You need to describe the noise better.

If the clutch is turning the compressor shaft, the bearing is no longer turning but spins as a complete unit. The only sound should be the compressor pumping which will sound like a low whine.

If the clutch plate is slipping, it will make a screechy and scraping metallic sound.

The front plate or the pulley base part may be warped or worn so there is an excessive gap that the springs can make the front fit tightly against each other.

It is possible to machine the rear surface back flat and trim the front hub back shorter in order to restore that gap to only a few thousandths of an inch. I have done this once and it is not that much if you are looking to replace it anyways.

Before you become all worked up on this as a fix, make sure that the magnetic coil is getting all the current it needs. It should draw about ten amperes. In order to do that, the wires have to be in good condition and without corrosion.

Most importantly, the coil pack and the compressor body are part of the circuit. Find that ground wire that loops to the engine, as it is a backup. There is also a wire from the negative side of coil itself. It is inside the whole mess. In order to find out you will be looking at pulling down the front clutch pack. It takes a puller to yank that front plate off the compressor shaft.

You might try this first. With the coil when engaged, with the engine off, you should be able to feel a screwdriver held to the front plate as the magnetic field should be strong enough to reach out that far in order to suck the front plate into the pulley plate.


Hope this helped, even though I could have wrote this up backwards. I think and then write as I go. I just do not know how far the trip will be or like it is how much gas is in my tank, when, keyed up!
Phil