AC Clutch Failure - How to fix! (blinking light, squealing)

A couple months later and I still get an occasional clunk on cold start with the AC on.

 

Thank you for this. I need to replace mine and Toyota tried to tell me to replace this and If it's not this then to do my compressor. So we decided we'll do it on our own! They drained the refrigerant so that's helpful with being able to use my defrost etc for the winter and I haven't done a thing as it went in the fall. Will let you know how it goes!

 

It happened to my girlfriends 2016 Tacoma.



Replaced with:
labwork AC Compressor Clutch Hub...

$18 labwork AC Compressor Clutch Hub Replacement for Toyota Tacoma 4 Cyl 6 Cyl 2.7L 4.0L 2005-2016

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07Z3NSH2X?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Install instructions the same, 8mm turned into a 10mm head with the part listed above

 

Thank you to the OP and poster who put up Amazon link, I got my part from them. I had the blinking AC light since end of last summer, and had a big screeching sound that eventually went away mostly but no AC. Thought for sure it would be compressor. I did this job on my 2011 2.7 and it fixed the problem. I ended up removing the fan blade, and plastic cover.

Old Part and New Part.

 

Well I spoke to soon. Was working now it doesn’t. Not sure if that means the part is crap or something else

no squeaking or squealing, just won’t engage anymore. Had cold air for 2 days…

Update: took new part out seems fine put it back in still no work. Wondering if it’s compressor or still could be that part I guess but couldn’t see any damage to it. Any ideas what I should look at next?

 

Well checked the relay and somehow it came a bit loose since I replaced the clutch. Pushed it back in and AC again. Cautiously optimistic. Seems the relay doesn’t have a great fit anymore so I taped it down for now.

 

Amazing write up, saved me a pretty penny. AC is crucial during summer time in Hawaii, thanks a bunch

 

I did mine today. '07. 380,000 miles the other day. Replaced the serpentine belt
while I was in there.

 

Hi, update, I pulled the AC clutch off and it came apart in two pieces. I can turn the compressor shaft splines with my fingers and it feels smooth. With the clutch off, can I test the magnet with jumpers? Should I hear a click sound ? I’m trying to decide whether to just order the clutch or This the whole clutch/magnet/ pulley assembly. thanks. JJ
Update …….Ok , I ran a jumper to magnet wires from battery and then put the old clutch against the pulley and energized the magnet and it sucked the 2 pieces together . So it sounds like all I need it the clutch . Thanks for all the earlier info .

 

Well finding this thread prevented my mechanic from getting his next boat payment to replace and purge the whole AC system, I hope you all feel terrible about yourselves.

$35, 1 bolt and 10min later I took care of it myself. Same as everyone else, death ball of rubber inside the clutch.

 

I just completed this repair. Original symptoms were a horrible squealing sound and a smell of burnt rubber. Mechanic diagnosis came in as a seized air compressor and $5,000 to repair. They insisted that it couldn't possibly be the clutch.

$30 later, A/C is working brilliantly. The only other problem I had on top of the clutch hub was that the electrical connection to the clutch was compromised due to rust/corrosion build up (I think). The A/C button would send power to it (checked with a multimeter), but the clutch wasn't engaging. I could get the clutch to engage by hooking it up to a 12V power supply, but it would take a second to kick on and it seemed hard to do. So I loosened the nut where the ground is, cleaned everything up best I could, and tightened the nut back. Started working after that.

 

anyone know where to get a good compressor clutch?

Toyota is on national backorder. Seems none in stock.

quick search on Amazon and eBay turns up red flag names like Bingbonglinglong

 

I have one out in my shop. Pm me and I’ll send it your way.

 

*See edit for good news*

Oh my god, please tell me you have two to spare, I almost posted looking for one of an aftermarket recommendation last night but decided it was hopeless lol

This would be the only aftermarket part on my massive refresh and it makes me so sad I'd probably just not replace it at all..

EDIT: Called a couple dealers whose sites would allow me to add the clutch to my cart; after nothing but bad news I got one saying they should be back in action before the end of the year!

 

OK - maybe not out of the woods yet. I called my "usual" source of parts and got some more details out of them; current national backorder quantity is over 2000; the next shipment in is for less than 400 pieces. They said they could take the order, but no clue where I'd fall in to that queue. I'm looking to do this while I've got a ton of room to work, so I'm not really looking to roll the dice there.

