AC stopped working, clutch is burned up...

mikestoyz · Nov 8, 2016

Last week was cruising along, ac was working great. All of a sudden it got warm in the car. No noise or anything strange.
Got home later and saw the clutch had melted material out of the front.

2012 GT with 150k on it.

Anyone have success just changing the clutch with no other obvious compressor symptoms?

JDos1 · Nov 9, 2016

Yes, I did just that about 3 months ago. Had the same problem. 2011 GT with 140k.

Rockauto has the best price on the clutch when you use the 5% discount code.

Go rent a clutch holder tool from autozone/advance/etc.

Any questions, feel free to PM me.

JDos1 · Nov 9, 2016

Go ahead and replace your AC belt and serpentine while you're in there. You'll have them both off and at 150k it's time.

Here is all the info you should need:

Compressor belt removal/install. Use the zip tie method. Makes it much easier.

http://iihs.net/fsm/?dir=865&viewfile=Air Conditioning (AC) Compressor Belt - 3.7L and 5.0L.pdf

Serpentine belt R/I:

http://iihs.net/fsm/?dir=865&viewfile=Accessory Drive Belt - 5.0L (4V).pdf

Clutch R/I:

http://iihs.net/fsm/?dir=981&viewfile=Clutch and Clutch Field Coil.pdf

mikestoyz · Nov 10, 2016

Wow! You saved the day! I ordered the clutch, belts and will rent the tool from autozone. Hope to be fixing this in the next 2 weeks, Ill post results!:beer:

JDos1 · Nov 10, 2016

Sounds good, shoot me a PM if you have any issues.

The PN for the clutch holder at auto zone is 27000. You also may need a small puller to removed the pulley or two pry bars used with finesse. lol

RusWolf · Nov 11, 2016

I actually have the same problem right now!
2011 with 35k miles.

I ordered the clutch and took the car to a shop. The shop said the AC compressor seized and it needs to be replaced.
So now i wonder what else needs to be done, condenser, drier etc?
I thought we only have 1 belt for everything?
My car is boosted with a Paxton and a wastegate. I wonder if extra tight tension kind of killed the AC.

Also,
what do you guys think is the best AC compressor? OEM or other brands such as 4 seasons and few others?
I'm leaning towards the OEM motorcraft.

OP i hope you dont mind that i ask question in this thread instead of creating a new one for the same issue.

JDos1 · Nov 11, 2016

RusWolf said:
I actually have the same problem right now!
2011 with 35k miles.

I ordered the clutch and took the car to a shop. The shop said the AC compressor seized and it needs to be replaced.
So now i wonder what else needs to be done, condenser, drier etc?
I thought we only have 1 belt for everything?
My car is boosted with a Paxton and a wastegate. I wonder if extra tight tension kind of killed the AC.

Also,
what do you guys think is the best AC compressor? OEM or other brands such as 4 seasons and few others?
I'm leaning towards the OEM motorcraft.

OP i hope you dont mind that i ask question in this thread instead of creating a new one for the same issue.

Call Ford and ask what has to be replaced at the same time to be covered under warranty in the future. Iirc its the receiver drier and orifice tube. Can't tell if ours have the tube or not, I've never been that far into this system on our cars.

Send the clutch back, new compressor will come with one.
2 belts. One from the crank to ac compressor. One that runs everything else.
Impossible to have extra tight tension if you have the stretchy belt as it's the belt itself that creates the tension. Does your car have the stretchy belt or does it have the Post-TSB setup with a tensioner and idler pulley installed in the ac belt routing? That tensioner is self tensioning as well so can't have extra tight tension.

If I replaced the whole compressor I'd personally cough up the extra money and go with a Motorcraft. Your call though. Rockauto has the Motorcraft for $282.

RusWolf · Nov 11, 2016

JDos1 said:
Call Ford and ask what has to be replaced at the same time to be covered under warranty in the future. Iirc its the receiver drier and orifice tube. Can't tell if ours have the tube or not, I've never been that far into this system on our cars.

Send the clutch back, new compressor will come with one.
2 belts. One from the crank to ac compressor. One that runs everything else.
Impossible to have extra tight tension if you have the stretchy belt as it's the belt itself that creates the tension. Does your car have the stretchy belt or does it have the Post-TSB setup with a tensioner and idler pulley installed in the ac belt routing? That tensioner is self tensioning as well so can't have extra tight tension.

If I replaced the whole compressor I'd personally cough up the extra money and go with a Motorcraft. Your call though. Rockauto has the Motorcraft for $282.

Thanks,
I'm out of warranty because the car is 2011 and i checked with 1 dealer and they said AC is not covered under powertrain warranty.
Yes i am sending the clutch back to rockauto.
I never did the TSB because i never had the issues that the TSB was for. so i guess i'm on the original set up.

Yes i will probably go with motorcraft its not the most expensive actually. 4 seasons brand is for some reason.

basspro302 · Nov 11, 2016

If your ac compressor locked up you would have smoked the belt. It would smell like burning and the belt would be melted. I would get a second opinion unless it was obvious.

JDos1 · Nov 13, 2016

basspro302 said:
If your ac compressor locked up you would have smoked the belt. It would smell like burning and the belt would be melted. I would get a second opinion unless it was obvious.

Unless the clutch hadn't engaged and it kept free wheeling, however you've be inclined to believe that at some point the compressor would've tried to engage and burned the belt. Is there a cutout on these that prevents the clutch from engaging when the system is low on refrigerant?

mikestoyz · Nov 20, 2016

Got the parts in. Reached down and felt the clutch could roughly spin and actually had play. I was sure my compressor was shot. Then realized the outer ring was spinning, but the inner wasn't. It separated. The job is a pita from the location. Getting the snap ring off....ugh. Use a mirror. Don't strip a screw getting the coil off. Ugh.
Warm the ac belt in hot water and remove the tensioner so you can get the belt in there and use the zip tie method.
Car blows 40 degrees and cooler again! Engages fine. Used the same spacers.

JDos1 · Nov 23, 2016

Glad you got it fixed. If you have a tensioner on the AC belt then you have a post TSB setup.
For future reference, buy a tube of valve grinding compound. Apply a bit on the tip of your screwdriver before trying to remove screws that may be in super tight or in a bad spot should it strip out. If you think the ac clutch is in a bad spot, be glad you don't work on corporate jets. lol I can show you some bad spots. AC Clutch is one of the easiest jobs on these cars IMO. Experience helps though.

t660 · Nov 27, 2016

Just had my AC go out as well, just cruising around and went to 3rd gear, heard a hissing like pressurized air leaking. Pulled over and didn't see or smell anything.

Does this seem like a clutch problem too? I haven't noticed anyone mentioning a sound when their ac clutch went out.

Also, is this the part you guys are getting?
http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...nditioning,a/c+compressor+clutch+pulley,13288

JDos1 · Nov 27, 2016

Yes, the clutch usually makes a loud hum for 1-5 seconds that can (not necessarily will) vary with rpm.

AC stopped working, clutch is burned up...

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