A/C Clutch

My A/C clutch is slipping. How hard is it to change?

I have never done it, but....is the clutch slipping because its worn, or because the guts of the compressor or getting ready to seize up? You should be able to turn the outside of the clutch (not the pulley part) with your hand. After a few turns it should get stiffer, but still be turnable.

Ditto on what Denison posted. I am facing the same task, (changing out ac clutch) on one D's '97 Tracer... probably get to it tomorrow. I also have never done this task.

Be sure your problem isn't intermittent 12v being supplied from relays in the CCRM unit (if your model has such). Many folks have posted of problems with the CCRM.

Thanks! I went to AutoZone.com and a clutch was $99 but a new compressor with clutch was $169. So I'll just change it all. I too am concerned it may be the compressor that's shot. My car only has 300,000 miles on it and I'm already having troubles :grinyes:

What model year do you have? Have you checked the voltage going to the clutch?

It's a '93 wagon. It has only done this twice (slipped). Both times it was around 110 degrees outside and I had let the car idle a long time. I'm going to quit doing that and see what happens. It's fine right now.

If it's "fine right now" ... you can forget the clutch for the time being. They don't heal themselves or do much teasing ... they fail pretty much "outright".

I could easily believe that the voltage may have dipped a bit while idling, leading to .....

From what I've observed, AzTumbleweed is pretty knowledgeable and so would be able to tell the difference between slipping or other. Rather than attempt diagnose, I can only state my own experiences. Compressor wouldn't work at all. Just a $2 or $3 relay at the time. Not sure whether relays normally fail totally, intermittently or both. '94 LX model.

LOVE heat so don't use A/C except when carting company. Especially during rains, do sometimes use the compressor on the heat setting to take some of the humidity out for comfort, but keep things warm. Regardless, I do try and run the compressor every now and then to keep it lubricated.

On my '97, the ac runs all the time ... unless the selector switch is "off". Wasn't designed that way ... I've got wiring diagrams to prove it ... but the switch got built that way by supplier. Ford/we just lived with error.