A/C compressor clutch question
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
A/C compressor clutch question The clutch on the a/c compressor on my 2000 Z28 has started to make a noise like the bearing is on its way out. It's only noisy when the clutch is disengaged. When I turn the air on and the clutch is energized, the noise goes away. When I shut the engine off today I tried turning the inside part of the clutch and to my surprise it turned (and made the same noise). I thought this would have been connected to the compressor's guts and therefore not turn freely 
Is there any way to lubricate the clutch's bearings? If the clutch needs replacing, can the it be replaced with the compressor still bolted onto the engine?
Is there any way to lubricate the clutch's bearings? If the clutch needs replacing, can the it be replaced with the compressor still bolted onto the engine?
Sorry to hijack your thread GMBOYZ...
I think you'll need a new clutch though. My car started doing the same thing just before i put her down for winter. It makes a metal rattling noise, then as soon as i turn on the defogger, it's stops. Any one have ideas how expensive something like that is to fix.
I think you'll need a new clutch though. My car started doing the same thing just before i put her down for winter. It makes a metal rattling noise, then as soon as i turn on the defogger, it's stops. Any one have ideas how expensive something like that is to fix.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
I can live with buying a new clutch, but the labour might be expensive if the refrigerant has to be sucked out and the compressor taken off. It doesn't look like there's much room down there if a puller is required.
Well hate to give you bad new but you can try to replace the clutch , hub & pulley.
The problem is alot of times the compressor wave-plate drive shaft looses its endplay internally.
Then the hub which is hooked up to it drags on the pulley & you get the scrapping noise.
You can try to pull the hub & shim it to get the clutch clearance back or replace the entire assembly, but more often than not the compressors coming apart inside.
It's up to you how to procede, either replace the whole assembly or get a clutch kit.
The problem is alot of times the compressor wave-plate drive shaft looses its endplay internally.
Then the hub which is hooked up to it drags on the pulley & you get the scrapping noise.
You can try to pull the hub & shim it to get the clutch clearance back or replace the entire assembly, but more often than not the compressors coming apart inside.
It's up to you how to procede, either replace the whole assembly or get a clutch kit.
Trending Topics
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo I would just try to reclearance the cltch plate. You have to have a hub puller to do it. Then you reset the clearance on the hub to pulley w/ shims. It works often no problem. You can do it from underneath, but the special tool is needed.
A new/reman compressor comes with a clutch. My clutch went out earlier this summer and I could not find a clutch anywhere. I ended up replacing the whole thing with another reman, but now I have a spare good compressor for when this one takes a dump, and I can just swap the clutches.
just talked to my GM tech friend. He said with a special tool we could back the clutch out and it shouldn't make the noise any more...hopefully. He said I shouldn't need a new clutch. Sounds like the process wrencher is talking about 
Bringing this one back from the dead.
I have the same issue going on and its annoying. Even a new compressor from autozone is $300 so I have been thinking of removing the A/C off the car and this pretty much confirms what I am going to do. Is there anyway to just remove the compressor and put an idler pulley down there or reroute the belt to just avoid the compressor. How do people do this when they remove the A/C. I would image that compressor is heavy so I am sure people remove it.
EDIT:
Wow, forget I even asked anything. I completely spaced that the A/C system is a different belt from the normal serpentine belt. I will just remove the belt.
I have the same issue going on and its annoying. Even a new compressor from autozone is $300 so I have been thinking of removing the A/C off the car and this pretty much confirms what I am going to do. Is there anyway to just remove the compressor and put an idler pulley down there or reroute the belt to just avoid the compressor. How do people do this when they remove the A/C. I would image that compressor is heavy so I am sure people remove it.
EDIT:
Wow, forget I even asked anything. I completely spaced that the A/C system is a different belt from the normal serpentine belt. I will just remove the belt.
Last edited by tording99Z28; Mar 2, 2009 at 12:30 AM.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 509
Likes: 1
From: North Chicagoland
Bringing this back from dead once again... I will probably just remove my belt since this is my exact problem, but have any of you successfully replaced the clutch and/or re-clearance it? And did it fix this problem? Thanks!
The instructor at a recent ATG class I took says there is a flash to solve this problem. The belt is kicked off at start up due to belt slack as the idler spring is weak. The flash momentarily enables the A/C clutch during start up to tension the belt. You can get to the GM site through the nastf and like to their TSBs and reflashes.
