Air Condition issue.....Any advice is appreciated!!

[pshabou]

2004 Grand Prix GT, summer is near and I wanted to inspect the AC and make sure it is working.

I pushed the AC button on inside the car, and the light came on. Air never got cold, So i opened the hood and looked at the AC Compressor. The AC pulley is not spinning. The clutch does not engage either when the AC button is on, basically all the other pulleys are dragging the belt over the AC compressor Pulley.

My questions to you all....

1-Should the pulley always spin no matter the condition of the compressor?
2-If the pulley has seized, can it prevent the clutch from engaging/spinning?
3-If the clutch has seized in the engaged position, can it prevent the pulley from spinning?
4-Can I replace certain parts on the compressor, or must I change the whole thing as a unit?

One more thing, every time I turn the car on, the AC light comes on automatically.

I am going to remove the belt after work and see if I can manually spin the AC compressor Pulley.

Thanks
-Paul

[BrandonHall10]

Check your refrigerant charge. If it's too low, the compressor won't engage. That's where I would start.

[pshabou]

From what I have researched, even if I attempt to charge without the clutch engaging, the refrigerant will not cycle in the system? Is that accurate information? My main concern is that the pulley is not even spinning, making me think of a major mechanical issue with the compressor.

Thanks for the quick reply

[BrandonHall10]

No problem!

The system will still take SOME refrigerant without the compressor spinning. Until it reaches the minimum required system pressure. Then the compressor will engage and draw in the rest of the needed refrigerant.

Keep in mind though... If your system is leaking, a can of 134a is just a band-aid. How long it will last depends on how fast and where your system is leaking. You will have to replace hard parts eventually.

[pshabou]

Awesome, I will charge the system after work, as for the pulley that should be spinning no matter what, what are your thoughts on that?

[BrandonHall10]

I guess I don't fully understand what the concern is.

The pulley will "free wheel" until the clutch engages. (Which it won't do until the system has a decent charge). If (once there is a charge in the system) the clutch engages and doesn't make any nasty noises, you should be good to go. At least until your system leaks it all out again.

I'm cheap:
http://www.grandprixforums.net/threa...essor-Solution

[bobc455]

If my tire leaks, I get the hole patched.

R134 isn't as ozone-unfriendly as the old R12, but nevertheless you should still fix the leak instead of just continuously refilling it.

Just my $0.02, feel free to ignore.

[pshabou]

That is my issue, the pulley does not even "free wheel"....... Ie. I go outside and turn the car on, AC button OFF, and the pulley on the AC compressor does not even Spin/free wheel. The belt is being dragged across the pulley via all the other pulleys.

I have the AC charge kit at home, and Know exactly where the low pressure port is, but I am thinking I have a larger issue if the pulley on the AC compressor will not even spin freely.

[BrandonHall10]

Ya, you have bigger problems than a low charge. Most likely a seized clutch bearing.

Pull the belt and see if you can get anything to spin by hand. Go from there.

[Fivefingerdeathpunch]

Replace the compressor.

[J57ltr]

How the hell are you even able to start the car? Also if the belt is just sliding over the pulley it's going to make a hell of a racket squealing like nobody's business. Is this the case?

[goldgp]

Are you shure your not just seeing the clutch (which won't move if not engaged)and not seeing the actual puley behind it spin?

[pshabou]

I am 100 percent sure the pulley is not spinning. can I post a video on here? Crazy thing is, it's pretty quiet.

[J57ltr]

I'd like to see that. I would be totally amazed, in all seriousness.

[Bronco Boy]

That is my issue, the pulley does not even "free wheel".

How the hell are you even able to start the car?

Yes, how?

Last time I had an A/C clutch seize up was after I put a new engine in my T-Bird; was driving home and heard a light squeal. Within 10 minutes that squeal got real loud and the smell of burning belt took over.

[2004l67]

The AC pulley is kind of a two piece deal. The pulley should always spin freely, then when the system calls for it the electromagnet in the hub pulls the clutch inward to the pulley and then it spins too.

So if your looking at the front of the pulley and the AC is off the front should look like it's not moving. Then when the clutch is engaged it will.


If your compressor pulley is siezed up to where it doesn't spin at all I would think you'd smell burning rubber and the belt would be trashed in a few minutes.

With the engine off, and the belt still on, reach down and try to turn the outside face of the AC pulley (Not the whole pulley itself).

[J57ltr]

I had an ac compressor clutch fail while driving and was using the AC. I stopped to get gas and when I went to start the car it would barley turn over. I had a friend give me a jump because I thought the battery was weak and he was trying to start the car and I saw that the compressor was trying to turn as well. I cut the belt for the AC and it started right up. That was with a good compressor and a failed bearing on a Chevy 350 and a gear reduced starter and a 1000CCA battery.

you just need to dump a can of r-134a with dye in it so you can figure out where the leak is. Once you put the can in it should have enough pressure to allow the clutch to engage as stated previously. There is no possible way for it to be as you have described.

Jeff

[pshabou]

Video coming, first thing in the am.

[pshabou]

Wheel is spinning, I am an idiot. the pulley is so clean it looked like it was not spinning.

Dropping some 134 in it in an hour.

Paul

[pshabou]

Purchased some Sub Zero 134 from Auto Zone, dumped it in and the clutch engaged. I have cold Air! More so when driving tho...maybe it needs more 134. The car has 307,000 thousand miles and still running off the original AC compressor. That is about the last part that is still original on the car since buying it new in 04.

Thank you for everyone's responses!