A/C compressor bad?

[malmed]

My air stopped being cold 2 days ago, up til then it had been fine...
Last Summer I had to add Freon (I had just bought it and past AC history is unknown). About a can topped it off last summer.
OK, so I figured small leak, and it need some freon... chunked some gauges on her, and the freon is just where it should be...
hmmmm, so I swapped relay in the fusebox, and could hear the clutch engage the compressor, but no change on the gauge.... jumped the low pressure switch, and can hear the clutch click but nada.... no change on the gauge, no cooling.
The compressor is not noisy, no belts flung off....

I am unsure how to proceed... I am wondering if the compressor locked up and burned the clutch enough that if clicks to engage but slips and the compressor is locked up, but how can I tell?

 

[sumo]

If you reach down and grab the compressor with out it powered up, it should spin freely. Not the pulley but the clutch itself. Can you actually see the clutch engage and spinning? If you had to add Freon least year you likely lost enough Freon that would
Still engage the compressor but not enough to have ac. Start by having the system evac and recharged with dye so you can find a leak later with a UV light

 

[malmed]

Yes, I can see the clutch engage and spinning... and hear it when I jump the low Freon plug, and the gauges do not move... but no odd noises. I have not checked if the compressor spins free when off, I will do that...

 

[swathdiver]

Could be an actuator then.

 

[malmed]

I tried resetting the controls by putting it on auto, 60... shut off truck... pull fuse, wait 2 min, reinsert fuse... start truck... ac showed 74 and went thru reset.... didn't fix it.

 

[swathdiver]

A Tech2 can see what each of those actuators is doing and also the internal codes if any. It can also see what's going on with the compressor.

 

[malmed]

Well, Sumo, this is just about funny... I took your advice and decided to craw under her to see if the compressor would actually turn by hand, and the clutch... as I crawled under it, I could see a belt hanging... yea... LOL, the belt was still around the pully on the compressor, and from above it all looked just fine and dandy.... So, if it is JUST a broken belt, all my symptoms would be right.... and yes, the compressor turns, and the clutch turns... so, I think it is simply a broken belt.... LOL... I will replace it this weekend and report back....

 

[sumo]

Well, Sumo, this is just about funny... I took your advice and decided to craw under her to see if the compressor would actually turn by hand, and the clutch... as I crawled under it, I could see a belt hanging... yea... LOL, the belt was still around the pully on the compressor, and from above it all looked just fine and dandy.... So, if it is JUST a broken belt, all my symptoms would be right.... and yes, the compressor turns, and the clutch turns... so, I think it is simply a broken belt.... LOL... I will replace it this weekend and report back....

Lol yay I helped. I was thrown off a bit by your symptoms. Had to read it a few times.

 

[Musicars]

You may want to make sure your tensioner and pulley are ok before putting a new belt on. My pulley froze up last weekend and threw the belt. I also found one of the stops on the tensioner was sheared off.

 

[malmed]

Musicars, I will take that advice, and replace BOTH belts and BOTH tensioners sine I saved the expense of a compressor... good cheap insurance against future troubles....