A/C failure - missing clutch plate

[chumpo]

I have a 2016 GT that just had the AC randomly go out after stopping to get gas. When I turned the car on it only blew hot air. I took it to a mechanic dreading the evaporator issue I read about. They noticed my compressor was missing the clutch plate and suggested I replace the full AC compressor kit for $2400. I see the clutch plates online for under $50, is there any chance this could be a cheap fix or would a full replacement be necessary?

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[ice445]

You can try it, it's cheap after all. It needs to be properly air gapped though.

It may be that way though because the compressor locked up and broke the bolt and sent the face plate flying. I'm doubtful that it just worked it's way out judging by those metal shavings

 

[sk47]

Hello; A couple of decades ago the bearing that allows the AC clutch pulley was failing on a commuter car. I removed the belt and ran the car without AC. I was lucky in having a separate belt for the AC but unlucky in it was a hot part of the year.
The AC itself was OK. I bought a puller kit and was able to remove the clutch assembly without taking the compressor out of the car and opening up the system. New clutch+ bearing installed and i was back in business.
Now days it might be the tools can be rented at Autozone, Advance or some such. I only used that puller kit that one time so far.

Look at it this way. Might be worth a try as you have little to lose.

 

[chumpo]

The part comes in tomorrow, I figure I can’t make it much worse but I’m hoping it will work. I didn’t get to drive it last summer because the PCM died and it took the dealership 4 months to get the part. Now peak summer I get no AC!

 

[sk47]

Hello; A big issue likely will be finding room to work with the compressor still hooked up. It was tight on the car I repaired. Good thing was the repair lasted till I sold the car a few years later.

good luck

 

[Cobra Jet]

I have a 2016 GT that just had the AC randomly go out after stopping to get gas. When I turned the car on it only blew hot air. I took it to a mechanic dreading the evaporator issue I read about. They noticed my compressor was missing the clutch plate and suggested I replace the full AC compressor kit for $2400. I see the clutch plates online for under $50, is there any chance this could be a cheap fix or would a full replacement be necessary?

There's been a few threads on this site over the years with the S550 A/C compressor clutch or field coil assembly coming apart.

Here's some A/C field coil/compressor clutch tech posts to assist with your repair effort. Definitely stop driving because if the clutch is already damaged last thing you want is to have it come totally apart at speed, because you’ll end up damaging more in the engine bay.

This thread was from another M6G Member where the failure turned out to be the A/C field coil/clutch head:
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/what-is-this-passenger-side-lower-main-pulley-ac.121072/

This thread has the info from the Ford shop manual for how to remove the clutch assembly/field coil:
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/th...tentially-a-c-compressor.129712/#post-2686995

There is also this thread which discusses how to remove the A/C stretch belt (and an available Lisle tool to do it too):
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/ac-stretch-belt-help-please.175709/#post-3554880

 

[chumpo]

There's been a few threads on this site over the years with the S550 A/C compressor clutch or field coil assembly coming apart.

Here's some A/C field coil/compressor clutch tech posts to assist with your repair effort. Definitely stop driving because if the clutch is already damaged last thing you want is to have it come totally apart at speed, because you’ll end up damaging more in the engine bay.

This thread was from another M6G Member where the failure turned out to be the A/C field coil/clutch head:
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/what-is-this-passenger-side-lower-main-pulley-ac.121072/

This thread has the info from the Ford shop manual for how to remove the clutch assembly/field coil:
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/th...tentially-a-c-compressor.129712/#post-2686995

There is also this thread which discusses how to remove the A/C stretch belt (and an available Lisle tool to do it too):
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/ac-stretch-belt-help-please.175709/#post-3554880

Thanks this thread looks like it has some helpful information for diagnosing if the compressor has seized up or not.

Might be wishful thinking but I‘m hoping it’s as easy fix as this video:

 

[NightmareMoon]

I had a clutch go out and talked my mechanic into just replacing the clutch.

watching him do it, it was worth taking the compressor out of the car to replace the clutch and at that point, you almost might as well do a whole new compressor too. IIRC There were some spring clips that would be pretty tricky to do with the compressor on the car. I know I couldnt have done it.

With the clutch replaced at 50k mikes the compressor is still going strong at 97k, and I did save some money on parts just replacing the clutch.

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