[m2bueller]

I found out last night that the AC pulley on my car ('98 Taurus)crapped out. It looks as if I need to pull the compressor to replaced the pulley.

What I'm looking for is handling tips for the R134. My first instinct is to just vent it and not worry about it. My ecological side says to have it vacuumed out and then do the work. Unfortunately since the car has a serpentine belt my alternator, power steering and water pump are also out of commission so the car is undrivable.

The second question is, would it be safe to drive the car to an AC shop to have a flush and fill after doing the work as long as I pull the clutch relay to make sure the compressor doesn't spin up?

 

[Evildriver-3]

Why are you even thinking about doing any of that to change the pulley? ? Just leave everything alone but the pulley and the belts, why would you want to remove the refridgerant and the pump from the car? ? ?

You need a special tool to pull the pulley it is a funny looking tool that screws into the hub on the pulley.

 

[m2bueller]

Thanks Marty, The biggest problem is going to be getting the snap ring off. I've got right angle ring pliers but can see the damn ring to pull it off. The whole damn AC clutch has been heat treated. I guess the bearing has been going out for awhile.

 

[Evildriver-3]

Are the right angle pliers deep enough to reach the snap ring? i think you need the regular straight pliers, i could be wrong it's been awhile since i played with a clutch and pulley assembly.

 

[chrysler300le]

Sometimes its not alot more to just replace the whole compressor with a new clutch compressor combo.

 

[Evildriver-3]

That is also true in alot of cases

 

[TaZMaNiaK]

But to answer your question, R134 is not a CFC like R12, so it is safe to vent into the air. Just do it outside, preferably on a breezy day, and don't have any body part near where it's venting from, or you'll have one nasty frostbite.

 

[m2bueller]

I couldn't get the snap ring pliers onto the ring. It was only 1.5" from the inner fender so I could see it. Ended up dropping the compressor. The bearings had been going bad for so long they heat treated themselves. I had to use a puller to get the races off. 8.5 hours just to get the compressor out. 15 minute fix and 4.5 hours to put it back it.

My neighbor has a vacuum pump and gauges. We recharged it last night. IT WORKED!!!
To top it off he saw an above ground pool I had disassembled and store in my side yard and offered to buy it from me. $200.00 for what I was going to turn in for scrap. Life is good.