A/C compressor locks intermittently

[oatmeal]

A couple of months ago my ac clutch burned up. I bought a new nippo complete compressor assembly and installed it, flushed, vac'd, refilled. Measured the oil from replaced components, the whole 9 yards. About two weeks later I drove about 200 miles towing a boat a/c running the entire trip. Stopped to drop off a friend and after unloading I got back in and truck died immediately after I started it. The A/C compressor randomly locked up and killed the engine. After about 15 minutes it was fine and working again. This keeps randomly happening.

Advice? Anyone else see this happen?

07 Yukon
5.3
SLT
Rear Air

 

[mizzouguy]

If its locking up solid to where the pulley wont spin, I'd pull the a/c belt off until you can get a new compressor put on it.

 

[oatmeal]

Sometimes it locks completely, sometimes it's struggling to turn, sometimes it's completely normal. That is a brand new compressor. Nippondenso, not a reman, or rebuilt. Also, I believe this is the same as the first failure. So, I am missing something, or I got a bad compressor?

 

[mizzouguy]

I'd say its coincidence, and you got a bad one. Theres nothing that would keep it from spinning like normal unless its installed crooked or something is causing the bearing to fail quickly.

 

[Sparky_69]

Orifice tube clogged up? Maybe there is still some trash in the system.

 

[mizzouguy]

Does it continue to lock up when the clutch is disengaged/ac off/free spinning? or only happens when ac is engaged with clutch locked in?

 

[retiredsparky]

Can you disassemble the old compressor to inspect?

One other problem that will lock up the engine is the dampener that is mounted to the front of the crank. When the rubber starts breaking apart, the dampener can tilt from the belt pressure and grind against the engine. But that is usually only seen on much older engines.