AC died on my way to work

[BrianDye]

2006 4.0 XLT

So I'm driving to work, it's about 95 outside, AC blowing nice and cold. Halfway to work, it started blowing out warmer and warmer until it wasn't even remotely cold anymore.

Turned it off and back on, cycled through different settings even full hot etc which blew out even hotter.

Got to work, when parked and idling, turning the AC on did affect the engine RPMs so I assume the compressor is coming on. (Though I could be wrong)

It's blowing out the same from both front and rear AC vents.

I haven't been able to look at anything else since I had to get right into work but I really don't know where to start.

I recently checked my low side charge and it read in the "normal" pressure range. Had no issues beforehand aside from sometimes not getting ICE cold for a few minutes.

 

[BrianDye]

So I got home last night around 4am, and popped my hood with the engine running, to find this:

That odd scraping/grinding type noise you hear is coming from this as well.

And then when I turn the AC on, this:


Do I need a whole new AC compressor? Or can I just replace (is that part) the clutch?

 

[Big Z]

Compressor looks like it's running fine when engaged in video 2...not sure why you lost a/c unless video 1 is also with the a/c turned on. If that's the case, you probably have too much air gap behind the hub. If it's dragging with the a/c turned off, something must be catching where it shouldn't be.
You CAN just change the clutch..and unless you have the right low profile tools, you'll probably have to remove the compressor to do it. Before that, I'd just remove the clutch hub & clean up the mating surfaces with a wire wheel and see what happens. Grab the clutch hub with some oil filter pliers or a big spanner wrench & remove the center bolt. Then work the hub loose with a couple flat screwdrivers. Be careful not to lose the shim washers that should be in the hub or on the spindle when you take it off. It'll probably only go back on 1 way after you get it cleaned up. Check the gap behind the hub with feeler gauges after re-assembly.

 

[BrianDye]

That outer part looks fine in the second video, but if you look at the inner part it looks as if it's moving in slow motion. That's not the camera making it look that way.

I can't find anywhere that just sells the clutch, RockAuto is showing me basically my only option being the whole compressor.

I'll mess with it more tomorrow in the daylight and see if I can figure anything out.

 

[BrianDye]

Ok so I got some time to play with it.

Heres what its doing.

That whole assembly is spinning when the engine is on. Not "skipping" like it was in the first video. However, when I turn the AC on now, the middle doesnt spin at all.

I still had the AC recharge kit and gauge I was going to return. I plugged it on the (low?) side (Dont remember, but the one that AC recharge kits work on) and its reading about 100PSI no matter what. (AC on, off, engine on or off)

That cant be normal can it? Any ideas where to go from here?

 

[Big Z]

That whole assembly is spinning when the engine is on. .....................However, when I turn the AC on now, the middle doesnt spin at all.

So it engages when you turn the a/c off & disengages when you turn the a/c on...just leave it turned off

RockAuto does have the clutch parts but they're sold individually, not under the "clutch" listing. They're the hub, pulley, coil, bearing, shim..

I'm gonna guess something is screwy with the hub. But this all sounds like sorcery to me

This might help you understand what's going on in there:

 

[BrianDye]

The middle part with the 3 river looking things is not spinning when the AC is on. It does sometimes but it's very skippy and extremely slow like 1/4 of a rotation stop, 1/4 more etc.

I just noticed that, I would have to buy all the clutch parts separately. At that price point I might as well buy a whole new compressor which has the new clutch and pulley all together ready to go.

Aside from money the only thing holding me back on that is needing so many tools that I don't have. Vacuum- $90ish, pressure gauges $55ish, paying to have the r134a evacuated out of my system, don't know the cost, but that as well. Then the PAG oil and new refrigerant is probably $30-$40.

Sheesh.

 

[Big Z]

I think if you test the coil via jumper wires (1 positive, 1 negative to the prongs in the plugin on the a/c clutch) it may be just fine. In which case you should at least get a new hub & shim kit. It may be putting out enough magnetic force to pull the hub in, but the hub is just too worn out to grab & release properly. I'd also slip the belt off the compressor & check the pulley for bearing play.

 

[Rcflyer330]

feel your low and high pressure lines by the compressor with it running. the high side is the smaller one low larger what just happened to me, on friday, is the high side is burn your fingers hot and the low is warm. what I have found is one of my rear ac lines has a hole in it (i don't know if its high or low one but there is a big mess under there) and leaking oil all over the ground right under the passenger side rear door. on Wednesday I am taking it to the dealer for a diagnosis and estimate for repair and estimate for parts.

 

[BrianDye]

My lines are both lukewarm, but that was checking them after the thing sat in the 90+ degree sun all day and not running. Im thinking the shims or something shifted, because it wants to turn, but is rubbing on something. There is also some rubbery stuff coming off between the clutch and the actual pulley, so it looks like im gonna have to give it a shot taking the belt off to see more into whats going on.

 

[Big Z]

For future reference, I'd like to suggest NOT touching the high pressure line by your compressor while/after it's been running. It can & will burn you. Been there, done that. Probably do it again You can pull the hub out without taking the belt off, & even run the engine like that (without a/c, of course--not that it matters now anyways) if you care to check it out.

 

[BrianDye]

For future reference, I'd like to suggest NOT touching the high pressure line by your compressor while/after it's been running. It can & will burn you. Been there, done that. Probably do it again You can pull the hub out without taking the belt off, & even run the engine like that (without a/c, of course--not that it matters now anyways) if you care to check it out.

How would I do that? Just take that middle bolt out and it all slides out?

Sorry if that's a dumb question. I've watched a few videos about the AC clutch and it still seems like foreign language to me. I'd love to try it that way so I can still drive my X while I work on repairing it.

 

[Big Z]

How would I do that? Just take that middle bolt out and it all slides out?

The hub & shims will.