on these cars really sucks the power out of them.
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Ha ha, did you blow up your 2.5 already since we last talked?
Anyway, no it has never stalled out on me at a light and yes it does idle rough. But i'm actually in Tulsa, OK right now going back to school and its really freak'in hot here and always using the A/C. I've come to find that on normal ac the car runs pretty good but on MAX ac the car runs really rough and doesnt matter on either one i can notice a significant power loss. So if this is normal then i'm just being parinoid then.

Is there a way i should drive my car to be easier on it when the ac is on? Or just drive it like i drive everything else?
 
It is possible that there is too much R134 (refrigerant) and pressures are too high. Also, the hotter it is the more workload. If the car cools well A/C on and runs well without the air on, the clutch is OK. The A/C pulley bearing can fail, makes constant drag. My Mystique gets more drag from A/C on hotter days, even my Dad's 2003 Toyota Avalon does it..
 
With my a/c on it will surge and kick in city driving. Very annoying. When at idle some times it will be smooth and other times it will either rev up or stumble and quit. Much smoother on the highway.
 
k so sounds like what my car is doing is normal. I've never heard of this happending cuz i've worked at a ford and mazda dealership for 3 years and all cars that i've driven(manual trans of course) have never done that.
 
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