A/C compressor clutch problem (1995)

if a belt is overtight it burns out the bearings in components. an alternator, waterpump, AC COMPRESSOR. Its prob fried. Your friendly neighborhood toyota dealer should replace it for free......problem is proving it. do you have proof from a repair service that it was too tight...cause if you do....you have a free compressor.

I cannot prove anything. I am not sure if anybody can... When your car leaves the toyota you can do bad things to your belts and than blame toyota to get some money... I do not think anybody could have a strong case against any repair shop. I had a problems with simple tire repair, where some other guys just use air-tools to put back lug nuts and stripping the threads - how can I prove their wrong doing ? They can always defend themselves that they did the job right, but next day I had a flat tire and broke the treads myself - how can I prove anything? Forget it!

But this is not the point. I need to fix my car and not pay a fortune. Possibly do it myself, if you help me diagnose the problem. Anybody with ideas/recomendation ?

not something you want to do yourself....you need the right equiptment. you need to replace your compressor, like i said in the last post...I was trying to help you not foot the bill. The way you prove things in automotive is......don't touch anything yourself....if you felt the belt was overtight you take it to a shop have them check it and if that is the case....its in writing. you take that to the dealer and you have a case....its not hard or impossible. Anyway...replace your compressor and your problem is solved. Info from a certified tech...MACS certified AC...just trying to help you man.Good luck

I know you tried to help and I appreciate this...

Let me ask you a practical question: is it possible to avoid the need for discharge/recharge the system assuming only clutch needs to be replaced and the compressor is still fine ?

I checked the service manual and they recomend removing the compressor for clutch replacement - and of course, then the system needs to be evacuated and recharged... I noticed that the compressor is linked with the rest of the A/C system with two flexible hoses. Maybe I could save myself some troubles with discharge/recharge if I be able to remove clutch without disconnecting compressor hoses ? Just unscrew compressor from the engine but let it stay connected with hoses...

I know I need special tools (PRESSURE PLATE REMOVER and MAGNETIC CLUTCH STOPPER), I hope I can purchase them at the toyota dealership, but it is doable at all - or not ? :-)))

================================ I copied this from another newsgroup long ago. Let us know if this works for you. (not my words):

You forget to mantion one more item, the A/C clutch is slipping. The A/C AMP senses this and disengages the A/C clutch and flashes the light. This is usually caused by the wearing down of the clutch surfaces and the gap becomes too wide. Fortunately, the gap can be adjusted by removing shims from the shaft of the compressor where the clutch plate is attached to. Measure the gap using a dial indicator, feeler gauge would not work with this compressor because the clutch plate is recessed under the pulley. Using a jumper wire to connect the magnetic coil to the battery to engage the clutch if you work alone. The normal range of the gap is 20mils +/-5mils.

You can remove the compressor without disconnecting the hoses, but the radiator hose above it has to be disconnected so that the compressor can be lifted up to gain access to the clutch plate screw. Drain the radiator fluid first. Use wires to hold the compressor with the clutch plate facing upwards. Use a locking plier or C-clamp to hold the clutch plate to the pulley to prevent it from turning when you unscrew the center bolt. Becareful when lifting the clutch plate out not to loose any of the shims.

If you measured the gap at 40mils, just take off the number of shims close to 20mils and reinstall them. Now you gap should be 20mils. Verify this with the dial indicator before you put every thing back.

If you find deep grooves on the clutch plate surfaces, it is better to replace clutch completely. The clutch assembly should not cost more than $70 at you local Pep-Boy store.

WOW - this sounds totally doable! I am glad I asked... Thank you, Daniel.

I have one more subject to ask: How exactly does this clutch work... ?? It is not clear from the pictures.

I understant there is a stator, which is an electromagnet coil. What exactly happens when the coil gets energized ? Does it move pressure plate towards the pulley (rotor)? Does the plate touch the pulley ? Is this gap 20 mils when the coil is energized ? If so, the plate does not touch the pulley. How is the pressure plate sliding on the shaft ? Does it move with the whole shaft slightly inside the compressor or does it move freely on the shaft ?

Ok, I was too curious to wait for you guys here passively :-)

I just returned from a "you-pull-the-part" junkyard and I was able to find my model year camry there with an A/C compressor so I see how it works now!

The pressure plate is actually two pieces of metal connected with a rubber filling. So the center piece is fixed to the compressor shaft permanently but the exterior side of the pressure plate can bend toward the pulley and touch it metal-to-metal causing them to link togeter and the belt is turning the compressor... Pretty simple!

Knowing better how it actually works I decided to look again how this pressure plate moves in my car... Here is what I saw:

When the a/c system cycles on and off I can see the pulley is actually TILTED toward the force the belt exerts when the a/c is off. When the a/c clutch is on, the pulley (rotor) is embraced by the pressure plate and is strighten... I can tell the belt is still tensioned too much or the pulley bearings are damaged and the wheel is whobbling. This is probably causing the clutch to work unreliably and sometimes it does not grasp the wheel.

I will see tomorrow what is happening.

OK, I worked today on this a/c problem. Here is what I have found. The first snap ring, the one which is holding the pulley, was broken in half and two loose pieces where floating there under the pressure plate. That was bad discovery but I still had the hope that replacing the ring will solve the problem.

Unfortunatelly, removing the pulley shown another, more serious issue. It was not only the snap ring which was broken, but also the groove it was supposed to be sitting in! The groove was made in the body of the compressor (made of very fragile aluminium! why? why? why?).

So the clutch rotor (the pulley) cannot be secured with new ring.

Since I have not planed a compressor replacement I put everything back as it was there, except I have removed damaged ring and the pieces which fell off the aluminium groove. The pulley is hold in place only by the pressure plate, as it was before I opened it...

Pulley does rotate freely because the bearings are still good. It jus does not sit right because it is not secured by any snap ring there.

So the end of story is that the car works, even tried A/C and the clutch engaged normally, streightening the pulley, as it was doing before. Of course I am worried now to drive this car - now I know that everything can pull apart in an instant...

So I am quite unhappy because I need to replace compressor.

Thank you guys anyway for your help here in the group.