FJ62 A/C Compressor (1 Viewer)

[azfj62]

hello...my '88 FJ62 Air Conditioning has gone belly up and it's 105 degrees around these parts!

Seems my compressor is leaky and needs to be replaced...bad main seal (Insert loud moaning and groaning noises here, and picture the local A/C shop gleefully rubbing their hands together).

I'm wondering how tough a job can this be? Do I really need to replace the clutch for the thing too? I've never had any problems with it engaging.

Does anyone out there have any experience with this job? Looking for the voice of experience from someone who's done it and lived to tell the tale.

 

[dd113]

Its not that hard to do. Check out NAPA for the price. I might be able to get you a deal if it comes in really high. At times it can be cheaper to buy the clutch already installed on the compressor but it is not hard to change over. You also need to replace the accumlator and the reed valve. Not done it on a 62 but just it on a 60. Worst part was getting to the reed valve under the dash. To be safe and legal you need to have the system evacuated by a liscensed pro or you can just open the system and try not to breath it. Now would be a good time to switch over to 134B. Not sure of what all you need to do but I know the seals and o rings need to be changed and the system cleaned. We used freon that we had to recharge the system. I would talk to a local shop prior to doing anything. If you have them evacuate the system, you buy and install the parts and they recharge with either system you should be fine.

 

[cruiser_guy]

It's not hard to replace the A/C compressor. No need to replace the clutch as well unless it's toast. I got a new compressor from NAPA and it had all the instructions in there!
The clutch comes off by removing the 12mm bolt from the front of the compressor then you should be able to coax the front off. Sometimes it's easy, sometimes it's hard but that's all that's holding it! Don't loose the shim behind there (it's a washer about 1/2" diameter. It MAY work for the replacement compressor.
After that's off you'll see a large "C" clip which holds the pulley on, remove that and the pulley slides off.
Then you'll see another large "C" clip way down in the hole of the clutch. It's a nasty one to get out but once that's out then the magnetic clutch comes off!
Reverse the procedure to install the clutch and MAKE SURE the magnetic clutch "C" clip (the first one to go in) is fully seated or you'll destroy the clutch when you run the A/C, I know from experience .
You'll need to check the clearance of the front and the pulley and adjust as necessary by use of different shims (the one I told you not to lose).
I learned all this putting A/C into my BJ60 (they never came with A/C even as an option in '82)!

 

[azfj62]

good advice...had the shop evac the unit. local price for a nippon denso unit was $293.67! the clutch thing still has me scratching my head...toyota says $442 bucks (ouch!), another supplier says $105. local shop of course tried to put the fear of nuclear meltdown in my heart. feeling a little more confident now...thanks!

 

[cruiser_guy]

If it makes you feel better I did NOT use a new clutch when I installed A/C into my BJ60 and it works just fine !