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Topic: ac compressor

in Forum: C3 Cooling and Heating Systems


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ac compressor

Posted: 7/17/11 7:43am Message 1 of 18
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Redwingvette
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Waterford, MI - USA
Joined: 9/13/2002
Posts: 1754
Vette(s): 1973 Red coupe
My ac belt started to burn up yesterday when I turned it on. I turned it off and drove home. Once I got home I opened the hood to find that the clutch had come apart. Is there a way to tell if the compressor is bad or do I just change the clutch. I think that there must be a reason why the clutch would come apart without a heavy load on it.


Brian - NCM Lifetime Member

73 coupe L48, Flat-top pistons, Performer RPM Heads, Crane Cam and roller rockers, Holley 650 vac sec. Performer intake,
3.55 gear BTO 200-4R trans,
Leather seats, Seatbelt Plus 3point seatbelts, Pioneer CD player
Magnaflow Exhuast System

Dewitt radiator and dual electric fans
Borgeson Steering box
 


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ac compressor

Posted: 7/17/11 7:59am Message 2 of 18
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ebo
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Holland Patent, NY - USA
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Vette(s): #1 *1980 White, Red interior 14,000 mile #2 *1980 Red, Oyster interior 93,000 miles Resto project car, rebuilt to 383 stroker
Brian.....ouchOuch
Not sure does the clutch get lubricated from the cooling system? Glad nothing flew off and through the hood!
Evil Smileebo




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ac compressor

Posted: 7/17/11 9:14am Message 3 of 18
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Adams' Apple
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Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
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Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
The clutch CAN go bad without having a compressor problem. If the electro-magnet is weak, or doesn't have full voltage to engage the clutch, it can cause the clutch to skip/slide instead of completely locking onto the pully, which will wear the clutch surfaces, and create an overheating condition, which then tends to melt the whole shebang.
However...
a bad/slipping clutch will not normally cause the belt to slip/burn. Chances are, what you have is a compressor that is locking up, and that is burning the clutch and belt.....Dead

On a good compressor, if you grab ahold of the clutch(clutch, not the pulley) once it cools down to a boil, with the engine off, you should be able to turn it fairly easily, with just a little resistance. IF the compressor is going out, the clutch will be hard to turn.



Joel Adams
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ac compressor

Posted: 7/17/11 9:33am Message 4 of 18
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Redwingvette
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Waterford, MI - USA
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Vette(s): 1973 Red coupe
Thanks Joel.
If I decide to change the whole compressor, probably what I am going to do because it is over 14 years since I put this one on, is there a better mouse trap for this old car?



Brian - NCM Lifetime Member

73 coupe L48, Flat-top pistons, Performer RPM Heads, Crane Cam and roller rockers, Holley 650 vac sec. Performer intake,
3.55 gear BTO 200-4R trans,
Leather seats, Seatbelt Plus 3point seatbelts, Pioneer CD player
Magnaflow Exhuast System

Dewitt radiator and dual electric fans
Borgeson Steering box
 


ac compressor

Posted: 7/17/11 9:49am Message 5 of 18
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Adams' Apple
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Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
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Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
Not unless you just want to re-do the whole thing, and install an aftermarket system. 14 years is a good life for an A6 compressor. Just make sure you flush the entire system, and get it clean. You'll need to replace the accumulator/dryer, or the VIR, depending on which your car has...prolly the VIR, if it is original. The VIR can be rebuilt, tho.
I would assume you're going to use R134?



Joel Adams
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ac compressor

Posted: 7/17/11 11:10am Message 6 of 18
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Redwingvette
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Waterford, MI - USA
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Vette(s): 1973 Red coupe
It does have the VIR and it is a real job to get to it. I just talked to my7T1 and he said the same thing, great minds think a like. 
I should take a day and drive over to Terry's shop. That's about 2 1/2 hours from here. What a great reason to go see a friend.
I stayed with R12 when I replaced everything back then. I was told that R134 does not work real well with the VIR system.




Brian - NCM Lifetime Member

73 coupe L48, Flat-top pistons, Performer RPM Heads, Crane Cam and roller rockers, Holley 650 vac sec. Performer intake,
3.55 gear BTO 200-4R trans,
Leather seats, Seatbelt Plus 3point seatbelts, Pioneer CD player
Magnaflow Exhuast System

Dewitt radiator and dual electric fans
Borgeson Steering box
 


ac compressor

Posted: 7/17/11 2:05pm Message 7 of 18
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Adams' Apple
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Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
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Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
Thass prolly true...I've never converted a VIR system. There ARE some conversion components to replace the VIR. I've seen them on fleabay, but don't know how well they might work.
I was wonderin if Terry would get in on this.



Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

ac compressor

Posted: 7/17/11 6:04pm Message 8 of 18
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Redwingvette
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Waterford, MI - USA
Joined: 9/13/2002
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Vette(s): 1973 Red coupe
Terry and Patti are sitting in their vacation home, Bellaire, Mi.
http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Bellaire&state=MI
Sitting around enjoying the lake breeze. It is a real nice place and I hope to get there again sometime.
Redwingvette2011-07-17 18:07:06


Brian - NCM Lifetime Member

73 coupe L48, Flat-top pistons, Performer RPM Heads, Crane Cam and roller rockers, Holley 650 vac sec. Performer intake,
3.55 gear BTO 200-4R trans,
Leather seats, Seatbelt Plus 3point seatbelts, Pioneer CD player
Magnaflow Exhuast System

Dewitt radiator and dual electric fans
Borgeson Steering box
 


ac compressor

Posted: 7/23/11 6:46pm Message 9 of 18
2 cruzn
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Poquoson, VA - USA
Joined: 11/20/2004
Posts: 1023
Vette(s): 73 Conv, Blue-Green/White Top - 454, M21 - Dark Saddle Leather, Power Windows, A/C, Tilt/Tele, AM/FM St. (orig. and sounds like it too).#2 -- 2007 Coupe,3 LT package, Z51 option, Victory Red, Ebony Int. Clear Top.
anyone have an idea how much compressor oil (total) is needed for a '73. Been totally flushed, new desicant in VIR. isn't it suppose to be distributed between the system, not just through the compressor.

thanks
Ray



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ac compressor

Posted: 7/24/11 10:06am Message 10 of 18
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Adams' Apple
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Duncanville, TX - USA
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Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
11oz is the spec. Usually, you would want to put half in the compressor, and half in the accumulator/dryer. That's gonna be hard to do with the VIR, unless the VIR is still off the car.
Putting all of the oil in the compressor will be fine...the oil will be dispersed thru the system as it runs, and once turned off, the oil will settle to the lowest places in the system, as well as the bottom of the compressor. The VIR is pretty much the lowest component in the system, other than the bottom of the condenser, so the oil will be in just about every place it needs to be.
One other thing you could do is put 1/2 of the oil in the compressor, then evacuate the system. Once you have a good vacuum, you can put the other 1/2 of the oil in thru the high/low pressure hoses on the gauge set...the vacuum will draw the oil into the system on both sides that way. This will only work if you are using a bulk oil, in a bottle. You could also use the pressurized oil in the cans, if you want.
hth



Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

in Forum: C3 Cooling and Heating Systems


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