New ac compressor clutch out

1995 CHEVROLET 1500
325,000 MILES • 4.3L • V6 • 2WD
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CANNON1349
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Installed new air compressor, drier, condenser and orifice tube. Vacuumed down and recharged fine. Two weeks later the clutch is rattling and there is shredded metal around it. I hear there is an adjustment that can be made on these. Is it worth doing that?
Aug 7, 2019 at 8:59 AM
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ASEMASTER6371
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Good afternoon,

Since there is metal, no. The clutch is no good. You will need to replace the compressor again.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/replace-air-conditioner-compressor

What were the pressures after you installed all the new parts?

Roy
Aug 7, 2019 at 9:54 AM
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CANNON1349
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33-35 on the low and 250 on the high.
Aug 7, 2019 at 9:55 AM
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ASEMASTER6371
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Sounds okay. The low side is a little high. It should be 25-30 rock solid. It should never vary at all.

Roy
Aug 7, 2019 at 10:07 AM
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CANNON1349
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There is an option to buy a clutch assembly is it worth that?
Aug 7, 2019 at 10:08 AM
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ASEMASTER6371
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The new compressor is warranty anyway. I would just change it out instead of spending more money.

Roy
Aug 7, 2019 at 10:12 AM
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CANNON1349
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How much oil goes into the compressor? 4oz? The paper in the kit says 8 oz. For the system, so 4 for the compressor, 2 for the accumulator and 2 for the condenser? The compressor says it has 3 oz in it and to fill to manufacturers recommendations.
Aug 8, 2019 at 7:35 AM
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ASEMASTER6371
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Okay, below is the spec for the oil just for the compressor.

Roy

The Harrison HT-6 compressor system used on all models requires polyalkaline glycol (PAG) refrigerant oil in the quantities listed below:
- Without Aux. A/C - 240 ml (8 fl oz)
- With Aux. A/C - 330 ml (11 fl oz)
Aug 8, 2019 at 7:39 AM
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CANNON1349
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8 oz of oil for the compressor? That's all the kit comes with.
Aug 8, 2019 at 7:40 AM
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ASEMASTER6371
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That is the spec right out of Alldata.

Roy
Aug 8, 2019 at 7:44 AM
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CANNON1349
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Well put a new compressor on it. And immediately the clutch on this one started scraping and shredding.
Aug 11, 2019 at 2:56 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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Can you upload a video of what you see?

Roy
Aug 11, 2019 at 3:12 PM
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CANNON1349
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Customer left. But it would scrape when you turned it on, run quietly, and when it turned off the clutch would scrape and move a little bit with the pulley. Metal shavings too. They bought the same brand as the last one, cause it was under warranty. They decided to save up for an AC Delco one
Aug 11, 2019 at 3:14 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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That is an excellent idea.

Roy
Aug 11, 2019 at 3:18 PM
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CANNON1349
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However these style compressors have an air gap that can be adjusted. Do not if it's worth adjusting but I don't have the tools to do it.
Aug 11, 2019 at 3:20 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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The spec is .017.

Roy
Aug 11, 2019 at 3:23 PM
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CANNON1349
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Got a compressor on there, and now it won't work. It will only turn on when I run a jump wire to the sensor that plugs into the back of the compressor. It plugs into an orange switch that I transfered from the old one.
Sep 9, 2019 at 2:48 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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That is a high-pressure switch. It is a normally closed switch. If you have to jump it, the switch is no good.

Roy
Sep 9, 2019 at 3:16 PM
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CANNON1349
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But jumping it engages the clutch, even if the AC button is off and even if the truck is off.
Sep 9, 2019 at 3:35 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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Again, it is a normally closed switch. If you jump it, the switch is bad. It only opens when the high pressure exceeds 375 lbs. to protest the compressor.

Roy
Sep 9, 2019 at 3:38 PM
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CANNON1349
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How do you know if it's a high pressure cut-out or a low-pressure cut-out switch? there are many options. The color of this one looks orange.
Sep 9, 2019 at 4:12 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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The high-pressure switch is located on the compressor.

Roy
Sep 9, 2019 at 4:22 PM
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CANNON1349
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well there's 2 options on Advance's website, both are identical except in color, and the option is high pressure or low pressure and they go in the same spot.
Sep 9, 2019 at 4:28 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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The low-pressure switch is on the refrigerant line.

The color has to match yours. That tells you the pressure that the switch opens to protest the compressor.

Roy
Sep 9, 2019 at 4:34 PM
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CANNON1349
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Well the option they have is white and in the description it says (red, blue, or white) and the picture is white.
Sep 9, 2019 at 4:35 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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What color is yours?

Roy
Sep 9, 2019 at 4:53 PM
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CANNON1349
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Looks orange to me. Maybe they call that red.
Sep 9, 2019 at 4:53 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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Okay, I attached a diagram form rock auto.

They or four seasons lists one sensor for all the colors including yours.

Roy
Sep 9, 2019 at 4:59 PM
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CANNON1349
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Yeah, so that is the same picture on Advance's website, they sell it as Factory Air. So the white one will work?
Sep 9, 2019 at 5:01 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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Yes, it will. As you can see, it covers all the colors.

Roy
Sep 9, 2019 at 5:04 PM
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CANNON1349
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Well, I replaced that switch and the connector to it, I still have to run a hot wire to terminal B on the now new connector for the clutch do engage.
Sep 10, 2019 at 6:00 PM
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CANNON1349
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Nevermind. I got the A/C to work.

This is the third compressor on this truck. This one is an AC Delco one, but at 2000 rpm the clutch wants to scratch and skip. What the heck?
Sep 11, 2019 at 6:20 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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What Is the high and low pressure?

Roy
Sep 12, 2019 at 3:42 AM
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CANNON1349
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Low is about 35 and high pressure close to 250.
Sep 12, 2019 at 3:43 AM
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ASEMASTER6371
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Okay is the belt and tensioner okay? Check and make sure the belt is not slipping.

Roy
Sep 12, 2019 at 3:51 AM
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CANNON1349
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Belt is brand new, 2 days old. But the tensioner I wanted to replace but they gave me a bad one and I put the old one back on, although it wasn't necessarily "bad." If I rev the truck up the clutch on the compressor scratches and I let off from revving it, it will scratch all the way down to 1,000 rpm's.
Sep 12, 2019 at 4:02 AM
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ASEMASTER6371
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Okay,

1. How much oil did you put in the compressor before installing?

2. Check the air gap for the clutch to plate. It should be .017.

Roy
Sep 12, 2019 at 4:04 AM
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CANNON1349
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The compressor came filled with 3 oz. And using the info you gave me, I filled it up to 8 oz. I have no way to check the air gap....
Sep 12, 2019 at 4:06 AM
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ASEMASTER6371
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You would need a set of feeler gauges for this. You can get them at any parts store for under $10.00.

Roy
Sep 12, 2019 at 4:09 AM
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CANNON1349
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Okay, but how do you adjust the gap for this compressor? There's a center nut for the hub.
Sep 12, 2019 at 4:10 AM
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ASEMASTER6371
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Correct. The center nut has to be removed and there are shims behind it for the adjustment.

Roy
Sep 12, 2019 at 4:14 AM