OK, when the AC compressor is disengaged, i get a tinny sort of rattling noise coming from the clutch on the compressor. WHen i engage the AC, rattling stops and cool dry air comes from the vents. There are also very fine metal shavings under the compressor pully. All this leads me to believe that I have a bad cluth on my AC compressor.

The car has 170K+ and is starting to show its age. Tranny is starting to slip, developing a fairly significant oil leak from an as yet unidentified source, and little plastic bits and pieces all over the car are starting to break off (air vent pieces, clothing hooks, convenience light lenses, etc.). So, I'm going to keep the car, but would rather not stick $500+ into a new, professionally installed AC compressor. I've decided to install a $40 AC bypass pully and do the work (mostly) myself. After some exploratory wrenching and ALOT of google-ing, it looks like a relatively straightforward process. The plan is as follows:

1. Have the pros evacuate the system.

2. Jack up the car and remove the splash guard underneath, as well as the splash guard at the front of the passenger side wheel well. Also loosen serpentine belt (no need to completely remove). May also need to remove the front pass. side wheel.

3. Disconnect both refrigerant lines. These are held in place with one bracket and one bolt.

4. Disconnect electrical plug.

5. Remove 3 bolts on the pully end of the compressor and one underneath at the back end.

6. Extract compressor through the passenger side wheel well.

7. Tie up wiring and seal off refrigerant lines to prevent contamination in case I ever repair/replace compressor.

8. Mount by-pass pully and re-run serpentine belt.

9. Replace all splash guards.

10. Enjoy a tasty adult beverage and take pride in another DIY success story.

Has anyone done this on a similar model? I'd really appreciate some first-hand advice. If anything appears to be out of place or missing...try to let me know before I tear this thing apart and cant get it back together. Thanks.

i've done it, but my engine was out, so i did it kinda differently. as far as i can remember, that procedure you have written looks right and should work well.

wouldn't it be easier to just lower the compressor and remove it from under the bumper, rather than through the wheel well?

_________________
1993 Park Avenue
200k, well-optioned, and running strong

You may want to consider finding some tight-fitting plugs for the parts of the AC system you leave open when you remove the compressor. Next summer, you, or the guy you sell the car to, may want to install a $50 compressor from a junkyard and try to restore the AC. Having the lines clean and dry will greatly improve the chances for easy restoration.

_________________




1998 3.8 Dodge Caravan 214K
2000 3.3 Dodge Caravan 175K
1949 Plymouth Special Deluxe 4-dr sedan 25K (needs some work!)

Nick - There is just too much stuff under there to be able to pull it out. It looks like the wheel well is actually where it was designed to come out from based on some other's experience and my poorly written Haynes manual.

Bill - Thanks for the tip. I will be sealing off the lines, but its not as easy as just plugging them. Both lines are held in place by a large bracket, not typical female compression fittings. I've got an idea, but won't know how it will work until I try it.

I'll post here again after I'm done and let everyone know how it went. Thanks for the advice.

PM Danthurs

he has a write up with photos on doing this


He can help you with this step by step

Toddster contacted me and said you needed this write up. Here it is.

http://www.bonnevillepro.com/forums/vie ... 119&t=5631

_________________

Mods, CAI, Gatorback SC belt, 180 deg. thermostat, sparkplugs 2 colder gapped @ .050, 3.1" MPS, intense™ PCM, AeroForce scan gauge, Flowmaster series 80 muffler, 3" Magnaflow cat , INTENSE™ Street/Strip Performance Shift Pak, 1.9:1 roller rockers, Oil Restricted pushrods, CompCam #105 springs, CompCam heavy duty spring retainers and valve locks, 17" wheels, 245/45 FirehawkGT tires,slotted rotors, cermaic pads, Wideband O2, MSD Blaster coils, MSD 8.5mm sparkplug wires, Stainless steel TOG headers, HP tuner, P&P LIM and supercharger, SSIC
Getting ready to install cowled hood, Project on hold!
Objects in mirror are loosing!

Well, the job is done. Everything went almost as planned. The only change was that it was easier to remove the lower AC lines than try to cap them in-place. That alse meant that a pressure switch had to be unplugged. The whole thing took 3-4 hours. Thanks for your help everyone.

-Dylan C