Another A/C issue?

I’ve scoured these posts and nothing quite like my situation completely. I have a 2.7 2011 and my A/C screeched (not belt) when I engaged the A/C yesterday. It was screeching but engaging the clutch. I tried ON/OFF several times thinking maybe it just needed to loosen up. If I left it on, it kept screeching and after about ten seconds, it would kick out and light flashes. Now it doesn’t make a sound at all. It engages, then 4-5 seconds it kicks out and light flashes. Will it do that if low on Freon? Or am I replacing a clutch or compressor?

 

Compressor is froze up. It could be spendy.

 

$200 for the part.
$1100 for the repair if you can’t diy it.

 

My 2013 4 cyl did the same thing last year, except every time the clutch engaged, the compressor would not spin, so I pulled the connector off the unit so I wouldn't have to worry about the clutch engaging every time I set the control to defrost or spun the temp knob full CCW. No way I'm spending four figures for a new compressor. These new ones are garbage -- all of them. Besides, I live in an area that doesn't get brutally hot day after day like in the southern half of the U.S. Also I grew up back when A/C in passenger cars was almost unheard of. And finally (slightly OT) many of our people in uniform regularly go through hell in brutal temps with 50+ pound packs and full combat dress. I think I can "suffer" a few days every year when it's 90+ and I'm dressed in jeans and a T shirt.

 

I understand but here in the south an ac is a necessity. The humidity combined with the heat makes it a health concern. Plus our 90+ temps last 8 months.

 

Ok...if the compressor hasn’t blown apart and locked up, would there be metal in the system that I need other things replaced as well? I’m reading things like that but mine didn’t have a catastrophic failure...yet? Or is that what happened?

 

Crosis: Yikes. Much respect for you guys who go through that. Though I am jealous from Dec-Feb, always asking myself why the hell am I still here...

 

Grass is greener elsewhere. I would rather be in the snow than the heat but the wife cant take the snow so we head to Florida when the temp hits 40.

 

OP yes that could have happened but a compressor can freeze without internal fragmentation.

 

Definetly a locked up compressor. That happened to me twice. You might want to go ahead and change the expansion valve as I feel like that's what caused my compressor to granade itself. It's a pain in the ass to get to tho.

The first replacement blew up after a week of summer driving. When I got my second compressor I changed out the evaporator/condenser/radiator looking part as well as the expansion valve and made sure to completely clean out all the lines.

If you replace it make sure the lines get cleaned out completely.
$200 is not bad for a compressor they used to be a whole lot more expensive.

 

If it didn’t “grenade” just basically stuck...will there be fragments in the system? I’ve had this truck over two years and I’ve used the A/C and defrost a lot.

 

A local garage that has very good reviews took it in today. Denso compressor, evaporator and condenser, flush and recharge, new serpentine belt high end quote $950. Said may be as low as $850 if the labor can be combined...that’s sounds honest and fair to me. Two year guaranteed also. I’m happy!

 

I found this funny since your location under your info says: Cape Breton Island Nova Scotia

 

Final word when I picked up today:
Was my compressor locking up. I had a local garage in Ellsworth install Denso compressor, condenser and evaporator, flushed lines, vacuumed and refilled and new serpentine belt...$991 total. I’m happy! Ellsworth Auto Care highly recommended!

 

I do summers at my campground in cape breton and winters at my house in Florida. I am stuck in Florida right now because of the Kung flu. I was raised in Miami.

 

Now I know.

It was one of those minor details that caught my eye! LOL