We just finished a motor swap on my friends car and while charging the AC system the compressor clicked off (clutch stopped spinning) and a few seconds later, smoke started pouring out from the AC area.

The system had just sucked in one bottle of 134A, and was halfway through the second bottle when this happened. We put a gauge on it and it was up to 110-150psi...

To me, this sounds like a blockage in the system... but what did the smoke come from? The clutch? The compressor itself? No fluid leaked out.

So, can we replace the clutch, or do we need to replace the entire compressor unit with clutch?

With the belt off we can still spin the clutch by hand.

PS: I don't know whats up with this particular car... everytime we do a motor swap on this car, we burn up a fan... Another problem we had. I've never had that issue on the other 10-15 motorswaps we've done.

 

does the center of the compressor spin or is it locked up? thats step one.

 

I'm not sure what you mean. With the belt off the clutch spins.

 

their are 2 seperate spinning parts on the compressor. the hib (which is what the belt rides on) and then the very center of teh compressor called the clutch. the hub spins anytime that teh motor does but the clutch only will engage when you turn the AC on. see if that center clutch turns or is it;s locked up

 

I just had this happen too. Smelly, light smoke coming from the engine bay when the A/C is turned on.

AC Compressor

I popped the hood and saw that without the A/C running, the pulley itself (#1) was spinning just fine. However once I turned the A/C on and looked , the pulley (#1) was still spinning fine, but the compressor clutch (?) (#2) was only spinning intermittantly -I'd estimate about a 1/2 turn for every 10 turns of the hub.

I had thought I'd put off replacing this until May or so -because I won't be needing air the rest of the year.

Will this be OK for the hub part of the pulley, as long as I don't turn the A/C on? I won't be tearing through belts or anything from this will I? Anything else I should know or do?

Thanks!

 

next time try adding the oil first!

 

Anyone else?

 

Maybe its the nut behind the wheel. Call me puto!!!!!

Ron

 

Ok, PUTO!

I'll call you a bit later...

 

Mine smoked while charging due to dead H valve.

 

what do you mean it smoked when the h valve was bad? did the smoke come from the vents? i had that too then it stopped blowing cold

 

Nope, not from the vents, directly from compressor/clutch assembly. Because of blockage in H valve low pressure were too high, I was charging as a liquid, probably R132 not yet became a gas before reaching compressor, that overloaded it. I am lucky it's still alive. It's always a good idea to hook high/low pressure gauges to high/low ports before charging.

 

I had added to this thread hoping to not have to make a similar one of my own. It's looking like I may have to after all, as I have yet to get any answers.

As a recap, I'm wondering:
Is it the compressor? The clutch? Both?
Is it safe to drive as is? With the A/C off?

 

To be safe, you can pull AC relay. Clutch will never engage and you'll be fine. Check high/low refrigerant pressure it can tell you a lot even if sensors are telling to PCM that it's ok to operate clutch.

 

I'm bumping this because I noticed today my car was squeeking. I popped the hood and waited to see if I could see where the squeeking was coming from.

Lo and behold, as the squeeking noise gets made, the entire pulley that the A/C is on (the ribbed part of the pulley pointed out in this picture is moving forward (toward the front of the car) and back (towards the rear), about 1/16 inch (both directions for a total amount of play of about 1/8 inch).

Is there something I just need to tighten, or is this entire assembly shot?