08 3500 ac not working

[imakedacookies]

My a/c is having issues on my 08 3500 cummins. It holds a charge and seems to blow kind of cold sometimes but never cold and not consistently. I thought a fuse was bad and if google is right its the #32 fuse which is fine. when my ac is running the compressor doesnt look like its spinning with the belt which is why i thought it would be the fuse. If the compressor or pully clutch was bad could that be my problem? Im not sure what else to look for that would make it not work but these 95 degree days are getting real old with no ac.

[brcidd]

Next time it is supposed to be on, but not cooling- pop hood, look at front of compressor- is snout turning? probably not-- then with a blunt object- like a hammer handle- tap the front of the compressor--does the snout start turning and a/c cooling? probably so..

If this is the case, then your air gap is too wide between the pulley face and the clutch armature plate--due to wear. Answer is to remove clutch driver bolt and wiggle clutch (snout) off the spline, be sure to notice how many shims are behind the clutch-- then find the thickest shim and throw it away- put clutch driver back on and be happy for the next 100k miles..

[imakedacookies]

So I tried your suggestion and all I’m getting now is a grinding sound coming from the compressor. Almost like it tried to do what it was supposed to but couldn’t pull it in far enough to spin the compressor. Or maybe that the compressor is stuck and the pulley is grinding on the clutch. Would that be a bad compressor or try to replace the clutch first?

[brcidd]

With engine off, can you turn the front snout (clutch driver) by hand? If so thast means pump is okay- and grinding is the fact that the armature cannot completely pull in....

if seized, then clutch has been ruined (smoked) and thus the grinding sound.

[imakedacookies]

Nope cant turn it. Don't know how much resistance it should have but a crow bar on it had the motor wiggling on the mounts. That would mean a bad compressor then?

[brcidd]

Yep- your compressor is fried- probably due to running low on refrigerant and thus starving the compressor for oil.