A/C clutch melted !?!

[grumpygirl]

the last couple weeks here in Vegas have been unseasonably warm to say the least. temps between 115-119 during the day. on the way home from work last friday the ac quit blowing followed by the smell of hot brakes. turned it off and rolled down the windows till i got home. fearing the worst, ie a compressor seize, started trouble shooting it in the garage. the clutch would spin freely with the truck off so i knew the compressor was still spinning. when i turned on the A/C i could see the clutch trying to turn but was slow and jerky. a closer inspection revealed that the rubber compound in the clutch plate had over heated and melted. so now i wait for the new clutch assembly to come in so i can ride in comfort. you can see in the pics where the rubber melted then migrated its way to the clutch surface causing it to slip creating the brake smell.


oh and here is how hot my truck read before leaving work Tuesday!

 

[indept]

OUCH, that's hot

 

[chri5k]

No kidding that is hot. My transmission runs at 168 degrees, only 22 degrees more than that reading.

 

[Sherman Bird]

We had brutally hot days last weekend, too. My Mother In Law's 99 Tahoe is in for repairs... and sits in the courtyard awaiting its turn. I retrieved my infrared thermometer and went around getting temps from the different cars around here. The black wheel opening molds read 187 degrees! The white paint was 145 degrees. My used coolant storage barrel was 167 degrees! Last Friday was very brutal!

 

[S.Dodge]

the last couple weeks here in Vegas have been unseasonably warm to say the least. temps between 115-119 during the day. on the way home from work last friday the ac quit blowing followed by the smell of hot brakes. turned it off and rolled down the windows till i got home. fearing the worst, ie a compressor seize, started trouble shooting it in the garage. the clutch would spin freely with the truck off so i knew the compressor was still spinning. when i turned on the A/C i could see the clutch trying to turn but was slow and jerky. a closer inspection revealed that the rubber compound in the clutch plate had over heated and melted. so now i wait for the new clutch assembly to come in so i can ride in comfort. you can see in the pics where the rubber melted then migrated its way to the clutch surface causing it to slip creating the brake smell. View attachment 219326 View attachment 219329


oh and here is how hot my truck read before leaving work Tuesday!

View attachment 219328

Did you ever get the clutch replaced. Mine is doing the exact same thing and everywhere I check doesnt list just the clutch, I'd need to buy the whole compressor.

 

[grumpygirl]

i ended up ordering it from a dealer in florida. it took some digging but i was able to find a part number for the clutch assembly. ill see if i can find mine order form and send you the info.

 

[grumpygirl]

Did you ever get the clutch replaced. Mine is doing the exact same thing and everywhere I check doesnt list just the clutch, I'd need to buy the whole compressor.

heres the part kit number you need 68232392AB. there are multiple dealers on line that have it listed. my local dealer wanted $350, thats why i ordered it online. its pretty easy to change, i pulled the fan shroud out to give myself plenty of room. just need a 8 or 10 mm socket , a pair of snap ring pliers and a pulley puller.

 

[grumpygirl]

Did you ever get the clutch replaced. Mine is doing the exact same thing and everywhere I check doesnt list just the clutch, I'd need to buy the whole compressor.

hows your A/C coming?

 

[Burla]

great info, thanks for posting.

 

[hammmmmer]

Replaced my clutch recently and this same thing happened to me about 200 miles in. Did your replacement clutch fix your issue? I'm wondering if I just got a cheap part? Got it off ebay, new part, not refurb.

Pictures below. That is supposed to be one part. the vulcanized rubber just melted and therefore the clutch plate would not spin.

 

[18CrewDually]

Did you properly set the clutch disk air-gap? This is accomplished by removing or adding shim washers inside the hub. Removing a washer or installing a thinner one closes the gap. I set them to .015-.020" using feeler gauges. Incorrect large gaps will let the clutch slip causing it to overheat and melt like yours and the OP. The clutch wears and can be reset to stop this from occurring if caught in time.

 

[Redfisher1974]

Check seal on front of compressor if u see the black grease of death its shot. The seal wears out then the lubricant comes out of compressor coating clutch in turn wrecking it.

 

[Sherman Bird]

Did Mr. Spock do the Vulcanizing??

 

[indept]

Did Mr. Spock do the Vulcanizing??

With the heat down there all I can say is
Live long & perspire

 

[hammmmmer]

Did you properly set the clutch disk air-gap? This is accomplished by removing or adding shim washers inside the hub. Removing a washer or installing a thinner one closes the gap. I set them to .015-.020" using feeler gauges. Incorrect large gaps will let the clutch slip causing it to overheat and melt like yours and the OP. The clutch wears and can be reset to stop this from occurring if caught in time.

thank you for the idea. Yes, I did check the gap with a feeler gauge, and it was within tolerance (after adding an additional shim). I checked it and rechecked it the best I could with the awkward access. But now I'm second-guessing myself and wondering if that was it. I was confident it was good because the clutch engaged/disengaged in what looked like an effective manner, post-install. hmm

 

[hammmmmer]

Check seal on front of compressor if u see the black grease of death its shot. The seal wears out then the lubricant comes out of compressor coating clutch in turn wrecking it.

I still have the pulley on, so it seems I can't get a good look at the shaft seal on the compressor, however, it looks like from the picture below (pulley still on truck so I can drive it), there is no oil present.

 

[hammmmmer]

The compressor was running super smooth, basically noiseless after I installed the clutch. The clutch seemed to engage/disengage smoothly. The air was super crisp and cold. Would not a seizing compressor make some kind of noise?

 

[Sherman Bird]

With the heat down there all I can say is
Live long & perspire

View attachment 523492

At 68 years of age, and having been born and raised here, all the hype and hoopla in the media about our "extreme" heat is a bunch of garbage! The summer of 1980 was THE worst we've EVER had it in spite of all the braniacs' bloviations! This heat is standard fare. The one thing that amuses me about the evolution of our "heat" here is the media zeroing in on putting one's shoes and/or cell phone in the back seat so as not to forget the tiny tot(s). After raising kids, none EVER let me NOT notice them, thus, I never left one in a hot car!

I am acclimated to the heat, and not the cold. At my advanced age, I do have to be more mindful of staying indoors in the hot part of the day (3:00 PM)

And, yes, we perspire here!