How-To Install A/C Clutch

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TwoBobsKJ

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So I was on a road trip heading to the hotel late one night and as I accelerated down an on-ramp the AC starting blowing warm air. Not long after I could smell the clutch burning (like a semi's brakes on a long downhill run) and pulled over. Lifted the hood and there was smoke coming from the face of the clutch - could see tiny pieces of clutch and bearings on the resonator box over the throttle body. Next morning I grabbed hold of the AC pulley and this was what I found:
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I bypassed the AC clutch and pulley with a shorter belt and ordered a new clutch from Amazon:

Jeep Liberty AC Compressor Clutch Assembly

The vendor delivered the goods 4 days early and it fit perfectly. NOTE: This clutch assembly will ONLY fit an OEM compressor so if you've replaced your compressor with an aftermarket unit there is no guarantee it will fit. Read the product details carefully.

Tools you'll need:

- 13mm and/or 14mm socket for clutch nut
- long screwdriver to prevent the clutch from spinning while you remove the nut on it's face, or use a clutch holding tool
- AC clutch puller from AutoZone or local auto parts store (rental)
- feeler gauges ranging from .010" to .020" to set the gap between the clutch and the pulley
- Philips screwdriver
- MOST IMPORTANTLY a set of HEAVY DUTY snap ring pliers. The snap ring that holds the coil to the compressor is a large diameter ring and standard snap ring pliers won't open the ring up enough to get it over the nose of the compressor.

Also, depending on whether you have the HD cooling you may need a spanner tool to hold the water pump pulley while you remove the mechanical fan.

Remove the nut holding the clutch to the compressor shaft with the 13 or 14mm socket and screwdriver. Remove the smaller snap ring holding the pulley on the compressor nose.

Place the clutch puller over the pulley. Be careful the puller is centered on the compressor shaft so the shaft isn't galled or distorted when you tighten the puller.

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Once the pulley is removed, use the snap ring pliers to remove the larger ring holding the coil to the compressor and remove the coil by hand. Disconnect the wire harness and remove the screw holding the harness clamp to the compressor using the Philips screwdriver. (Sorry, no pic of this process but refer to the linked article for pictures.)

Place the new coil on the compressor nose and orient by aligning the "bump" on the coil with the notch on the compressor. A helping hand would be good here to hold the coil in place while you open the large snap ring with the heavy duty pliers with one hand and push the snap ring over the compressor nose. Hook up the wire harness, replace the Philips screw, and it will look like this when done:

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Place the pulley over the compressor nose and push on as far as you can by hand. You may need to use a large socket just bigger than the diameter of the compressor nose to tap the pulley on to the compressor. Take care to install the pulley straight and not angled and far enough on the compressor that the small snap ring can be installed.

Place the clutch on the compressor shaft and - using the feeler gauges - determine the gap between the clutch and the pulley. The proper gap is between .010" and .020" and is set using one or more shims that come with the new clutch kit. The shims are placed on the compressor shaft and add space between the clutch and the pulley. Using three of the five shims that came with my kit I set the gap at .013" - you want it as close as possible without touching for extended life of the clutch.

When everything is installed it will look like this (again, I have the HD cooling so your's may look slightly different):

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This is what the destroyed clutch components looked like - from L to R, the clutch, the pulley with it's bearings and bearing race in pieces, and the coil:
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For an even more complete write-up refer to this article. NOTE: I found no reason to remove anything more than the fan shroud though "Sparky" notes he removed the radiator support during the process for additional room. I didn't think that was necessary.

Sparky's Answers - 2002 Jeep Liberty Intermittent Cooling

Hope this helps you!


Bob
 
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Emoto

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Thank you so much for doing this! My 2002 needs this done.
 

Emoto

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I am at work today and have the Camaro, so I can't pop the hood and look, but I wanted to stop and get a puller or set of pullers on the way home, that will work on the compressor clutch and coil.

Do you guys think the large one here would work, or do I need something bigger?

Three-Jaw Puller Set 4 Pc
 

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