A/C - CEG Archives

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For the past 6 months, my A/C compressor has been locking up. I was driving about 30 miles today and the vents started blowing hot air, I got out to see why it was doing so and I never heard a squeal like I usually do. This time, it was making a sound of meteal rubbing metal. I rolled my windows down and drove to my house and had a friend over who wanted to look at it. I turned the car on, turned the A/C on and opened the hood. It blew cold air.

He was telling me that the belt must have expanded or did something else. I drove around all night w/the a/c on and just noticed that along with the squealing, the car is also doing the metal rubbing metal sound again, but it only does this when the A/C clutch is moving.

Clutch air gap.

http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=trouble&Number=1248418&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&fpart=all&vc=1

Not an air gap problem. The clutch is toast... (friction material worn out).

Steve

I had the same problem with the metal on metal sound and it just gets worse. Mine went in the shop yesterday for $600 parts+labor.

Originally posted by cannondalemtb:
I had the same problem with the metal on metal sound and it just gets worse. Mine went in the shop yesterday for $600 parts+labor.

What was the itemized repair?

It could be the gap. I tightened it on my sister's Mystique and the a/c stays on now, even on a road trip. She did not report noises, though. But there could be oil in the clutch or the compressor is failing. Make sure the cooling fan(s) on the radiator are both running and there is no tight bearing on either one. If there is too much a/c pressure from lack of fan cooling, the pulley can slip and you might lose refigerant (sounds like a gunshot!) The clutch assembly is replaceable without changing the compressor.

Originally posted by Tony2005:
Clutch air gap.

http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=trouble&Number=1248418&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&fpart=all&vc=1

What if I said my vents are shooting out dead animals when the a/c is running? Would it still be that damn gap you keep posting about?

It worked for one of my A/C problems, but it is not a cure-all for flying rodents

Originally posted by Lke2drvsvt:
What if I said my vents are shooting out dead animals when the a/c is running? Would it still be that damn gap you keep posting about?

What's the deal? Does his posting that more than once go against some sort of "non-multiple" rule you have established somewhere? So what if he's posted this more than once. More than one person has exhibited the symptoms of a worn A/C clutch plate. That's kinda what we do around here. Help out.

Let me give you a hint: you aren't helping out. Do you have an A/C problem? Do you suspect YOUR a/c plate to be worn? Do you have a possible remedy? If not, then why did you take the time to respond with such nonsense. Take a look at the forum. This is TROUBLESHOOTING. IE: NOT COMMON INTERESTS. So, you have some useless crap that 1 out of 1000 will care about? Post it in there.

Help, or Keep it out of my forum.

Mine was $600 for a new compressor and labor. Does that sound right? Is it possible to just replace a clutch?

Originally posted by cannondalemtb:
Mine was $600 for a new compressor and labor. Does that sound right? Is it possible to just replace a clutch?

Yes to both questions. However, a shop probably won't just replace the clutch. The compressor might fail a month later and they'd be stuck with a POed customer.

Originally posted by cannondalemtb:
Mine was $600 for a new compressor and labor. Does that sound right? Is it possible to just replace a clutch?

sounds about right, I had my AC serviced at a dealer before SZ and needed a new accumulator/dryer, was about $600, it was near $100 in R-134A

lol Ray man, calm down. It's called sarcasm, I've joked Tony about that post before. And for your info, yes, I do have a/c problems as well, and yes I do suspect my a/c clutch is worn. Yes, my possible remedy is the gap, which I will check later this week. Calm down dude.

Originally posted by Lke2drvsvt:
lol Ray man, calm down. It's called sarcasm, I've joked Tony about that post before. And for your info, yes, I do have a/c problems as well, and yes I do suspect my a/c clutch is worn. Yes, my possible remedy is the gap, which I will check later this week. Calm down dude.

Lke2drsvt, I'm glad you clarified that you were joking. But it sure didn't come off sounding like you were, from your post in this thread.

Quote:

But it sure didn't come off sounding like you were, from your post in this thread.

That's the beauty of the internet, you can be joking and come off as an A@#hole.

Anyways, it's making a grinding meatal on metal sound and now it's putting strain on my motor. A lot of strain. It's making the motor not even want to pull the car a lot of times. I have to floor it to hit the switch and then go before it kicks back on.

So don't wait any longer.

I replaced the whole compressor for $656.66 and it sounds and runs so much better.