Changed My A/C Clutch

[koda2000]

Short version is I got it done and it wasn't a horrible job. I'd rate it a 3.5 on a scale of 1-10.

The long version:
So, ever since I got my 2WD V8 2000 Mountaineer last fall, I noticed the A/C pulley/bearing made noise. I figured it was the bearing going out, so I wanted to replace it before A/C weather. There's not much room to work in there, so I removed the upper tranny line and tied it aside. I also removed the T/B air inlet hose so I could bungee cord the top rad hose out of the way to get at the belt tensioner from the top. Got the serpentine belt out of the way and removed the 8mm bolt from the A/C hub and wiggled the hub off.

That's when i found out the hub was shot and the clutch was pretty worn after 180K of GA weather. I then went shopping on-line for a replacement clutch. The best price I found was Advance $98.99 less around $15 using the promo code with free shipping ($90.03 w/tax delivered). The UPS Man had the parts in my hand less than 12 hours later!. Cool! The parts (Factory Air) look different from the Ford OE parts, with a more old-school looking hub, but they were listed to fit the FS10 compressor and they fit and work fine. Frankly I prefer this style hub (nothing to wear out).

Now comes the fun part... getting the snap-ring off the compressor pulley, getting it off the shaft and the field coil off the front of the compressor. With lots of patience and wiggling, with pry bars and large screw drivers, I eventually got the remaining parts off, cleaned everything up real well and dressed the mating parts with some fine sand paper. I put some light oil on the mating parts, lined them up and about 200 light hammer taps later i had the new field coil in place. The new pulley went on fairly easily, but that damn snap-ring was a total PITA (and it has to go facing the right direction - beveled side out). It would have been easy enough with the compressor on the bench, but working with it installed is a *****. Finally got the snap-ring on, installed the hub and set the air-gap, with the supplied shims, to about 20 thousandths and torqued the bolt to 155 inch lbs (with some blue Loctite). Then I put everything else back together and went for a test-drive. Ahhh, ice cold air and no more weird rattly, squeaky noises.

Now enjoying a beer (maybe two).

 

[drdoom]

Nice job and good write up. I should look at mine.

 

[koda2000]

Nice job and good write up. I should look at mine.

thank you. yeah, the OE hub has 3 pins. i guess there are supposed to be some sort of insulators around the pins that keep them banging up against the metal hub when the compressor kicks in. my insulators were completely gone and the pins had banged their way half-way through of the holes/cups the insulators used to be in. i need to check my other trucks, but none of them are making noise right now.

This weekend a new radiator goes in and then this truck is 100%, except i found this wire behind the driver's headlight. it comes out of an OE connector, but someone cut it off of something and left the end bare. it's thin gauge and red (as far as i can tell). i have no idea where it's supposed to go... funny thing is everything works. this truck has had some front end body repairs made by a very good body shop, so... i'll start by checking my '01 EB wiring, but if that doesn't help i'll have to start checking diagrams. i just gotta know where it goes or it'll drive me crazy, lol. i wonder if maybe it used to go to a anti-theft hood switch?

 

[bobflood]

Koda - does the outside temp readout work?? Those sensors are usually at the front in front of the radiator.

 

[koda2000]

bobflood: yes, the outside temp readout works. everything works. is that the black plastic pointy looking thing, with the thumb-wheel, on the right side of the bottom of the radiator/condenser? i thought that's what that might be but wasn't sure.

my allergies are really acting up the past few days (pollen count at 3,000+) so i haven't felt like looking at my EB to see if it has the same red wire (and where it goes). the new radiator i ordered for the Mounty arrived yesterday and i haven't even opened the box yet. hopefully it was rain before the weekend so i can do that job. i got a deal on antifreeze at Kroger yesterday (100% Prestone for $9 closeout) so a snapped them up. gotta love a bargain...

 

[koda2000]

red wire: well, just took a quick look at my '01 Explorer and it doesn't even have this electrical connector. i guess i'll have to wait until i see my other 2000 Mounty (next month) to see where this mysterious wire goes.

are the Mountaineer's supposed to have the black plastic cover between the grille and the radiator core support? neither of mine currently have it, but both my Explorer's do. i need to make a list of stuff i'm missing and plan a trip to the pull-a-part soon. problem is it's about 70 miles one way. the local salvage yard can't be bothered looking for small stuff i need.

 

[koda2000]

rut row!

well after 2 days of quite operation, my A/C clutch started making noise again. i believe the problem is that the air-gap between the hub and the pulley has disappeared. this allows the hub to drag slightly when disengaged. after a little pondering, i've decided that the pulley has moved out toward the snap ring a few thousandths, i didn't think about that when installing the new pulley, but it fits just loose enough for this to have happened, especially when hot. keep in mind, nothing other than the snap-ring, keeps the pulley on the compressor shaft. the pulley and the field coil are both just an interference fit. the only fastener (other than the snap-ring) is the 8mm bolt in the center of the hub. the instructions (such as they were) never mentioned this possibility. it makes sense though. oh well, back to Autozone for the clutch holding tool. at least i shouldn't have to mess with the snap-ring again. just make sure the pulley is right up against the snap-ring and add another shim or two under the hub. s/b a 10 min job.

 

[Flash]

When I took my AC clutch bearing off the pulley had actually broken off the bearing housing and the bearing came out in pieces - courtesy of the previous owner.

I had no real trouble with the snap ring, I hope I remembered to put it back bevelled side out???

AC still isn't working, I took the parts of a known working unit. It probably needs gassing.

PS, now that the AC pulley isn't rattling I can hear the timing chain, probably the intermediate shaft.

 

[koda2000]

FYI: the grove that the snap ring sits in is apparently beveled on its front side. the inner edge of the snap ring is also beveled on one side. if you don't put it on the right way the snap ring will not fully seat in the grove.

my problem with removing the snap ring was that the holes were oriented at 6 o'clock. where i could not see them w/out using a mirror. when reinstalling the snap ring i couldn't keep it square to the end of the shaft (no room to get my big hands in there).

 

[koda2000]

okay. i added some thicker shims under the hub and all is well again.

 

[koda2000]

thank you. yeah, the OE hub has 3 pins. i guess there are supposed to be some sort of insulators around the pins that keep them banging up against the metal hub when the compressor kicks in. my insulators were completely gone and the pins had banged their way half-way through of the holes/cups the insulators used to be in. i need to check my other trucks, but none of them are making noise right now.

This weekend a new radiator goes in and then this truck is 100%, except i found this wire behind the driver's headlight. it comes out of an OE connector, but someone cut it off of something and left the end bare. it's thin gauge and red (as far as i can tell). i have no idea where it's supposed to go... funny thing is everything works. this truck has had some front end body repairs made by a very good body shop, so... i'll start by checking my '01 EB wiring, but if that doesn't help i'll have to start checking diagrams. i just gotta know where it goes or it'll drive me crazy, lol. i wonder if maybe it used to go to a anti-theft hood switch?

so, i installed my new radiator yesterday (easy job except for the A/C condenser "slide clips"). anyway, while i was in there i figured i'd take a closer look at the mysterious bare red wire i saw while changing my A/C clutch. it turns out it wasn't attached to anything. someone must have dropped it down near my outside temp sensor, and it's been sitting there for years. now i can sleep!