AC compressor shaking violently (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Sep 30, 2005
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Location
Castle Rock, CO
I haven't had a need to run the A/C during the winter but I have had a few opportunities to run it and it runs fine. Only the past two days when I try and run it - it shakes violently and 'fights' against the fan belt. Its not whiney or making any time of noise other than fan belt rub and the smell of burning rubber. I think its in the process of siezing. Can I save it or do I buy a new one? Is there anyway I can lube or oil it and save my compressor or is a dying compressor something I should just replace?

Of all the threads I've searched on I have found a handful that talks about oil but I'm not sure if I can oil it and not lose the freon. so my questions are 1. Can I salvage the compressor? and 2.) If I can save it by re-lubing it, can I not lose the freon.

Sorry but A/C systems somewhat elude me.
 
Have you eliminated the possibilities that the mounting may be loose or something might be wrong with the pulley?
 
Id be interested to know too. The A/C belt on the '55 got destroyed on last weekends trip into Mexico. I tried to see how it felt as compared to the '60 and they both feel the same as far as resistance is concerned so it's not totally siezed yet.

The A/C guy did use an industrial belt instead of an automotive belt so I don't know if the differing profile or construction might have a bearing on that.

It goes into the A/C shop on Monday as it's still under warrantee.
 
Howdy!Yup, I vote for a bad bracket. Back in the 80's, the power steering pump on the 4.3 Chevy v6 with TBI had a terrible time with cracking the mounting brackets. I ended up doing this repair on several vans and an S 10 pickup. It still worked, but it would shake like crazy til it ate the belt. John
 
Mine doesn't shake but it did eat the belt. Pulleys are all aligned correctly.
 
Hi-jack
Cruiser_guy, did you use the stock mini york style ND compressor? I used it for a bit and that thing would kill belts with the harmonic vibration. Switched to a sanden 508 compressor and havent had a problem since.
 
Have you eliminated the possibilities that the mounting may be loose or something might be wrong with the pulley?


No I haven't inspected the mounting bracket yet. It looked to me that it was fighting the belt. I plan on checking the pulley this weekend for resistance. I hope that I find something wrong where simple maintenance would ease it up. I thought seizing is when the lubrication is no longer present on the bearings and it no longer spins freely? Is that the same with these compressor? I hope I can add some specific oil and prolong the life of the compressor just a little longer.
 
Hi-jack
Cruiser_guy, did you use the stock mini york style ND compressor? I used it for a bit and that thing would kill belts with the harmonic vibration. Switched to a sanden 508 compressor and havent had a problem since.

It's the same compressor as on the '60 and the '60 belt has been fine for 4-5 years. It is the stock compressor. We'll see what the A/C guy says on Monday.
 

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