air condition clutch pulley

[brennon_garrett]

i have a 97 grand prix gt and the air conditioner has started making a very loud knoking noise, the air conditioner works fine it just makes a lot of raket when i turn the compressor on. does this sound like the pulley or compressor? please help taking it to the shop tom.

[Jaconda]

Originally Posted by brennon_garrett

i have a 97 grand prix gt and the air conditioner has started making a very loud knoking noise, the air conditioner works fine it just makes a lot of raket when i turn the compressor on. does this sound like the pulley or compressor? please help taking it to the shop tom.

I had a 96 grand prix doing the same thing. The clutch and pulley assembly on some of compressors can be changed out without removing the compressor and loosing all of the freon. A reputable parts place should be able to tell by the last 8 digits of the VIN that's how I found out. Sure was cheaper than breaking down the entire system.

[knucklebuster2]

Just so you don't think it's a piece of cake, you also have to take note that you usually need a special clutch tool to remove the clutch and pulley. You sometimes need one to install it too. If you don't have the clearance in the engine compartment, you still may have to remove or loosen the compressor. In some instances, it will be cheaper to just change the clutch, provided you don't need to change the pulley(with bearing) and/or the coil. You'll see the condition of these components once they are removed. If you have to start changing more than one part, look into buying a remanufactured compressor. May save you trouble and money in the long run.