How to remove A/C clutch?

[Tshark299]

The clutch on my AC compressor seems to be shot. Sometimes it will not fully engage, such that it makes a loud scratching noise and the compressor itself only spins in sporadic spurts. Sometimes it engages and runs for hours perfectly fine, but more and more often now it's slipping so that the compressor only spins a little or not at all.

I'm still running R12 and when the compressor actually spins it works very well, so I'd like to not open up the system if I don't have to, that's why I'm looking to try replacing only the clutch and not the whole compressor. I'm also trying to put as little money as possible into this truck since it has 178K miles on it. The previous owner did a major overhaul to the AC system maybe 6-8 years ago, but they were unsure as to what was specifically replaced then, other than "almost everything".

So I'm wondering how the clutch assembly is removed from the compressor; what the procedure is and what special tools are necessary. Thanks!

 

[Tshark299]

Ok, a couple of updates already...

I looked a little closer at my system and it actually does have R-134A adapter on the service ports, so it has already been converted, so now I need to rethink my game plan. Maybe I should just replace the whole compressor and recharge it.

I tried running the AC again just now and it ran fine at idle. Air got cold and the compressor ran constantly without the clutch slipping. Upping the RPMs to 1500-2000, the compressor started cycling 3 seconds on/3 seconds off, eventually to 1 second on/2 seconds off. Dropping the RPMs back to idle didn't change this, and by this time the air had lost all coolness, which so far it has never done unless the clutch was slipping.

I unscrewed the dust cap from the low port while the compressor was cycling and out came a good amount of frothy green puss, so it seems like the valve is not doing it's job very well, and letting refrigerant leak out. It kept bubbling while the cap was off.

I'm assuming that's not normal, and that I have several problems going on now. Should I replace the compressor/clutch assembly, and that valve (where can I get a new low-port valve?) and then recharge the system?

I'm not too familiar with AC systems and have been trying to read through all the stickies to get up to speed, but am still not sure exactly what all I should replace, and the procedures necessary to do so.

Any help or advice would be appreciated!