Unable to be satisfied with that, I started digging around. There have been some weird unofficial interchanges between 2G/3G, and I started looking at used compressor assemblies on eBay; any design changes are godawful expensive so I can't imagine they'd change anything unless they had to. Different part numbers, yes, but for all intents and purposes the compressors themselves look identical - I'm thinking that, at worst, some wire harness or connector differences. A plug location change on its own could trigger a P/N roll, perhaps the 3.5 engine harness changed something up. Anyway, I found a clutch part number 88410-04070 listed for 2016-2023 applications, and in the schematic, the numbers for the shims (88317-04010), bolt (88329-04050), and both C-clips (88365-04020 & 88365-04010) were the same as what is shown for 2G. I put an order in for all of those since my bolt looks pretty crusty so the clips may be as well (though I did not order more shims - will get those locally if needed). Silver lining is the 3G part is a bit less than 2G, and shopping around a bit I was able to get all of that shipped to me for under $160..we'll see what happens here.

 

I cleaned up and re-used my circlips. The sketchy Amazon clutch I used came with circlips that were too large. One didn't seat perfectly and destroyed the clutch, so I got the pleasure of doing it twice. The shims are captive in the shaft, so they should be fine. I had to use a combination of old and new ones to get the clearance right. You don't want it rubbing when not engaged or it will wear itself down prematurely (and make lots of heat). The clutch that destroyed itself, took my harness pigtails with it, so I had to make a new pos connector with spade terminals.

 

I have the hub. I bought it to fix mine but my splines were knurled up and it wouldn’t work. I ended up DIY an Oriley Import Direct A/C pump. Lifetime warranty and it’s been in the truck for probably 4-5 years without an issue.

 

Hmm. Tacotuesday didn't take it? I don't really want to deal with evacuating/recharging..if I do that then I'll probably want to do the whole enchilada and I'm not ready to buck up for that quite yet. It does seem to be working well so I'm just doing this as a bit of an extension of the belt drive servicing..

 

maybe better than my recent interpretations:

1. why the hell did I order at a premium price dealer compressor thinking it would be a complete Denso when it was a potentially shitty German Mahle that came even though their website picture is Delphi also available on RockAuto
When I could’ve ordered a whole compressor from any other decent brand for cheaper that shows comes with clutch (why the hell would a dealer sell an incomplete compressor without the clutch pulley that bolts in front/replace wear item that’s part of the compressor to replace the compressor)
…

I wonder why it is on backorder.

2. I guess maybe now I HAVE to order a linglongbingbong “Ultimate superiorist qualitypart” $70 eBay Amazon special and knock on wood for the amount of luck of trying to win a dice game by throwing a rock

^re: above relies yes am looking for a clutch that goes on compressor.
Not sure what a hub is in this case.

clutch is the pulley. Goes on the shaft. Magnet. Electric control. Goes on with bolt, washer, 2 snap rings, couple of metal plates that I believe act as pulley and clutch.

 

Why it's a separate thing, I don't know - only thing I can think of is there are different configurations and it's more efficient to stock the compressor and clutch/pulley individually. There's an electromagnet ring, the freewheeling (axially static) belt driven pulley on a bearing, and a compressor driving ring that is attached to the compressor splines - voltage applied to the electromagnet pulls the driving ring down axially on to the pulley, and that's how the compressor gets engaged (part names I took creative freedom on, but you get the idea). It's a pretty crude/simple device but needs to be well executed for long life and smooth operation.

All the used 3G compressors I am seeing on eBay are Mahle. Used 2G seem to be Delphi, and current 2G Toyota/dealer replacements Mahle. I'll find out soon if the 2G Delphi/3G Mahle clutch interchanges, but the exterior of the 3G looks identical to what I pulled apart today, including the clutch wiring terminal/ground/layout. It's all going to come down to the little snub coming off the compressor it looks like. It took a bit to get it apart and I'm glad I had the luxury of doing it with the radiator out (had about 1/64" clearance between my 3-jaw puller and the condenser to get the pulley off!), but mine looked to be in really good shape actually; so while I'd still replace it as PM, it's not going to be the end of the world if the 3G setup doesn't work out. You could actually still see some of the original surface grinding on the clutch faces, blew my mind for a 199K original..