Air Conditioner Issues, 5.3 Z Vin

[droptopchevy]

Hey all, running into a few climate control related issues. Bought truck at 150k a couple years ago. AC worked well, other than a few intermittent blend issues which are not related. I've put 100k on it and only done oil changes and wear items. With that said, I noticed the AC was starting to get weaker. Picked up a couple cans of 134, but haven't touched them. Yesterday I start the truck, and very briefly I hear what I can only describe as a very quick metal on metal squeal, for less than a second. My initial thought was WTF was that, sounded like a screw driver in the belt. It most certainly came from the compressor, and that was the exact moment I no longer have AC. Front nor rear.
Now the compressor does not appear to be turning on. The AC light stays solid but I've verified both sides of tube are hot, zero change.
Thoughts? I've heard about the remove the pulley and clutch "shims", but is it to late for that? I'm pretty confident I can pull the wheel and pop a compressor on it, but I don't want to pull out the parts shotgun just yet. Sorry for the book.

 

[Doubeleive]

I would just replace the compressor, leave the belt off until you replace it so it doesn't shoot shrapnel into the whole system.
that's a classic symptom of a bad compressor, also be sure to get a identical compressor has to be the same design, no extra ports or fittings or it won't work
there are several designs so look at the pictures and compare to yours or if you do it at the store compare them side by side before you leave.
If that is the original ac compressor with 250k on it you got a good run out of it I wouldn't even bother with trying to replace a clutch or anything.

 

[rockola1971]

I second dont mess with replacing the clutch even if you know for sure its the clutch. If the clutch is that badly worn then so is the compressor. Replace the drier and orifice tube, flush, vac, recharge after no leaks have been determined. Dont forget the rear AC!

 

[swathdiver]

X3, clutches are about $160-180 and you have to set them up just right. And yet, the compressor is still old with 250K miles on it! Don't know if it is today, but 30-40 years ago it was SOP to replace the accumulator with the compressor.

 

[droptopchevy]

As far as I know it is stock compressor. This truck appears to be completly factory, coils, accessories everything. Are the $200 compressors on rock auto worth anything? I've got a manifold set and I can rent a vacuum pump. It seems like a pretty straight forward job threw the wheel well. I've done worse. Am I correct in think there are only two styles, the three flug and the flat face? Also correction, 275k miles. I'll verify stock compressor when I get it off. This truck has been very problem free.

 

[Doubeleive]

As far as I know it is stock compressor. This truck appears to be completly factory, coils, accessories everything. Are the $200 compressors on rock auto worth anything? I've got a manifold set and I can rent a vacuum pump. It seems like a pretty straight forward job threw the wheel well. I've done worse. Am I correct in think there are only two styles, the three flug and the flat face? Also correction, 275k miles. I'll verify stock compressor when I get it off. This truck has been very problem free.

as long as they match up you should be fine, you do have to kind of Houdini it out thru the wheel well or under neath and kinda forward, probably easier if it's not 4wd/awd,
be sure to check for leaks as you are filling it up a new pump will need the pag oil or whatever it takes should say under the hood somewhere on a label

 

[rockola1971]

PAG oil is indeed designed to be used with R134A. The compressor will come with a precharge of PAG oil inside it so be careful to not pull the plugs from the rear of the compressor until AFTER unit is installed. Otherwise you will dump PAG oil all over yourself while installing. Read paperwork that comes with replacement compressor. It will note whether any additional PAG oil is needed to be charged into the system. If it is needed I just drop it in the hard line while I have it apart to replace the orifice tube. And for those that dont know the orifice tube is stupid easy to replace and MUST REPLACE when replacing ANY component that has refrigerant traveling through it, especially if a compressor throws its guts up which would would also require a complete system flush. The orifice tube is located on the hard line near the high side port. (passenger side of vehicle). There is a large fitting that you unscrew with a crescent or line wrench. Orifice tube will be in line forward (toward front bumper) of the fitting. Take a pair of need nose pliars and grab it and pull straight out toward firewall. Ill get some pics of the fitting when I can and add to here.
Circled in red is the fitting that has to be taken apart to access orifice tube and green arrow shows direction of removal. Use a backup wrench on brass fitting!

 

[droptopchevy]

Thanks on the note about the orifice tube. Thoughts on replacing just the compressor or should I go for one of the kits that includes condenser, etc?

 

[rockola1971]

Thanks on the note about the orifice tube. Thoughts on replacing just the compressor or should I go for one of the kits that includes condenser, etc?

Id stick a compressor with clutch, orifice tube and new drier in it and call it a day. Maybe flush the system out too but the solvent used for this aint cheap and usually takes a couple cans.

 

[droptopchevy]

That's the plan. I was probably going to pick up a can of that AC Pro System Flush. I was going to forgo this step but I saw a video and he said the amount of crap that came out of his system was pretty immense.