Riviera A/C Compressor Clutch Repair

You should know what this is. If not, you probably roll your windows down a lot.
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Adam
Posts: 2240
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 9:50 pm

Riviera A/C Compressor Clutch Repair

Post by Adam »

A couple of weeks ago I started to intermittently hear a metallic scraping noise when the car was running. It came and went for a little while, then it was there all the time. I looked at the A/C compressor and saw this:
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Clutch seemed to have failed. I decided to order a clutch by itself since the compressor worked fine and the car still produced ice-cold A/C. It tool a little while to find the correct A/C clutch puller tool. All the rental tools had the wrong thread size, so I ended up ordering a kit with all the things in it plus a clutch holding tool.
IMG_20170529_125204.jpg
The basic procedure is remove some belts:
IMG_20170610_124207.jpg
Then use the clutch holding tool to prevent the compressor from rotating while you remove the lock nut of the main shaft.
IMG_20170610_124225.jpg
One the nut is off, you can thread the clutch remover tool into the clutch. Note how close the front unibody is from the end of the tool.
IMG_20170610_124906.jpg
About this time, I got lazy. The one of the two usual failure mode of the clutch is the springs wear out and stop pulling the clutch back from the pulley all the way when the electromagnet is turned off. This causes the clutch to rub on the pulley and terrible sounds to happen. I wondered if just pulling the clutch out to the proper air gap (~0.030") would address the issue without needing to remove the clutch entirely (and the snap ring that holds the pulley on and un-press the pulley bearing from the compressor shaft); So I did just that.
IMG_20170610_160250.jpg
The air gap is now visible.

I put the locknut back on and tried it out. Great success! No noise, A/C still ice-cold. Now to see if I ever get around to returning the clutch to Rock Auto...
kevm14
Posts: 15200
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: Riviera A/C Compressor Clutch Repair

Post by kevm14 »

I own that clutch tool. I don't know where it is.
Adam
Posts: 2240
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 9:50 pm

Re: Riviera A/C Compressor Clutch Repair

Post by Adam »

kevm14 wrote:I own that clutch tool. I don't know where it is.
Are you sure its that one and not the one that looks just like it but has the wrong thread? Auto Zone had two versions of the wrong one.
kevm14
Posts: 15200
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: Riviera A/C Compressor Clutch Repair

Post by kevm14 »

I meant the holding tool with the 3 adjustable pins.
Adam
Posts: 2240
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 9:50 pm

Re: Riviera A/C Compressor Clutch Repair

Post by Adam »

kevm14 wrote:I meant the holding tool with the 3 adjustable pins.
Ah.
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