Removing the aircon clutch

oscarloco · Post by **oscarloco** » 30 Mar 2007, 20:05

Hi guys.

I suspect that the wiring that enters the aircon compressor is damaged. I would like to know it it's possible to dismantle the clutch without depressurizing the system or removing the compressor?

Clogzz · Post by **Clogzz** » 31 Mar 2007, 13:45

The voltage to the plug can be tested with a voltmeter or test lamp.
Once you're inside the clutch, maybe here:

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=19296

oscarloco · Post by **oscarloco** » 02 Apr 2007, 22:25

Ok, but can I remove the clutch assembly with the compressor still mounted in the car and the hoses still attached and pressurized? I want to keep it simple.

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 04 Apr 2007, 14:11

oscarloco wrote:Ok, but can I remove the clutch assembly with the compressor still mounted in the car and the hoses still attached and pressurized? I want to keep it simple.

Yes you can

I've done it, I made a long post about,

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=19794

I had a manual for the Sanden S6 compressor, mine happened to be Harrisson but the two are very close in design to one another. The clutch comes off then you can see the coil, you won't be able to do much with the coil because its "potted" in resin I believe.

Thats the end of the good news I'm afraid. Parts for air-con compressors are difficult to get to say the least, I couldn't find anybody in the UK that would supply anything other than another compressor, but even then finding somebody who could supply the same model I had wasn't easy. There are several different models of each make of compressor used and they're used interchangably at the same time just to confuse things. In the US parts are available but air-con has been an option on cars there for longer and the market is more developed.

The most common reason for air con clutches not to be engaging is not enough gas in the system, there is a brown plug in the top of the drier bottle, that has the pressure switch in it. If you bridge the two thicker wires on that plug, with the engine running and the air-con turned on, that should energise the compressor, unless you've got either a wiring fault or a coil fault.

Hopefully there is some useful information amongst that lot

oscarloco · Post by **oscarloco** » 04 Apr 2007, 17:14

Thank you Kowalski!

I suspect that the wires that enter the compressor are the ones to blame, as every time I touch them for any reason, the aircon works more or less in the next days. I think they are broken in the compressor entry.

Gas level is OK since it was replaced about a year ago. I hear the relay inside the cockpit click and the fans spin, but the compressor won't always engage until I rev it up to around 4.5k - 5k.

Anyway, you've been a lot of help.

Best regards.

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 04 Apr 2007, 19:30

Oscar,

Before you start on any dismantling, can I suggest you try hard wiring the power supply to the compressor by cutting off the male & female terminals, binding the two ends of the wire together, insulating and seeing if that makes any difference.
You find that often wires will break internally at terminals and when they do, intermittent contact is made which is why most car air cons have the wire coming from the clutch zip tied to prevent it flapping around.
If that's not the cause, it will cost you one female fitting you hadn't originally intended using.

Alan S

oscarloco · Post by **oscarloco** » 07 Apr 2007, 18:09

Thank you Alan. I already did that, as the connector was pretty banged up. I tought I had it solved, aircon worked fine for a week, then it started failing again.

So I move to the next possible culprit, the wiring entering the compressor as it isn't held by anything (no tie wraps) and it dangles a lot.