# A/C Compressor/Clutch

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-c-compressor-clutch/19721>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [September 18, 2008, 10:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-c-compressor-clutch/19721 "2008-09-18T10:48:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![planestrains\_autos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/22d042/32.png) [@planestrains\_autos](https://community.cartalk.com/u/planestrains_autos)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 10:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-c-compressor-clutch/19721/1 "2008-09-18T10:48:21Z")

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My “99” Monte Carlo would not crank. I found the A/C pulley is stuck and will not rotate. About 3 days earlier the the A/C stopped blowing cold air. Can a bad clutch prevent the rotation or am I looking at replacing the entire compressor/clutch?

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**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 1:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-c-compressor-clutch/19721/2 "2008-09-18T13:37:34Z")

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A bad clutch can prevent rotation. I have had the clutch assembly replaced without replacing the entire compressor.

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**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 1:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-c-compressor-clutch/19721/3 "2008-09-18T13:53:59Z")

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Could be, but odds are the compressor is siezed. Worth checking the clutch first, of course. With the ignition off, is the pulley still locked to the clutch?

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**Author:** ![planestrains\_autos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/22d042/32.png) [@planestrains\_autos](https://community.cartalk.com/u/planestrains_autos)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 3:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-c-compressor-clutch/19721/4 "2008-09-18T15:20:15Z")

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Clutch spins with the ignition off.

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**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 3:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-c-compressor-clutch/19721/5 "2008-09-18T15:22:54Z")

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By ‘spins’, you mean ‘my hand can turn it’, right? Not ‘I give it a push and it spins by itself’.

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**Author:** ![planestrains\_autos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/22d042/32.png) [@planestrains\_autos](https://community.cartalk.com/u/planestrains_autos)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 3:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-c-compressor-clutch/19721/6 "2008-09-18T15:27:58Z")

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Correct, I can turn it with my hand. It does not spin freely.

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**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 3:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-c-compressor-clutch/19721/7 "2008-09-18T15:30:36Z")

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So it’s just the pulley that’s locked up? Maybe the pulley bearing?