HELP, question on having A/C repaired

[HPG]

First hot day of the season, and the A/C on my 88 won’t work. Found the clutch is bad. Now the problem. The shaft into the compressor turns as it should after the clutch is pulled off. Could the compressor be a problem after running for a while and this is what took out the clutch. Or is just the clutch bad. New compressor with clutch is $425 and the clutch alone is $180. So if I just have the clutch replaced and it was the compressor that took out the clutch , I’m out $180. Or if it is only the clutch and I decided just to change that, I’ll save $245. Just changing the clutch, does that loose the refrigerant charge. If so, I guess I’ll change to R134. Any ideas or suggestions .

[vigman]

What's actually wrong with the clutch.... open circut?

Need more info


Vig~

[HPG]

No, not an open circuit. The clutch I guess they call them shoes. are bad. When you set the A/C, you can hear the clutch click in. It starts to turn and just stops. The outer part of the clutch gets very hot. It does not loose the 12 v circuit to the compressor.

[Ken]

Of course, this is just my opinion, but with a 15 year-old car (you didn't say whether the compressor was original or not -- I'll assume it is) it would be foolhardy to replace just the clutch assembly, when the compressor may be the next thing to take a dive due to age. To borrow a phrase from one of the oil companies: "You can pay now, or you can pay later."

Just my humble opinion.

[cntrhub]

Do yourself a favor. Don't spend a dime on the clutch to try and repair it. Been there, done that. You must find an A/C specialty shop that deals in genuine replacement A/C parts for GM. They are out there. Just bite the bullet and let the pro's go through the whole system. They'll retrieve the coolant. Top off the oil in the new pump unit. Check the small filter for metal debris in the tank, (that's another story). They'll replace the old rubber o-rings with new ones..... And on and on. It's something a professional should do.
The guy handed me my old compressor pump and a fresh Delco one out of a box. He told me to spin both. The internal pump was shot! I would have wasted $$ on the clutch doing it myself. It wasn't the clutch. The seal behind the clutch?.....it was leaking oil out of the pump. I didn't even suspect the pump because here I thought it was the clutch making all that noise. When the system ran and warmed up, the noise became louder.
I got the car back, and now I have to crack the window open, just to warm up a little. Needless to say, it was well worth the (parts&labor) $500 plus rebuild.

[HPG]

Yes,, I think it would be foolish to replace the clutch. Just got off the phone and told the mechanic to do the compressor and change to 134. It is the original compressor. Thank you all for the responce. :s :s :s