AC Compressor clutch question...

[Avery4jc]

The clutch on my AC Compressor on the k3500 started squeaking a couple weeks back... I've been shooting it with some WD-40 about once a week and it's been quiet but I know I'm just masking a problem...

So is there a way to figure out if it's the clutch... maybe a bearing... heck maybe low pressure in the system so it's not getting lubed (although it still engages and I'm not 100% sure but I think on the newer trucks if the pressure in the system is low it won't engage the clutch to protect the compressor so I kind of ruled out low pressure)...

Anyways... what's a good way to diagnose this? Oh and btw I know it's not the belt... I have a new one on and it still has good tension and you can just tell it's coming from the clutch... I put a nozzle on the WD-40 and put a tiny little spritz between the plates on the clutch and it stopped squeaking without getting any on the belt.

Ok thanks for suggestions!

 

[driney]

If it makes noise while the clutch is disengaged, it is the bearing inside the clutch. When it goes it can lock up, ruin your belt, and leave you stranded. (Ask me how I know.) It is a pretty simple repair, but you need puller for the clutch.

 

[Avery4jc]

Yeah it squeals when it's free-wheeling...

Are they special pullers? I have a bunch at the shop for doing gears/bearings/etc...

 

[British Slave]

Special puller and installer tools

 

[Avery4jc]

Just for a reference I just ran by a shop and got a quote... he went on and on about how you can't replace the bearing without replacing the whole clutch because they never go back together quite right and blah blah blah...
I asked why they sold the bearings separate if you have to replace the whole clutch (that comes with a bearing) and he looked it up and sure enough, would you look at that they do sell the bearings separate!
He said well you still have to drain the system and swap stuff so I'm looking at $350 if it can be done with just a bearing and $450 if it needs the whole clutch... I said thank you very much have a nice day and walked out...

Maybe I'm being cheap but that seems outrageous! So I came home (on a break between classes) and started digging in a little deeper and sure enough it looks like my ears were throwing me off because now it looks/sounds like it's just the idler pulley on the lower passenger side of the engine to keep tension on the belt that's squeaking... when I was shooting a little WD-40 on the clutch it must have been tossing it up on the belt and carrying it over onto the tensioner. So this whole time I guess it was just the tensioner squeaking.

So anyways thanks for the info guys but I guess it's fine... I'll see if I can adjust it to get the little squeak out but if not at least it's not coming from the compressor.

 

[driney]

If it is the bearing in the clutch you do not have to evacuate the system. Just use the special puller to pull the clutch off, some snap ring pliers to take it apart and put the new bearing in. It seems like there was a special tool to press the clutch back on, but I don't remember for sure. If their was it came with my puller.

 

[Avery4jc]

If it is the bearing in the clutch you do not have to evacuate the system.

I know...that's why I left that shop since they were obviously in it to screw people.
I'm pretty sure that it's that tensioner so I think I'm fine... I'll have my dad look at it tonight and get a second opinion of where the sound is coming from.