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AC Compressor died - worth fixing? 200

posted by  rstl99 on  Tue Jun 26 15:33 CST 2007
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last visit: Mon Nov 21 17:18 CST 2011
[RELATED]

Hi all,
Wouldn't you know it, on the hottest day of the year so far, I go to turn on the AC in my 92 240 Wagon (332,000 kms), and there is a loud bang from the engine. I turn off the AC, drive home, then try to start it in the driveway and there is an unhealthy noise coming from the compressor. I assume the compressor has given up the ghost, after 15 years and 332,000 kms of faithful service. I don't think it's worth fixing on the car. Should I disconnect or cut off the belt driving the compressor, so the engine doesn't lose any HP needlessly?
Thanks.








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    AC Compressor died - worth fixing? 200

    posted by  B.C. on  Tue Jun 26 18:18 CST 2007
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    last visit: Wed Mar 28 22:28 CST 2012
    [RELATED]

    If the compressor on your brick is like the one my my 1988 244, there may be a different problem.

    When it went out with a bang (not a whimper) what was going on? Engine at idle or at speed? How fast, in rpms if you can?

    When you started the engine later, was the noise immediately apparent or after a 10 to 15 second delay?

    With the enigne running and the a/c turned off, does the noise continue?

    Trying to determine if the noise is the compressor clutch and not the actual innards of the compressor itself.

    Sometimes it can be seen. The thing on the front of the clutch should not turn when the compressor is not engaged. Have a look at it. If it spins all the time, and seems the source of the noise, you may need only a clutch.

    Replacing the clutch on that rotary compressor is not a piece of cake, but it's way cheaper than replacing the compressor.

    Good Luck,

    Bob

    :>)

    Ps: Story from a nearby garage-owner. Cadillac came in with no a/c and some odd looking holes in the hood. Turn out the guy was cruising along at 80 or 90 down in South Texas when he turned the a/c on. High engine revs, clutch turned on, and Wham! clutch went from zero to 3000 and disintegrated. Bits of it punctured the hood.







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      AC Compressor died - worth fixing? 200

      posted by  rstl99 on  Fri Jun 29 06:22 CST 2007
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      last visit: Mon Nov 21 17:18 CST 2011
      [RELATED]

      Thanks for the reply and pointers. To answer your questions:

      When it went out with a bang (not a whimper) what was going on? Engine at idle or at speed? How fast, in rpms if you can?

      > I was driving, probably around 40kph and slowing down to come to a stop sign. I forget if there was a noise before the bang, but it was definitely a loud bang! I immediately turned off the AC switch. When I got past the stop, I turned on the AC switch again (while driving around 50kph, and there was no bang but I could hear a noise, like a fan rubbing on something). Turned the AC off until I got home.

      When you started the engine later, was the noise immediately apparent or after a 10 to 15 second delay?

      > WHen I got in the driveway, with the engine idling, I flipped up the hood, had a look in the engine bay, could not see any leaks or obvious damage. I went in and flipped the AC switch, and pretty well right away that noise came back (like something rubbing on something else, I thought it was the engine fan but no).

      With the enigne running and the a/c turned off, does the noise continue?

      > No, I don't think so (Haven't tried the car since this happened 2 days ago, will check tonight - thankfully I have another car). Noise goes away when AC is off. I let it sit to give me time to inform myself. If I can drive the car and don't do any further damage to anything else by not turning AC on, that suits me fine, my other car has AC. I need the Volvo more for winter driving, AC was a bonus for summer commuting...

      Thanks again!!








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        AC Compressor died - worth fixing? 200

        posted by  Jorrell on  Sat Jun 30 09:37 CST 2007
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        last visit: Thu Dec 27 03:00 CST 2012
        [RELATED]

        To ensure that the AC doesn't accidentally get turned on, disconnect the single clutch wire coming from the compressor, there should be a white bullet connector.

        jorrell
        --
        92 245 250K miles, IPD'd to the hilt, 06 XC70, 00 Eclipse custom Turbo setup...currently taking names and kicking reputations!








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        AC Compressor died - worth fixing? 200

        posted by  B.C. on  Sat Jun 30 07:33 CST 2007
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        last visit: Wed Mar 28 22:28 CST 2012
        [RELATED]

        When you started the engine later, was the noise immediately apparent or after a 10 to 15 second delay?
        .

        There is a time delay (at least on my 1988 244) that allows power to the comreassor only after 10 seconds after a cold engine start. It is there to not immediately load the newly-started engine With the engine warm I think that timer is disabled.

        Clutch bearings are sort of weird when they go out. Noisy when the engine is running and the comprssor is disengaged. Your descriptions point not to the clutch bearing, but to the compressor. Sorry.

        Good Luck,

        Bob

        :>)







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          AC Compressor died - worth fixing? 200

          posted by  rstl99 on  Tue Jul 3 05:14 CST 2007
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          last visit: Mon Nov 21 17:18 CST 2011
          [RELATED]

          Actually, the compressor makes no noise when the AC switch is off. I noticed that the round plate in front of the compressor spins loosely with the engine off. I assume this means that the clutch is broken. In any case, I have disconnected the green wire going to the compressor (so the AC switch cannot be turned on by mistake) and plan on driving it like that (no AC) from now on (I don't have the time/gumption to repair the clutch, and have another car with AC for hot days). I drove it a fair bit over the weekend and don't seem to experience any more problems.

          Thanks for your help folks!!








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    ANSWER AC Compressor died - worth fixing? 200

    posted by  scorron on  Tue Jun 26 16:21 CST 2007
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    last visit: Tue Oct 7 21:10 CST 2014
    [RELATED]

    "Should I disconnect or cut off the belt driving the compressor, so the engine doesn't lose any HP needlessly?
    "

    Not if you value power steering. There are acutally a few posts in the past month concerning removing the AC compressor without losing power steering, I'd look those up.

    It was pretty nasty here today too - like 95deg. and humid as hell - and I turned on my AC briefly. Only briefly. If it didn't work I'd toss it in a heartbeat.

    This post has been marked as an answer to the original question.


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