4runner4life93

OK my ac compressor had a leak in it so i had to take almost the whole front end off and went to a junk yard and got one out of a 94 got it home wouldn't work so went to one that was 1 hour away and stayed 2 hours and got it home finally

jmcgowan

how do you troubleshoot the AC compressor ? Basically, my truck started squealing on the highway with the AC on, then threw the belt. When I first checked, the Pulley (AC clutch?) on the compressor spun freely, so I thought maybe it was just time for a new belt. I replaced the belt, and the AC worked for 5 minutes before the squealing started and then broke the belt again, now the pulley does not turn. How do I know if it's the clutch, or the whole compressor ? Once I know which item to replace, can I just do it myself (then take the truck to have the AC recharged) ?
Any help would be greatly appreciated !

mikelusk1

it sounds like the clutch went out on it. bit imho theres no point in replacing just the clutch. i did that once and like 3 months later the compressor finally gave out. its not worth the time and money. just get a new or reman one.

jmcgowan

Is that an easy DIY job ? Looks fairly simple to pull the old one and replace it, I am a very cheap bastard, and I don't want to pay anyone to do the stuff I can do myself. So, can I pull the old condenser, and replace it with a newer/reman. compressor and then just take the truck to have the system recharged ?
It was 105 degrees today, I need my AC fixed ASAP.

turborich

I would disagree with that. If your clutch is bad there is no reason to replace the entire unit & there is no evidence that shows if you replaced a bad clutch that the compressor will go out soon after. I would rather have a new clutch & the factory compressor vs. a auto part store rebuild. I have replaced several clutches over the years & never had a compressor fail right afterward. Besides you will need to vacuum the system, recharge & add more oil if you replace the compressor. Now if your compressor is bad then by all means replace it. I don't know which I would trust more though, an Autozone rebuilt unit or a used OEM unit? Probably the used one!

Does the belt only squeal when the compressor is on? If so I would lean toward the compressor. If it squeals when the A/C is not on the the clutch is the most likely culprit.

turborich

Don't ask questions like that or you will get a lot of folks talking about the Ozone layer, global warming, etc. I know what it's like to be poor & I really could care less about a few ounces being released. In the SouthWest you NEED A/C!

It sounds like u know whats up. just make sure to replace the o-rings & put a little oil on them. If you install a new compressor that's dry (no oil) then add about 2 onces of the correct type. It's always a good idea to vacuum the system down to get the air out prior to charging. If you don't have a vacuum pump & are too cheap to buy one then once you get your refrigerant in you can always purge a few ounces out through the low side valve while the A/C is on. air is lighter than the refrigerant so u should get most of it out. don't play around with the high side except to put a gauge on it. ALWAYS charge through the low side only. Don't over charge it!

jmcgowan

It only squealed when the compressor was on


EDIT: the pulley stopped rotating all together, now it's stuck.

turborich

Then I would guess it's the compressor. The clutch sounds like it's doing it's job since it's disengaging when the A/C is off.

jmcgowan

I replaced the compressor and clutch today (I bought a used one that was all together), however the old compressor is labeled R12 and the new one is R134A. The wire is the same, the hoses are in the same place, all bolt holes are in the right spot...BUT the threaded holes that attach the lines (hoses) to the compressor were a different size. Both compressors had a cap (where the lines attach) on top secured by 4 bolts, and they were the same size and shape (outside and in) so I just swapped the caps and put everything back together and reinstalled it. Now I just need to go get a belt and a recharge kit.

Is there anything else I should do ? I've never messed with AC before.

turborich

Will you be using r134? If so then just get yourself one of the retrofit kits & do it per the instructions & it should all go pretty smoothly. Just try to make sure that all of the connections you made are well secured & the o-rings & seals are good. If you don't have a set of gauges then use the sight glass on the filter/dryer behind the grill to fill it to it's correct charge. You will want to slowly charge it until there are very few bubbles in the refrigerant stream while the system is running. Don't rush the charging process. When the compressor cycles on & off it's normal to see a lot of bubbles in the sight glass.

Good luck.

jmcgowan

Yeah, the new compressor says R134 on it, so I'm gonna switch. I got a recharge kit, but the connector does not fit onto my ports ? Is there an adapter to make the shrader style valve into the quick connect style on the refill can ?

The compressor is in, the belt is on, everything works, but the air it blows is not cold (just cool). I need more refrigerant, I just don't know how to add it. I'm gonna google R12 to R134 now.

turborich

When you buy a retrofit kit it will come with both high & low side quick disconnect fittings & approximately 3 cans of 134 & a can of oil charge OR 3 cans of 134 with the oil in it already, a cheap charge hose & the retrofit decal. They run about $40 bucks at the parts stores or walmart.

jmcgowan

I have AC again ! All it took was a used compressor from ebay, an R12 to R134A conversion, a new belt, about 4 hours of my own labor and $93.00 !

Thanks to everyone for the helpful info (especially Turborich) !

turborich

I am really glad to hear it went smoothly! Hopefully she will blow cold for years to come! You saved a bunch of money doing it yourself too.