# Replacing clutch on air conditioning compressor

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/replacing-clutch-on-air-conditioning-compressor/52210>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** envoy, gmc\
**Created:** [July 21, 2010, 2:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/replacing-clutch-on-air-conditioning-compressor/52210 "2010-07-21T02:33:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![csjh4350](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9c0ed/32.png) [@csjh4350](https://community.cartalk.com/u/csjh4350)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 2:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/replacing-clutch-on-air-conditioning-compressor/52210/1 "2010-07-21T02:33:19Z")

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Should I just replace the clutch on the air conditioning compressor? Is this a good or bad idea?

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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:** [July 21, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/replacing-clutch-on-air-conditioning-compressor/52210/2 "2010-07-21T02:42:51Z")

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I replaced just the clutch on the compressor of my 1978 Oldsmobile back in the early 1980’s. Until two years ago, the air conditioning worked just fine. It finally did quit working, but the compressor is the original.

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**Author:** ![researcher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/edb3f5/32.png) [@researcher](https://community.cartalk.com/u/researcher)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 5:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/replacing-clutch-on-air-conditioning-compressor/52210/3 "2010-07-21T17:25:47Z")

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Replacing the A/C clutch is not a hard job. But, you need the special tools. IIRC you need a spanner to hold the driven element, maybe a special socket wrench to remove the driven element nut, the special screw puller that removes the driven element, and a snap ring pliars to remove the drive pulley. Is it the drive pulley bearing or the clutch coil that is bad?

Hope this helps.

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**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 8:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/replacing-clutch-on-air-conditioning-compressor/52210/4 "2010-07-21T20:44:45Z")

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I question the accuracy of the diagnosis, give us more info so we can verify the diagnosis.