Annoying Recurring Problem

[PHOENIX0077]

Alright, so I am finally posting here after spending way too much time and money because of one issue with my 1987 924S. Honestly, the rest of the car has been brilliantly reliable, but I have been driven to the point where I'm contemplating selling the car.

Every few weeks, the strut used to adjust the air-conditioning compressor shears a bolt. Every few months, the bolt holding the compressor itself shears and twice has shattered the little piece of metal that it screws through (on the compressor). I can no longer afford to continue replacing the compressor and have the car rendered un-drivable nearly once a month.

I am at my wit's end trying to figure out why this problem won't go away. Without having driven other 924s and 944s, I would say that my car must be vibrating more than it is supposed to and causing the weight of the compressor to eventually break either itself or the bolts that are holding it onto the vehicle. Has anyone else experienced a similar issue with their vehicles? If so, what did you do to finally fix it? Without knowing, I would guess (but have not checked) that my balance belts are off. I know that I replaced the motor mounts when I got the vehicle a couple years ago, which helped the problem to an extent.

Thank you very much for any information you can provide. I have looked at other threads detailing the balance belts, so I think I will have them checked unless someone can tell me that they aren't the problem.

[Gawernator]

Are you installing them? If you tension the A/C belt after bolting down the compressor mounts etc and not after adjusting the tension, then exactly what you describe will happen. Even happened to me because of a PO

[PHOENIX0077]

Originally Posted by Gawernator

Are you installing them? If you tension the A/C belt after bolting down the compressor mounts etc and not after adjusting the tension, then exactly what you describe will happen. Even happened to me because of a PO

Hmm.... That could be the case. What is the proper method of installing the strut/ compressor? Adjust the compressor so that the belt is tensioned, tighten the bolt, then install the strut?

[Volhv]

1-Loosen both compressor mount bolts.
2-Loosen both tensioning strutt mounting bolts.
3-Tension belt, and tighten the jamb nuts on the strutt.
4-Torque the compressor and strutt mounting bolts.

[Gawernator]

Yup! If you are doing that out of order, it breaks things.

[Slam]

Yup. Just remember the compressor needs to be mobile until belt tension is set. Otherwise tensioning the belt forces the mount to flex.

[pfarah]

Makes perfect sense to me; you always want to adjust the moving component prior to the fixed one.

[iplagolf]

Use a grade 8 bolt. More shear strength and what they said.

[PHOENIX0077]

That makes sense. No wonder I was having so many issues. Thank you very much!