AC clutch looks toast

[ghnat]

Parked my car since the Oct DE at Road Atlanta. I was going to check the AC since it started to blow warm. I recharged it earlier in the summer and it held up for a while.
What are my choices? Have it rebuilt or just get another one?

[HondaDustR]

I believe you can buy just the clutch, but it's kind of expensive new. I'd just find a good used one off a scrap compressor if it were me. You need a suitable puller tool, and need to be able to get the spacing right. I had a standard bicycle crank puller tool hanging around and it fit the hub threads and worked fine with a little creativity and a scrap bolt to get it to press completely off, but the right tool may be just as much money if you have neither. I think autozone rents the tool, anyway.

[ghnat]

Thanks HondaDustR
I think I can get another compressor locally, but it may need new seals. How tough is it to replace the seals?

[Lawrence Coppari]

Why don't you convert to a Sanden? I did about 9 years ago on my 944t and have been cool since. I would also recommend a change to an alternative refrigerant.

How do you know your clutch is bad? Does it fail to engage? Is your refrigerant low? Low refrigerant will prevent the clutch from engaging.

You could put an ohm meter across the clutch. Its resistance should be 4-6 ohms.

BTW I have an alternate refrigerant in my 951 and my 328. I had it in an older MB for 16 years.

[ghnat]

Lawrence,
Take a look at the pic I posted. The clutch is hanging off the compressor.

[Lawrence Coppari]

Did it merely fall off? What happened?

Were you at the PCA or the BMW DE at Road Atlanta? I went to the BMW one but cannot recall whether it was late September or October.

[ghnat]

I was at the PCA DE (I think the weekend of the 23rd). Drove home and parked it. Opened the hood and the clutch was as pictured. Weird huh...

[Lawrence Coppari]

Yep, really weird. I replaced the clutch on mine back in '92 because it was eating fuses due to the insulation on the winding going bad. About a year later the front seal began leaking. I purchased a new seal and some gaskets and attempted to rebuild it myself. I failed. The bugger still leaked.

That's when I bought the Sanden along with a new receiver/dryer. The AC hoses to reassemble were purchased at a local hydraullic shop. DuraCool has been the refrigerant in it since I installed it.

I have felt rather cool ever since.

My next event at RA is NASA in December. Iffy weather but what the heck?

[ghnat]

NASA eh? I'm not good enough to race. Just got signed off for solo last month...
I got laid off a month ago so a cheaper intrim solution will have to suffice.
I may have a good deal on a compressor with a leaky front seal. I'll see what can be done with a mix of both compressors.
I removed the radiator fans so I could remove the clutch. This is what is left:



A nut must have come loose (not the nut behind the wheel, me).
What else is missing from the clutch?

[John_AZ]

Here is a picture of the clutch/coil I replaced---(wire corroded and broke off, see stub).

Here is a DIY on rebuilding for info to use.

http://www.944time.com/porsche/2007images/porsche-944-nippondenso-10P15C-rebuild.pdf

GL
John

[ghnat]

Thanks John.