quattro digest, Vol 1 #3695 - 16 msgs

[Christopher Ritchie]

>Yeah, the clutch even sounds bad. It screeches for a second or two every
>ti=
>me the compressor kicks in, no it's not the belt. So, I'd bet your right
>ab=
>out the clutch being on it's way south. Any clue how expensive a new
>compre=
>ssor clutch is? Can it be replaced without dis-charging my system? Got a
>pa=
>rt number by chance? Or am I better off just replacing the compressor &
>clu=
>tch at the same time?
>

This is the Nippondenso compressor, right?  Yes, you can replace the clutch
with the compressor still in the car.  Might be tough, though.  I've only
replaced them with the compressor on a workbench.  Of course, if you take
the compressor out, you lose your refrigerant charge.  The appeal of
replacing the clutch with the compressor still in the car is that you save
the refrigerant charge.

Getting the clutch off might be hard even with the compressor out of the
car.  It requires a special puller.  The clutch is around $95.00.

Chris Semple sold me a known good used compressor with clutch for $75 plus
shipping.  If you're going to take the compressor out anyway, you could
replace it with the used one.  Now you've got:

1. a system that works right away;
2. a good compressor with a bad clutch on your workbench ready for
rebuilding at your leisure; and,
3. you're part way up the learning curve on replacing compressors.

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