I know industrial A/C but MVAC sometimes confuses me.

2000 E150 5.4
I just got back from Florida. On the way down, it seemed like it was freezing up, it would discharge warm but then come back to cold. I didn't have any equipment with me so I grabbed a can, low side gauge, and connector at Walmart figuring the refrigerant is low. However the gauge showed 55 psi on the low side so I left it alone.

Down in FL I had short trips and all seemed fine. Then the trip back: It got worse. When it would get warm, I'd have to take it to idle and then it would start cooling and would work for a short time. Since I figured it was overcharged, I 'recovered' some refrigerant to bring down the low side pressure. WRONG! Now no cooling at all so I charged it back to where it was at before. I noticed that the 'compressor' started to seem noisy.

It continued to get worse and then I noticed that it was loud whether I had the A/C on or off so I figure the clutch bearings must be going. I tried coaxing it to work as it was 100 deg. in Nashville but then the compressor and even the cabin fan gave up. I'm guessing I blew a fuse now since the inside fan won't even run. I've not had a chance to check it because I just got home 12 hours ago and I'm too pooped to work on it yet, but I will this week.

When I start the van now, the clutch is louder than the engine. Do you all think that I just need a new clutch?

 

You can replace the clutch assembly, but I'll bet the heat has smoked the shaft seal. It's also possible that the compressor seized internally and caused the clutch to burn up.
Loosen the center bolt to back the plate away from the pulley and see if the compressor spins smoothly by hand. If seized or it feels "lumpy" the compressor has grenaded internally. This calls for a "firewall forward" replacement. (Ouch! Compressor, condenser, accumulator, orifice and lines. $$$)

Here's the likely scenario:
-Clutch gap too wide caused your intermittant loss of cooling first.

Pick one:
-Very high temps (high head pressure) caused the clutch to slip due to the wide gap, or;
- Compressor started binding internally causing the clutch to slip along with filling the system with debris. Clutch warpage from the heat closed the gap enough that it would stay engaged enough to slip.

-Heat from the slipping clutch toasted the hub bearing, shaft seal, and melted the clutch coil causing it to short and blow the fuse.

 

Well, I'm hoping for the best here. I just popped a new fuse in here at work to at least get the fans running again as I didn't even have defrosters this morning and I needed them some. Since I had several of those fuses here at work I went ahead and engaged the A/C clutch and it engaged and the compressor is turning and I only left it on a few seconds but it seemed to be cooling.

Now I just need to go get a new clutch and see what happens.

Does that clutch come off of the compressor fairly easily?

 

I removed the center bolt and it all fell apart because it is crap now. I pulled off the snap ring and the pulley is tight on the shaft right now so I'm waiting for it to cool down so that it will come off.

 

I just noticed that ypur 2000 E-van is a conversion. If that compressor hasn't grenaded, go buy a lottery ticket. If it has...Well, I'm sure glad I'm not you.
When the shrapnel gets into the add-on part of the system, things can get pretty ugly. Access to the rear evaporator and expansion valve is almost impossible on the ones I've seen.

Evacuate the system, cross your fingers, and pull out the orifice tube. You'll know if the compressor came apart. I sure hope it didn't.

 

The shaft turns good so maybe it's OK. The clutch is sure shot though. I got the thing off but 30% of the bearings were missing. Advanced Auto didn't have a clutch in stock until tomorrow so we'll see then.

Am I going to have to use one of those clutch installation tools to hold it in place when I reassemble the thing or is that only usually for removal?

 

You just need to find a way to hold the clutch plate while you tighten the bolt. You can clamp across the plate and pulley with channel locks (With the belt on) .
Be sure to set the clutch gap to less than .015". The tighter the better without the clutch rubbing.
You really need to consider replacing the compressor. After all of that heat, they usually don't last long. At best, the shaft seal will leak.

 

It's getting tougher for me to put very much $$$ into it as I would guess it's going to be time for another van next year although a compressor is not out of the question for me. Still got the 89 sitting next to the house with a good R12 system front/rear right now and I haven't yet made up my mind what to do with that one.

All 3 of my vans (91 Caravan too) have over 130k miles on them and I'm getting concerned that I need something with a little lower miles on it sitting around. (other than the motorcycle)

 

Well, I went to put the new clutch on and it won't go on the shaft. Of course there's no clearance to hardly even tap the bearing on. I put the old inner sleeve back on the shaft and it goes on fairly well so I'm guessing there's a slight difference in the bearing size. I'm sure if the compressor was sitting on a bench I could tap the new one into place but I am trying to keep from opening the system. Tomorrow I'm going to have to talk the the machinists at work to give me some ideas on how I'm going to get that dang thing on, and also measure the inner bearing race with a digital caliper. Possibly I can order a bearing with the correct size to replace this one.

This blows as I figured the new one would just slide right on. I'm thinking of taking the Sawzall to that section of the fan shroud to make it easier to tap that bearing on the compressor shaft.

 

You lost me. There are 3 pieces(in order)-
-clutch coil
-pulley
-Clutch plate
Which one won't go on?

If it's the pulley, check for scoring on the compressor snout. The old one may have spun.

 

When I said 'clutch' I was kind of talking about the whole assy but I really meant the pulley.

I had a machinist look at it this morning. He worked on it a while and when he gave it back to me, he said that it now has the same ID as the original, which I had given him too. He said that the new one was a few tenths smaller than the old one. I also got some emory cloth to clean the shaft before I reinstall it tonight. One way or another it's going on tonight because I have to drive it tomorrow, with or without A/C.

I think I might have to come visit that railway you list in your sig. It looks to be about 3.5 hours from me. I try and hit any tourist railroads wherever I go.

 

Yep, sounds like the snout was a little bit scored. It should be ok.

Come on out to the L&WV if you get the chance. The County Fair is next week, and we run trips from the front gate of the fairgrounds all week long.

 

I don't know when I'll get there, or if. Maybe bring the kids to the Halloween run. That's a nice lookin' E diesel.

 

Thanks Rob(?). I sent you a PM. (and hit the "post" button early by mistake).

I hope to see you there, We're kinda proud of our railroad. 101 is our showpiece.