1998 F150 4.6L

My a/c stopped working last month. That was no fun but I wasn't to worried about it. Started to hear a rattling noise from the engine compartment a couple days ago. It was a terrible sound. Once I started looking for the sound, it was pretty obvious it was the a/c compressor. You could see the clutch rattling. Took the 8mm bolt out, pulled the face plate off and a few ball bearings fell out, along with a smashed up piece of metal.

I'm guessing that the bearings that hold the field coil to the compressor. My question is, do I have to remove the compressor to pull the field coil? I'd rather not have to break into the a/c system, if I don't have too.

 

You can do it installed but it's tight. It will help by giving you more working room if you remove the passenger wheel well liner and the fan shroud.

 

You probably don't have to replace the coil, just the pulley and the clutch plate.

The field coil is pressed onto the snout of the compressor housing. Those bearings were from the belt pulley.

 

Ok, that makes since. But it's still the same question, I csrb do it in truck, I don't have to pull the whole compressor to change the pulley, right?

 

Not for the pulley. I did it on my old 97 with the 5.4 and had enough room. Never had to do it on a 4.6 but I imagine it wouln't be any different.