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AC compressor clutch replacement

xDread92x

Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2015
Location
NC
I see there is little info on replacing just the clutch on the compressor.

Can anyone give me the rundown?

Thanks
 
***update***

When you open the link hit the + next to the file name and then the blue download arrow next to the actions row.
 
We can't *see* what the clutch is doing because the camera is pointed at the intake manifold. What we can *hear* is the clutch engaging (I assume) and the compressor spinning. Then we hear the clutch disengage. That part of it is normal. What seems not normal is the cycling speed. Usually fast cycling like that means over- or under-charging the system.

Since your other thread is about you redoing the system yourself with a cheap vacuum pump and manual gauges, I'll let those that have experience with that setup take over. Although we have manual gauges too, at the shop we (okay, the boss) usually use one of these old things...
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<img src="http://oi63.tinypic.com/55s4ue.jpg" width=800"</a>
 
I did rent the correct vacuum pump and vacuumed it at 30 Hg for several hours. I put one can of ester oil and then one can of freon.
The compressor kicked on but would turn and stop just as you stated. When i tried to rev it up it was very noisy. The low pressure side was at about 90. I didn't add anymore freon because it just sounded as if the clutch was not operating properly since the clutch would spin and then stop, and spin again.

So it's possible I should add another can of freon and see what happens?
 
90 psi on the low side with the compressor running? Or 90 psi while the compressor was cut off?

Maybe get a multimeter or test light and see if either the low or high pressure switches is turning the compressor off.
 
I did rent the correct vacuum pump and vacuumed it at 30 Hg for several hours. I put one can of ester oil and then one can of freon.
The compressor kicked on but would turn and stop just as you stated. When i tried to rev it up it was very noisy. The low pressure side was at about 90. I didn't add anymore freon because it just sounded as if the clutch was not operating properly since the clutch would spin and then stop, and spin again.

So it's possible I should add another can of freon and see what happens?

How much ester oil did you add? And it is cycling fast because you are low on refrigerant (not Freon unless you charged with r12). I guarantee 1 can of whatever you added was not enough, unless it was a big can.
 
When my wagon was blowing warm air and the compressor was cycling quickly like that. It was low on refrigerant. Only had 1.1 lb in there they told me. They vacuumed out what was in there. Then they put in the measured proper amount and it's been good for a year now.
 
Also - you don't necessarily need to run the vacuum pump on it for hours. Run it for a nice long while until it's holding steady, then shut off the pump and see if the system maintains a vacuum for a good long while on its own. If it can't, it has leaks, and you should try to find those before loading it up with refrigerant that's just going to leak back out.
 
Also - you don't necessarily need to run the vacuum pump on it for hours. Run it for a nice long while until it's holding steady, then shut off the pump and see if the system maintains a vacuum for a good long while on its own. If it can't, it has leaks, and you should try to find those before loading it up with refrigerant that's just going to leak back out.

True, but keeping it in a long deep vacuum (30+ minutes) helps boil and remove as much moisture and ambient air as possible. I would say that vacuum time depends on how long the system has been open to the elements.
 
Seemed to stay at 90 while compressor cycled off and on. I did vacuum and let sit several hours to see if it held vacuum and it did. I added roughly 2 oz or so of ester. I know over oiling can cause issues as well. (So I've researched)

I only put one can of refrigerant which was 12oz so not even a pound.

Let me add refrigerant to spec and see what happens
 
90 psi on the low side with the compressor running isn't a good sign that the compressor is working properly and all it needs is some more frig. If it only needed some more then the low side pressures would dip down low until the compressor shut off.

If it's running and staying at 90 psi then either the compressor isn't really physically pumping anything, or... I don't know. Something plugged shut between the low-pressure port and the compressor? The orifice is missing and the frig is cycling through unimpeded?
 
I added roughly 2 oz or so of ester. I know over oiling can cause issues as well. (So I've researched)

I only put one can of refrigerant which was 12oz so not even a pound.
http://www.techchoiceparts.com/refrigerant-and-oil-capacities/volvo
240 91-92
Refrigerant type - R12 39.00 oz = 2.43 lbs = 1.1 kg
Oil type - mineral 6.75 oz

Converting from R12 to R134a is usually around 75%, so 29 oz = 1.83 lbs = .83 kg
Assuming you extracted all the old oil (the machines have a function to do that), the new Ester oil capacity likely stays the same.
 
I remember watching a video of filling refrigerant and I remember the low side going high to 80 or so in the video when he added the first can. Apparently the pressure lowers as you add more refrigerant? Could anyone confirm this?

Adding spec refrigerant in the morning and will report back here.
 
I remember watching a video of filling refrigerant and I remember the low side going high to 80 or so in the video when he added the first can. Apparently the pressure lowers as you add more refrigerant? Could anyone confirm this?

Adding spec refrigerant in the morning and will report back here.

The pressure lowers when the compressor kicks on, that?s it. And if it?s only on for a very short period of time (like yours was), it?s a good chance that it?s not on long enough to drop pressures below 90 or so. Although, 90 seems quite high for 1 fan of refrigerant. I would hook those manifold gauges back up, make sure they?re set up properly, and report back the low side pressures, stating whether or not the compressor was on.
 
Ok i will.

Come to think of it I do believe the pressure dropped when the compressor kicked on to about 45. I remember the needle going down and then back up to 90. I will confirm tomorrow.

Thanks
 
Hey All,

So i had a good experience this morning. Added the 2nd can of refrig and the compressor ran but alittle noisy. I was able to get vent temps down to 38. Low pressure reading down to 30.

After running about 20 min the compressor started cycling again and it blows warmer now.
 
Hey All,

So i had a good experience this morning. Added the 2nd can of refrig and the compressor ran but alittle noisy. I was able to get vent temps down to 38. Low pressure reading down to 30.

After running about 20 min the compressor started cycling again and it blows warmer now.

Sounds like maybe it leaked out? I?ve had cars hold vacuum allll night and then as soon as they were filled with refrigerant, they leaked. Check pressures again now that it?s warm air and cycling too fast. Might have to recharge with UV dye.
 
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