AC Compressor Clutch cycles

[KDRichards]

On the way home from work I turned on my heater and soon began to hear a clicking sound. I looked under thge hood and my AC compressor clutch was cycling on and off every 30-40 seconds. I turned off the heater and drove home without hearing the sound. Is my compressor clutch going out or could it be something else? Also, if need be can just the clutch be replaced or will the compressor need to be replaced? Thanks for any input.
K. D. Richards

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by KDRichards

On the way home from work I turned on my heater and soon began to hear a clicking sound. I looked under thge hood and my AC compressor clutch was cycling on and off every 30-40 seconds. I turned off the heater and drove home without hearing the sound. Is my compressor clutch going out or could it be something else? Also, if need be can just the clutch be replaced or will the compressor need to be replaced? Thanks for any input.
K. D. Richards

Welcome on your first post on AF.
Does it do the same thing with ac on?
If so it is usually low freon or a bad pressure switch on ac.
MT

[Marbles1984]

It does that to keep your compressor from locking up in the winter. Don't worry, its normal. Mine does it when I turn the defrost on. If it cycles when you have the ac on though its low on freon. The compressor should stay on when the a/c freon level is ok.

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by Marbles1984

It does that to keep your compressor from locking up in the winter. Don't worry, its normal. Mine does it when I turn the defrost on. If it cycles when you have the ac on though its low on freon. The compressor should stay on when the a/c freon level is ok.

The AC is used on defrost cycle to help keep the moisture off of windshield and window glasses.
Fast cycle on and off is a sign of a problem.
If it keeps doing it fix it or unplug it.
MT