A little while ago I started an item on the AC in my “66 Studebaker. Here is more on my journey to find out where he squeal was coming from when the compressor was engaged.
My AC compressor tool kit arrived. A cheapy-do from China, but should be OK for a wannabe mechanic.
This is the key part that is needed to hold the compressor clutch in place while the centre securing nut is remove.
Once the nut is off the puller – see the tool in the bottom right of the took kit – the clutch face can be removed.
All looks good with the clutch face. Just a light coating of oil. Maybe assembly lube???
The back side of the clutch looks OK too. Also has a light coating of oil. There is a light coating of oil also on the shaft. Notice the nice key slot in the shaft at about 3 o’clock. It is empty! Somehow on assembly it got missed. The centre nut was the only thing holding the clutch face to the shaft. That was OK for quite awhile, but eventually the face began to slip on the shaft and that likely was the source of the squeal.
An old car bud of mine had a little box of various keys in his tickle trunk – perfect fit.
There are two spacers on the shaft to keep the clutch plate a set distance from the clutch face. I decided to check this spacing and found it to be over the limit – .016 to.031. I don’t have other spacers to mix and match so I took the larger spacer and flat sanded it to get a few thou off and get it close to .031.
All back together for the road test. It was a real plus that I could get the clutch apart without only having to remove the drive belt and not the body of the compressor itself.