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Almost always overlooked, improper clutch air gap is one of the leading causes for clutch failures. Whenever servicing the A/C system or replacing the A/C compressor, always be sure that the clutch air gap is set properly according to the manufacturer’s specifications.
Clutch air gap is the distance between the clutch hub and the pulley when the system is not in operation. Remember that the clutch hub is engaged and pulled into contact with the pulley by electromagnetic field created by the coil. When the A/C system is turned off, the clutch hub is disengaged, leaving an air gap between the clutch plate and pulley. The actual distance of that air gap is critical to proper A/C compressor and clutch performance.
Every A/C compressor manufacturer will specify proper tolerances for clutch air gap. (You should be using the A/C Connection! fee auto A/C source book so you always have that information available) The most common failure is the air gap between the compressor clutch plate and pulley increases. Typically this occurs over time. The greater the distance between the clutch hub and pulley, the harder it is for the magnetic field to engage the clutch. Should the clutch and pulley not engage immediately, the clutch will slip until it does engage. That slight slipping causes increased wear on the clutch surfaces, further increasing the air gap. In addition, (specially critical in cycling clutch systems) any time the clutch slips when engaging, other problems occur because of added heat being created and the added load on the drive belt.
A good practice is to always inspect and set the compressor clutch air gap whenever replacing the A/C compressor or when servicing the A/C system.
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