A/C compressor clutch install on car

Bob's944 · Bob's944's Garage

I know everyone is getting there cars ready for winter and all, but FINALLY my A/C clutch came from Performance Products (it was ordered in August... no one sends back the cores). What I'm lookin for are tips from anyone who has changed the clutch on the car before. I know there is enough room under there to do this, just some of you may have some tips to save knuckles and make it go a lil more easy for me since I've never done it before.

Scott R · Scott R's Garage

I used a three jaw puller and it came right off after removing the center bolt. Very easy. Did one in the car and then did one out.

Lawrence Coppari · 11-20-2001, 02:38 PM

Finally got my clutch as well. Will get to it in two weekends.

Bob's944 · Bob's944's Garage

anyone else? I'm currently waiting on the car to cool down so I can start. The clutch came with 3 main pieces, for 2 of them it's really to see how they go together (the 2 magnet halves), the third piece I have no clue. They are also two round retaining clips. I'm guessing I'll be able to figure it out once the old one comes off.

Lawrence Coppari · 11-27-2001, 04:04 AM

Bob's944
Let us know how it turns out. I may start my changeout this weekend if I have enough time.

Bob's944 · Bob's944's Garage

I ran into a problem shortly after I started. How do you turn the nut holding the clutch on? The clutch spins freely, leaving the belt on won't help. Is there a special tool to hold it in place so the nut can be turned? I don't want to break or strip anything.

Also I noticed the wiring and how it connects, wondering how I'm going to get at what feels like a screw holding what I think is a ground wire.

Lawrence Coppari · 11-27-2001, 06:26 AM

I plan to use a chain vise grip contraption. It has a bicycle chain attached to the jaws of a vise grip. Putting the chain around the hub should hold it. There are other things with strong rubber straps that serve the same purpose.

Scott R · Scott R's Garage

You may need an "L" phillips driver to get to that screw. I have a flexiable driver that reached. You can still lower the compressor from the bracket without removing the barrier hoses to get at that screw. Also I used an impact gun with a swivel to get the front nut off. No holding device required.

Lawrence Coppari · 11-27-2001, 09:28 AM

Swivel........Is a swivel like a U-joint drive?

Scott R · Scott R's Garage

No not really. Wish I had a picture. More like a ball and socket setup. Offers a bit more flexibnilty than a standard type. But I am sure a regular U-joint type.

Lawrence Coppari · 11-27-2001, 12:09 PM

Is the nut on the compressor shaft a right hand thread? I used my impact wrench on an auxiliary fan on another car to loosen a very snug nut. Trouble was that the threads were left handed. So guess what happened.........

Scott R · Scott R's Garage

Not that I remember. Just normal righty-tighty lefty-loosey.

Bob's944 · Bob's944's Garage

OK that nut is off now, and yes... it's standard thread... now, just put the gear puller arms on the pully part of the clutch and tighten??? until it pops off? I have a couple of larger diameter retainer rings that came with the clutch.... still don't know where these go....

Scott R · Scott R's Garage

Try and pull it off in sections. Front plate, then pulley, etc. When you say "retaining rings" do you mean "Snap Rings?"

Bob's944 · Bob's944's Garage

yes, there are 2 of them... the only place i looks like I can grab with the gear puller is the lip of the belt pully, not the plate... just pull away??

Scott R · Scott R's Garage

The top plate needs to come off first. You will have to get the jaws in there, you can do it. Then remove the first retaining ring. Pull the pulley from the magnet. Then remove the last ring that holds the magnet to the compressor. Then pull and your done. If you pull the pulley off it will not come off due to the first ring.

Lawrence Coppari · 11-28-2001, 09:37 AM

Did you have to remove your radiator fans? My fans look like they might be in the way.

Scott R · Scott R's Garage

No my puller just fit. And I was able to get the snap rings out with angled snap ring pliers. But if you need more room, then by all means take the fans out. They are very easy to remove.

Bob's944 · Bob's944's Garage

Woooo Hooooo I have A/C again!!!! Just in time to run it 15 mins or so a month for a few months, but it's working. The job wasn't as easy as expected, of coarse..... had to deal with tool problems and making ways to do it as I went. Thanks to ScottR for the help, I was able to keep from doing more damage than good.

For those who care, this is how I'd do it next time....

