FS6 A/C Compressor Clutch Question

[ratdude747]

It seems I've ignored an issue with my A/C compressor (FS6) that need addressed.

Somehow the clutch plate failed and my clutch was never fully disengaging. There's 5 tons of powered something (clutch lining?) in the area, and the compressor sometimes free spins when not engaged. Based on the noise I'm hearing metal on metal contact. Annoying and not good long term, obviously.

Having done some ebay sleuthing, I've found motorcraft pulleys but no clutch plates (and none of the on-site documentation calls out the part number for anything other than an entire compressor)... and I am finding 3rd party kits around $100 or so (with a new coil too). Before I drop $100+ on the latter, are these any good (the clutch, pulley, and pulley bearing, I probably won't bother replacing the coil)?

My A/C does work... so I'd prefer to not replace the entire compressor.

[Gary Lewis]

Why worry about it, we are going into winter!

Seriously though, you are right that we don't have that info on the site. But here's what I've found and I need to put it on the site. Does it help?

[Gary Lewis]

Why worry about it, we are going into winter!

Seriously though, you are right that we don't have that info on the site. But here's what I've found and I need to put it on the site. Does it help?

Actually, as I now look at it, I doubt it helps at all!

[ratdude747]

Actually, as I now look at it, I doubt it helps at all!

Actually, that is *exactly* what I was looking for. With a part number in-hand, I found an ebay seller with a NOS Motorcraft clutch plate for pretty cheap... so I nabbed that along with one of the NOS clutch pulleys. Between the two I'm just over $80 after shipping... but since it's OE, I think it's worth it. I did find a NOS Murray rebuilt clutch and coil kit for $75 shipped, but I don't know if Murray rebuilds are any good. For $5 more, I'll go with the devil I know and save the murray kit for somebody with a bad coil.

I've seen bad things in some aftermarket AC clutches... Why I was hesitant.

I'll need to see about finding shims for this... I ought to pull mine apart and measure to see (I'm pretty sure McMaster-Carr or Misumi sells washer shims in the size I'll need, hopefully?). Or I'll get lucky and the existing shims fit?

I did use my A/C the other day... got a bit warm and vent wasn't cutting the mustard... Not to mention I use defog every morning, and the A/C significantly boosts such (turns the heater into a de-humidifier).

[Gary Lewis]

Actually, that is *exactly* what I was looking for. With a part number in-hand, I found an ebay seller with a NOS Motorcraft clutch plate for pretty cheap... so I nabbed that along with one of the NOS clutch pulleys. Between the two I'm just over $80 after shipping... but since it's OE, I think it's worth it. I did find a NOS Murray rebuilt clutch and coil kit for $75 shipped, but I don't know if Murray rebuilds are any good. For $5 more, I'll go with the devil I know and save the murray kit for somebody with a bad coil.

I've seen bad things in some aftermarket AC clutches... Why I was hesitant.

I'll need to see about finding shims for this... I ought to pull mine apart and measure to see (I'm pretty sure McMaster-Carr or Misumi sells washer shims in the size I'll need, hopefully?). Or I'll get lucky and the existing shims fit?

I did use my A/C the other day... got a bit warm and vent wasn't cutting the mustard... Not to mention I use defog every morning, and the A/C significantly boosts such (turns the heater into a de-humidifier).

Great! Glad it helped.

Sure glad you found the parts. Hopefully your shims will work. Let us know!

[ratdude747]

Great! Glad it helped.

Sure glad you found the parts. Hopefully your shims will work. Let us know!

Got one part in already, the clutch disc (shipped from Indy, FedEx kicked butt on the turnaround).

Now with that in hand, I can see what kind of shims I'll need (or want). Going with 1/2" ID keyed ("arbor") shims . They're keyed to ensure that I'll be able to slide them over the shaft's key w/o having to worry about removing the key if it's stuck. Despite being a denso compressor, the pulley bore and key doesn't seem to be metric (Sloppy fit for a 1/2"x18" key, but the center appears to be die-cast w/o any machining).

Part numbers:

Mcmaster-carr: 3088A527 (Shim set)

Grainger: 5FA93 (0.005" 10 pack, not stocked)

Destaco makes (or used to make) them too... all over ebay. Nothing thin enough though.

"Precision brand" is also all over ebay... but the shipping is slow on some, and the others aren't much cheaper than McMaster.

