KD3NE

Ok so I had a noise under the hood that was just a chattering, quickly diagnosed the problem as the AC Clutch Plate.

There are three steel spring fingers that disengage the clutch when two are broken.

Now to fix ....

Parts Stores told me $200 for NEW CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

Service Center told me $400 +++++ for new compressor / freon / parts

But me? I am thinking they are all nuts and there has to be an easier and CHEAPER way to do this.

Off to the junk yard to buy a compressor to experiment on ( $20 ). It was a direct replacement.

Reading the FSM it say the repair can be done with compressor in vehicle. Just need to remove serpentine belt and mounting bolts to lift compressor to work on. ( this seems like too much work --- back to the JY compressor )

On my workbench I proceed to remove the clutch assembly.

Step 1 - Remover center nut.
Step 2 - Mount AC Clutch Puller and remove clutch plate.

DISCOVERY ---- after removing the clutch plate I realized that the pulley was still mounted and NOT LOOSE in any way. This told me that I could remove that clutch plate from the compressor in the XJ without having to remove the belt and all that other stuff.

Out to the XJ I go with tools and clutch plate removed from the JY comp.

I assess the situation and here is how it went .......

1) Remove fan and shroud.
2) Remove nut holding clutch plate to compresser.
3) Mount clutch puller and remover clutch. MAKE SURE ALL SHIMS on the shaft of the compressor stay on the compressor - CHECK INSIDE OLD CLUTCH )
4) Mount the JY clutch plate making sure the shims removed in step 3 are intact. Getting the clutch plate seated can be tricky. You can tap it down with a hammer OR I chose to use a WOODWORKING CLAMP and a SOCKET.

I placed the socket over the center of the clutch plate where the bolt would come through and used the clamp over the top of the socket and back of the compressor. I slowly began to tighten the clamp and watched as the clutch plate slid down to where it needed to be.

5) Torque the mounting nut to the prescribe torque in the FSM, in my case it was about 10 fl/lbs.

6) Mount cooling fan and shroud.

7) Admire the fact that you just saved yourself AT LEAST $200 or more over taking it to a shop.

FOR THE RECORD: The AC in my 95 XJ blows extremely cold and this is why I DID NOT want to crack open the system to replace a compressor when that was not needed.

I know there is a risk in using an JY clutch plate, but I am going back to pull a spare plate and leave the compressor behind. That should drop the cost to about $1 - $5.


Sorry I have no pictures, the repair went so quickly I did not have time to take them.