Tools: Metric Socket set
Jack and pair of jack stands and wheel chocks
Strap wrench (I made one with 1/4" cord, about a foot long and put loops at each end, tightened by spinning a screwdriver through the loops)
3 jawed gear puller
Snap ring pliers (I had to buy a second pair, mine had interchangable tips and the lock down screws interfered with the coil when trying to set the large ring, and the ring would slip off the end of the interchangable tip, and they were alittle to long so that the handle would hit the radiator. The new ones are shorter, and fat enuf so the ring won't slip off the tip)
stubby phillips head screwdriver
small wire brush
6" flat blade screwdriver (too long it will hit radiator)
hammer
short wooden dowel or something the diameter of the smaller snap ring to set the pully section (I used a plastic hub from a trailer roller)
small vice grips

While the car is on the ground, remove the air cleaner bracket above the radiator and fans (2 bolts on the air cleaner, 3 nuts on the frame, one hose positioner) to gain access to the top fan mounting bolts.

Remove the 3 top fan mounting bolts

Parking Brake on, Chock the rear wheels and jack up the front of the car and set on jack stands.

Remove the plastic underbody panel, 3 bolts front and 3 bolts back.

Remove the 3 lower fan mounting bolts and lower the fans from the car. I left the wiring attached and just swung out of the way.

Loosen the 2 compressor mounting bolts, one front side, one rear.

Loosen the compressor belt tensioner, remove the belt, then remove the tensioner from the compressor housing.

Put a strap wrench, or equivilent, around the front plate part of the clutch, not the pully part, and tighten. Remove the clutch mounting nut, washer and lockwasher.

Attach the gear puller to the front plate part of the clutch and remove the plate.

Remove the snap ring retaining the pully part of the clutch to the hub, then use the gear puller to remove the pully part of the clutch completely.

Remove the snap ring retaining the conductor coil to the compressor housing, then remove the old coil, it should just pull away, still wired to the ground above.

Remove both front and rear compressor mounting bolts and work the compressor down till it's almost out of the mounting slot so that you can gain access to the screw that holds the ground wire and power wire guide. Use the stubby phillips head screwdriver to undo the ground screw. I rotated the ground wire around the screw to try to get it started, ground snapped off, I tried it with the power wire guide and it turned enough to start it, then finished with the stubby phillips. Unplug the power wire from it's connector. The old conductor coil part should now be free.

Clean the front of the compressor with a wire brush, then place the new conductor coil on the compressor, lining up the positioner. Screw the ground wire and power wire guide in place and plug the power end to it's connector. Use the snap ring pliers to put the large snap ring in place, I had to use a screwdriver to work it into the groove.

Line up the pully part of the clutch, and work onto the hub as far as possible by hand so that it's straight and spins freely. Mine would only go a short way. Protect the radiator from being hit by the hammer by using a guard, I used a old vanity license plate. Using the wooden dowel, or in my case a trailer roller hub, tap the pully part of the clutch until it's flush with the hub. Then finish by tapping around the outside of the hub until the ring groove is visable, I used small vise grips grabbing to a fat screwdriver tip. Attach the smaller snap ring.

Line up the face plate to the key groove and slide onto the compressor hub. Attach with washer, lockwasher and nut that holds the clutch to the compressor. Tighten the clutch mounting bolt using the 'strap wrench' on the face plate only again.

Line the compressor back up to it's mounting point and attach both front and rear bolt, leaving loose. Attach the tensioner to the compressor, put on the belt and tighten the tensioner so the belt is on right. Tighten the compressor mounting bolts all the way.

Replace the fans and underbody panel.

Lower the car and finish mounting the top part of the fans and replace the air cleaner bracket.

Start it up and run the air... mine is quiet and blows cold as a NY winter.

Hope this helps someone NOT take 3 days to do this, but it's done right and I'm very happy right now!

Lawrence Coppari · 10:02 AM

Started my clutch replacement this weekend. I had a really tough time with the snap ring on the coil, both in removing and installing the new on. Guess I worked on it 8 hours total. I'm slow. Also had to grind up my puller to get it to fit and remove the pieces of the clutch.

I noticed the kit has a lot of shims. Do you just put as many in as necessary to allow the pulley to freewheel?

BTW, I put the pulley in the oven for 2 hours heating it to 250 F. I was just about able to put on all the way with gloved hands. For the last little bit I made a pusher by drilling/tapping a hole in a threaded rod so the rod would screw on the the compressor shaft. Then i used a nut and washers on the threaded rod to push the pulley on the last little bit. That way I avoided hammering on the compressor.