As for shims "made" for A/C compressors... McMaster is still somehow cheaper compared to ebay! I guess a part that is "made" for ____ automatically gets a 300% markup?

Going with the McMaster set... it will be here quick and if I got the sizing wrong, we'll all learn together on my dime.

 

[Gary Lewis]

Got one part in already, the clutch disc (shipped from Indy, FedEx kicked butt on the turnaround).

Now with that in hand, I can see what kind of shims I'll need (or want). Going with 1/2" ID keyed ("arbor") shims . They're keyed to ensure that I'll be able to slide them over the shaft's key w/o having to worry about removing the key if it's stuck. Despite being a denso compressor, the pulley bore and key doesn't seem to be metric (Sloppy fit for a 1/2"x18" key, but the center appears to be die-cast w/o any machining).

Part numbers:

Mcmaster-carr: 3088A527 (Shim set)

Grainger: 5FA93 (0.005" 10 pack, not stocked)

Destaco makes (or used to make) them too... all over ebay. Nothing thin enough though.

"Precision brand" is also all over ebay... but the shipping is slow on some, and the others aren't much cheaper than McMaster.

As for shims "made" for A/C compressors... McMaster is still somehow cheaper compared to ebay! I guess a part that is "made" for ____ automatically gets a 300% markup?

Going with the McMaster set... it will be here quick and if I got the sizing wrong, we'll all learn together on my dime.

Good luck! Thanks for being the pioneer on this.

[85lebaront2]

Got one part in already, the clutch disc (shipped from Indy, FedEx kicked butt on the turnaround).

Now with that in hand, I can see what kind of shims I'll need (or want). Going with 1/2" ID keyed ("arbor") shims . They're keyed to ensure that I'll be able to slide them over the shaft's key w/o having to worry about removing the key if it's stuck. Despite being a denso compressor, the pulley bore and key doesn't seem to be metric (Sloppy fit for a 1/2"x18" key, but the center appears to be die-cast w/o any machining).

Part numbers:

Mcmaster-carr: 3088A527 (Shim set)

Grainger: 5FA93 (0.005" 10 pack, not stocked)

Destaco makes (or used to make) them too... all over ebay. Nothing thin enough though.

"Precision brand" is also all over ebay... but the shipping is slow on some, and the others aren't much cheaper than McMaster.

As for shims "made" for A/C compressors... McMaster is still somehow cheaper compared to ebay! I guess a part that is "made" for ____ automatically gets a 300% markup?

Going with the McMaster set... it will be here quick and if I got the sizing wrong, we'll all learn together on my dime.

If I remember correctly the shims actually go on the end of the shaft just as they do on the FS10 compressors. They need to fit inside the clutch plate bore and over the threaded end of the shaft.

[ratdude747]

If I remember correctly the shims actually go on the end of the shaft just as they do on the FS10 compressors. They need to fit inside the clutch plate bore and over the threaded end of the shaft.

Great... If I screw up, I screw up.

In that case, the ring shims would be easy to obtain since it looks like 5/16" or 8mm ID ring shims would work. Or at least the ones on some of the weld tooling at work. Edit: yes, Mcmaster sells shim rings with a 1/2" OD and a 5/16" ID among other combinations... we have options.

We shall see. Makes sense now. Forgot that there is an inside ridge in the clutch plate.

[ratdude747]

Great... If I screw up, I screw up.

In that case, the ring shims would be easy to obtain since it looks like 5/16" or 8mm ID ring shims would work. Or at least the ones on some of the weld tooling at work. Edit: yes, Mcmaster sells shim rings with a 1/2" OD and a 5/16" ID among other combinations... we have options.

We shall see. Makes sense now. Forgot that there is an inside ridge in the clutch plate.

Tore her down tonight (pulley supposed to come in today, but no mail truck yet :( ).

Wrong shim type indeed. It is like the FS10 in that they go on the threaded end of the shaft. I do have a junk FS-10 (off my ranger, bad shaft seal/shaft) that I can cannibalize for shims if needed.

Root cause is degraded rubber in the clutch disc. It's made like a harmonic balancer. The rubber rotted, and the disc drifted towards the pulley until it rubbed when not engaged.

Was some grease behind the clutch on the shaft. Not PAG or mineral oil at least... hoping I don't have a trashed shaft seal. That's been the bane of my existence on FS10's; the sealing area of the shafts gall up and eat the shaft seals. Both of my 1995 rangers lost their A/C over that issue (and didn't hold a charge until given new compressors).