Hello,
Ac was working fine but now the compressor is spinning very slowly and it is hot in the car.
The compressor normally spins much faster and comes on and off it is just spinining nonstop but very slow. What is the cause of this?
Should I just replace the compressor or could it be something else?
No, first you have it diagnosed by an AC shop. Might be the compressor, but until diagnosed, who knows.
compressor spinning slow? Is the belt squealing?
this could be a few things:
needs a new belt and tensioner,
a slipping a/c clutch,
or a worn out compressor.
Has any work recently been done to this car or it’s a/c system?
Hello. No work has been done to the AC system. It was blowing ice cold and then start to get hot and lost all cool air.
Yes the compressor is spinning very slow. No squealing. Is there any relay or fuses that should be checked?
I just don’t see how that can be . The drive belt should be turning everything at the same speed . How have you determined the compressor is slow.
Air conditioner work is not really a do it yourself item.
The end of the compressor with the clutch is spinning all the time even when the ac is turned off. Not fast at all. A snails pace.
When I turn the ac on it spins just a little faster but not near as fast as normal.
I may not be fixing the ac system myself but I would like to get some knowledge about this and what might be going on before taking it somewhere. A lot of mechanics in my area are rip offs. And I have yet to find one I truly trust yet.
The compressor clutch is slipping.
Tester
OK. How much can I expect to pay to have the ac compressor and clutch replaced. I see some online for $110-$150.
What would labor be usually for this repair?
online prices are irrelevant, the shop marks them up
check repairpal.com it will give you an estimate based on your zipcode
Since your location is unknown and have no idea who will do this repair no way to even guess . You will just have to get prices yourself and expect tp pay a diagnostic fee so the work that is done is what is really needed.
You should not assume that the price you see online will apply to the actual compressor. Shops mark the parts up and there are also peripheral issues such as a new accumulator, new orifice tube, flushing the system, and so on. Reman compressors around here are around 200 bucks on average and an accumulator is about 30 or so. That is sans markup and the reman compressors are Four Seasons. I’ve had issues with Four Seasons remans and refuse to use them.
Some shops are hesitant to use customer provided parts and if they do there may be zero warranty on any work done.
If leak checks reveal problems in the system other than the compressor that would be additional cost.
same here.
If all that’s wrong is the compressor clutch is slipping, the clutch can be replaced without replacing the entire compressor.
And most times, this can be done without disconnecting the compressor from the AC system.
Tester
Ok. So if it’s just the ac clutch slipping I can remove that while still attached to the car?
Does the refrigerant still need to be evacuated or this won’t effect that?
That might be a do it your self option? I’ve removed the power steering pump and put a head gasket on this car as well so I’m familiar with removing everything needed to access the ac compressor and clutch area.
I also have another ford Taurus for parts. Is the ac clutch something that would go bad while sitting like the compressor or is it safe to use the used one?
I do not but I can purchase one. Is that all that is needed to replace the clutch?
The spanner wrench is for holding the clutch plate while loosening or tightening the bolt but most people don’t use one, the bolt holding the clutch plate can be removed with a small impact. The clutch plate is removed with a 8 X 1.25 MM bolt. Save the small washers that are between the clutch plate and compressor shaft, those are used to set the clearance between the plate and pulley. You will need a snap ring pliers to remove the hub pulley and coil.
