I have a 91 lx 5.0 auto with 186k on it... my a/c went warm... and i figured time fora freon recharge. took it to shop for a/c recharge... and they said that it was the clutch, the compressor is fine, and the freon isn't empty.. they said it would be 400 bucks to replace it... i said no thanks. i found two possible clutch's... one is for a 6P148A compressor and the other is for a SD709 compressor... anyone know which one it is? also, is autozone my best bet to find one or what? when i replace my clutch, to me it doesn't look like i'll need to drain or recharge freon to do so, is that true? any help is appreciated. thanks. -a ps- ordered my new frpp driveshaft today, woot!!
Most likely it is the 6P compressor if it is factory AC. I believe the Sd unit is dealer installed air. There are pics on the Autozone.com website. I know mine is the 6P style, factory air. And yes, you do not need to evacuate the system. I replaced mine several years ago. You will need a pair of deep snap ring plyers to remove the snap ring in the compressor snout, then use a puller to remove it. Good luck!
The A/C clutch is about $100 new or you can buy a compressor from the junkyard with a working clutch for about $50. The puller is about $16 if you have to buy one, Autozone will rent you one for free. The clutch hub is usually what fails, the rubber shock damper shears off from the steel hub and plate. The pulley turns, but the hub doesn't when you power up the A/C The hub comes off without much problem if you have the puller. You don’t have to do anything with the refrigerant (R12 or R134a), you can replace the clutch without draining and refilling the system. The snap ring hiding inside the hub is the only tricky part. A few simple electrical tests are advised before popping out the wallet to buy a clutch assembly. With the engine running, use a test light connected to the 2 wires on the A/C clutch harness to make sure you have voltage when you turn the A/C on. If the system is low on refrigerant, the clutch will not engage (safety feature, keeps you from burning up the compressor due to no oil). There is an aluminum canister on the firewall with a large hose leading to the A/C compressor. There is a pressure switch on it with a 2 wire connector: pull the connector off and jumper the wires. The compressor circuit will power up, and the test light will light if the electrical circuit is good. This test is also a good way to check the compressor & clutch if the system is low on refrigerant. You can jumper the wires and the compressor will turn if the clutch is good.
excellent as always, thank you. the dampner in fact did shear off... i'll post up pictures when i get it in... i ordered it today, should be in tomorrow, and i'll install it monday or tuesday when i get back into town... thank you.
