I just bought a 96 f250 5.8

Upon driving home, i tried the ac again and the ac clutch started to smoke. I replaced the clutch with one from autozone, but when I tried it again, it made a screaming death noise upon clutch engagement.

Is my compressor seized?

I tried to turn the clutch (not the pulley, that spins fine) by tapping one of the slots and bolts with a screwdriver/hammer. It was firmly locked in place.

If the compressor was OK, would it have turned easily?

If I need to replace the ac pump, who sells a good/cheap/reliable one?

 

Put a socket wrench on the compressor shaft bolt. If you can't turn it clockwise with relative ease, it's dead. Usual failure mode is seized tight, or able to rock it back and forth a bit, but then hits a solid stop. Either way, that is an internal catastrophic failure.

Your 1996 5.8 F-250 will be the same A/C parts as my 1994 5.8 Bronco. All refrigerant-related parts are under the hood on those year trucks - GREAT!

Here are a few relevant threads if yours is deceased:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...6-f250-hd.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ant-lines.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-ac-parts.html

 

Thanks! I've been reading a LOT about black death. I will check your links specifically though. I'm a mech engineer and think I will try to replace the ac system myself. I will buy one of the typical Compressor/Accumulator/Drier/Expansion Valve/O-ring Kits, but...

Should I also buy a new Condenser? Evaporator? All the many hoses?

Anyway, I'll read your links, unless I'm too distracted by the women's high jump finals...

Oh, and thanks Detroit for putting all the AC stuff under the hood, so much space compared to my GTI!

 

with the belt removed the compressor shaft should spin freely with the clutch engaged.
if it does not the compressor is seized.
unfortunately there is no such thing as a good/cheap/reliable unit. you get good and reliable, or cheap.

 

Finally got the tool to open the special connection and get my orifice tube out. Here it is:






I also saw a bunch of metal particles fall into the engine bay when I pulled the o-tube out.

So, Black Death?

 

IIRC, true "Black Death" was applicable to R-12 mineral-oil based systems.

You've got typical failed compressor stuff. Oil, cooked oil, shards of aluminum, steel, hard shoe material, from big to very tiny. Aluminum from pistons and cylinder bores, steel from swash plate, shoe material like carbide.

Your compressor's last seconds of life were painful, but it's at peace now...

You can see why the condenser, manifold hose assembly, etc. needs to be replaced!

Replace the evaporator too. I would not depend on a filter screen to guaranty that nothing went in the evap. And since everything else is going to be new, why leave the old evap there? Firewall Forward!

 

I read that black death was from Teflon seals in the pump, and that may be the black stuff on the filter.

I'll pull all parts and inspect for contamination. Maybe the orifice filter blocked it all, the screen is intact.