A/C clutch engages the disengages

[Suleiman Saadeh]

When I crank the truck it doesnt engage if the ac is on or gets turned on but if I tap the plate it immediately spins and starts blowing cool air. But as after a few minutes of driving it stops blowing cold and the clutch disengages

I took it off to try to remove a spacer like some people online suggested but there were no spacers. Just a set of teeth to hold the plate and make it spin.

The plate was cover is what looked like grime I guess. Was wondering if cleaning it might help or do I need a new clutch or compressor?

 

[IDIBRONCO]

It's kind of hard for me, a A/C novice, to tell from your description, but I'll give this a shot. If the grease is only on the clutch and not on the front of the compressor body, you should be able to get by with only a clutch. If there's grease on the compressor too, the you should get both because the seal on the compressor is leaking. It may be only working for a short time because the system's low on freon. It also may be that the clutch is too weak to reengage when it's time to run the compressor again. I say that because it doesn't engage until you tap of the clutch. Just remember, I'm no A/C expert so don't take any of this as absolute gospel. It's just my best guess.

 

[Clb]

PLEASE go back and proof read what you wrote...
Then let's try and diagnose the issue.
My bet low charge pressure, bad clutch, or wiring..

 

[Suleiman Saadeh]

Sorry for the debacle that was that post. I wrote that while working and it was rushed. I checked the wiring and plug and made sure the connections were good. Also freon is filled.

Is the clutch that plate that comes off or is in the compressor?

 

[IDIBRONCO]

The clutch is the part that unbolts off of the front of the compressor. It holds the plate that you're talking about. It also holds the pulley that the belt uses. Basically, the compressor is the aluminum bodied part. The clutch is the part that the power wire plugs onto.

 

[Slicknik]

@Suleiman Saadeh

I think you have the opposite problem. I believe you have too much freon , if you did check your wiring and it is in good working condition , and mechanically sound then you need to get a gauge on the low side of your A/C line and watch to see it before your a/c kicks off and watch the gauge to see if it spikes then your truck is purposely kicking off the a/c so that it doesn't induce harm.


Is the metal cylinder on the passenger side "sweating" when you have the a/c on ?

Does the A/c turn on when your first try it or only after you tap it? Or does it kick on then off ?

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[Suleiman Saadeh]

The clutch is the part that unbolts off of the front of the compressor. It holds the plate that you're talking about. It also holds the pulley that the belt uses. Basically, the compressor is the aluminum bodied part. The clutch is the part that the power wire plugs onto.

I got you now. I dont know very much about the A/C systems in vehicles. I appreciate the info. I'm just not sure what caused this all of a sudden. I am probably gonna take it off and see if I can see anything significant.

 

[Suleiman Saadeh]

I connected a guage to check the level and it was in the blue/Filled section. Yes the Dryer does sweat I believe but it's always done that even before this issue. I'll check to make sure that it still does.

I'll check for the sweating and if it kicks on without tapping it. I feel like sometimes it does and sometimes it doesnt but I'll test that out and get back.

How would I let out some freon if I need to? I dont believe I added freon then this happened but it's been a while since I've been driving this truck

 

[Suleiman Saadeh]

Dryer sweats and ac clutch engages when truck cranks and when the ac gets turned on but after several minutes it disengages again but it came back on as soon as I hit it again.

 

[Slicknik]

@Suleiman Saadeh , to let freon out you just connect the top part with out the can to the lower a/c line like you did when you filled it and squeeze and it release into atmosphere .

When the a/c is on full blast does the needle spike ?

I think it's your compressor if you just are hitting it and it kicks back on , clutch related possibly, just trying to rule out my theory so you are not just throwing parts at it.,

 

[Suleiman Saadeh]

I forgot to see whether it spikes. I'll check in the morning and let you know. I'm thinking it's either the clutch or compressor. I'll probably order the compressor if it is one of the two so I dont waste money on a clutch and it be the compressor

 

[ifrythings]

@Suleiman Saadeh , to let freon out you just connect the top part with out the can to the lower a/c line like you did when you filled it and squeeze and it release into atmosphere .

Just FYI the above is illegal to do so don’t tell anyone if you have a slip with a wrench and some Freon escapes.

What is your clutch air gap right now? Should be around 0.020-0.030”

What year ac system are you working on? 93+ trucks have r134a and a high pressure switch which will also turn off the system.

You really should get a set of gauges on both the high and low side to properly diagnose problems. Example, a plugged or heat soaked condenser will show low pressure on the low side and through the roof on the high side, if you only read low side you would think it was low on Freon.

If you remove the belt does the pulley have any play in it?

 

[Suleiman Saadeh]

I dont know what the air gap is. I was thinking about getting some feeler gauges I believe they are called to find out. There are no spacers in between the plate and clutch. I was starting to consider grinding a little off one of the two to see if it would make a difference but havent gotten it off again to see if that's possible.

When you say the high side you mean the high pressure ac line correct?

I'm going on a test drive now for my brakes and possible for some feeler gauges. When I get back I'll check the high side and see if it spikes

 

[Suleiman Saadeh]

@ifrythings

Air gap is more than 0.067. I know it's supposed to be 0.020-0.030.

I wouldn't have thought it could have been that much more.

 

[ifrythings]

The shims can be a pain sometimes to get out, I think grinding the end down would be a bandaid fix, at this point I would see if there is any shims stuck in there and I would also see if the compressor shaft has any in/out play that would give you that big air gap.

At this moment I would definitely say your problem is the air gap.

High side would be the high pressure line test port.