AC Compressor question

[GH85Carrera]

OK I have another question for the brain trust about my El Camino.

Last year the old AC Delco air conditioner compressor lost it's front seal. The AC Delco is hard to get and expensive so I went with a compressor made by Compressor Works in Dallas. Last summer the AC worked great through the hottest summer on record. It is still working but the fan belt makes a lot of noise. The problem is the new compressor pulley is about 3/8 to 1/2 of too close to the compressor. The belt has to bend to make align with the drive pulley and the power steering pump.



This photo shows the old compressor just sitting on top of the new compressor. You can see the difference in pulley alignment.



This is the same photo cropped to show the belt and pulley alignment.

Can I just swap the clutch & pulley from the old compressor onto the new compressor?

Any ideas on how to get the pulley to align up better?

The good news is the AC system blows wonderful cold air. It just has a lot of belt noise.

[stomachmonkey]

Can't you just shim the new one out?

[pete3799]

Glen
That's a compressor alignment issue swapping pulleys won't help.
Any adjustment on the mount?

[Scott R]

I don't believe that the ac compressor bracket in the picture should be resting against the front of the power steering pump, that looks to be where it's off. Unless it just looks funny in the picture.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by pete3799

Glen
That's a compressor alignment issue swapping pulleys won't help.
Any adjustment on the mount?

It looks like the bracket has room to slide forward.

Would help to see where/how the compressor attaches.

Looks like it can/should be shimmed.

EDIT: Looking at it again that's the head of a bolt there isn't it? What's the shiny bit with what looks like grease? Is that a washer/spacer/shim that was on the original? Is it simply on the wrong side of the bracket?

[GH85Carrera]

OK some more picture!



This is the front side.



From the back side.

As you can see the compressor fits between a bracket on each side. There is no fore aft adjustment, just belt tightness.

stomachmonkey, that shiny bit is just the front edge of the bracket where that top bolt is. I can't see where any sort of shim could go that would allow the compressor to move foreword.

[Zeke]

First, I'd call the source. Often times they know what to do because of feedback. Secondly, I'd post on a Chevy forum.

[GH85Carrera]

Yea, I was thinking El Camino central was my next stop.

[rusnak]

I wonder if the compressor body turned under belt tension? Would a fender washer under the cap head bolt help?

[RANDY P]

Thats a lot to be off. I just put that compressor on my silverado and it lined up perfectly.

Swap it before you throw a belt. Youll never get 1/2" adjustment out of it. The shims you see are for clutch air gap, not pulley spacing. Mess that up and it wont engage reliably.

Ps its a noisy bastard. I dont like it

EDIT: on 2nd glance it looks like simply the wrong pulley configuration. Different vehicle combo.

[mattdavis11]

They gave you the wrong compressor. Tell them you need them to cross Delco 15-20228 with what part they have, I was unable to find it through cross reference. They sent you a 620206, which is a delco 15-20206. Again, it is the wrong compressor for the application.

I worked at an a/c shop in Dallas and we would not touch their stuff. I don't know if they got their issues resolved, but for years they were using the wrong size yoke in their R4's, thus a noisy bastard.

You may want to look at Ranshu for an OE compressor, part number is 14-20228NC, they have 7 left. Keep in mind, Delco does not make an R4 anymore, they have contracts with manufacturers to supply them, and I believe there are 4 at this time spread across the country. Just because it says Moraine Ohio on the compressor does not mean it came from there.

Compressor Works could send you the correct clutch assembly, but you need the removal tool to pull the assembly off of an R4 as it is firmly pressed in place. I have the tools needed and can send them to you if you choose to go that direction. I may even have a new, correct assembly in my garage, otherwise you could use your old one.

I wish you luck in dealing with them as they will most likely deny any return because the compressor has been installed and in operation on the vehicle.

[GH85Carrera]

Thanks. That is the information I was hoping to find. Well not really, I wanted the magic simple adjustment-fix that does not really exist.

I plan to keep my El Camino for many more years. What compressor would you recommend for the future? The Delco units are hard to find and almost as expensive as the Nippindenso on my 911. Millions of cars use the R4, who makes a good one? If Ransu only has 7 left they will be gone very soon unless they start making them again.

Are you thinking I can indeed swap the clutch from my old dead Delco to the new compressor? A friend of mine has the tools to do it, but if the shaft is different it is a pointless effort.

[GH85Carrera]

Once again I am amazed at the combined knowledge of the board. A obscure question about a 86 Chevy answered on a Porsche board.

[RANDY P]

Matt- what about retrofitting a Sanden in it's place? I might just ditch this compressor after the warranty is up (2 years thru Autozone)-

I didn't realize what a POS this thing is until I installed it and was amazed with the noise and load it put on the truck. I googled it and everyone says the same thing.

Oh well...

rjp

[Tim Hancock]

I don't know how exactly, but I would figure a way to shim/alter the bracket where it mounts to the heads..... or something like that to make it line up. It is just steel.

[mattdavis11]

I haven't played with the CW R4 enough to know if the shaft is different, but I expect it to interchange with the original assembly. You'll never know until you pull them off and try to interchange them.

Randy, I can't recall if someone is making a kit so you can mount a Sanden or not. I know that someone was supplying brackets and the like to replace the A6 compressors, but due to the tolerances for fitment in place of an R4, I think it would be a stretch since the compressor location(s) normally won't allow for a compressor with longer body. The locations I've seen, the body of a larger compressor would interfere with the intake, and or valve covers.

However, anything can be done.

As far as a vendor that has a decent unit, we've blocked purchasing from all but two vendors, Global Parts Dist. and Ranshu.

Tim, I'd say that might be his best bet if replacing the clutch assembly is out of the picture, but there is one problem. A R4 needs to be firmly attached or things will break, I'd use plate steel to acquire the additional space needed to make it line up. R4's can rattle like hell and break mounts, thru bolts, hose assemblies, etc... Seen it many times.

Glen, you most likely don't need a new compressor for the 911 as the 10P15E rarely fails internally, but rather the shaft seal goes. I just sealed and sent one off last week to someone on the 944 board. I'd hold on to the OE compressor at all costs, new Denso stuff is junk now.