A/C woes - This is what I was talking about, Jeff!

Got the clutch gap down to .025. Clutch ain't the problem...

Too large a clutch gap will result in no comp engagement, not slipping.

When the comp is engaged the comp shaft and clutch run at the same speed, and much of the load in taken off the hub nearing and the load is on the comp shaft bearing.

The HR980 comp is known to be a POS. It is not rebuildable. You can only change the shaft seal. Dont know if they still have them, but I picked up a new HR980 without clutch in the original Ford box from acpartsguys.com for $130 back in 2010 When I rebuilt my AC system. I actually bought 2 and now have a spare.

rockauto had a couple left.

only thing bri about changing the compressor... it wont ever be as cold as it is now, i had put freeze 12 in that and its no longer available.

did you ever check the tps reading? maybe voltage drop at idle is putting the tps a lil out and causing it to search for idle.

as far as squealing i don't know what to say, maybe try a new belt. i dunno how old that one is, most likely i replaced it when i did the timing belt in 2009.

I have 12 cans of rb-276 freezone and 6 cans of r-12 I have kept back just in case.

OK so basically I can check the pressures and change the belt. If both of those are OK then it's replacement compressor time. Freeze 12 can be purchased through Ebay, but most of the sellers will only sell to individuals who are EPA certified. How many cans does it take to fill the system anyways?

I just want to have at least one car with A/C! (without spending an arm and a leg) :crying:

And Brian - no I haven't checked the TPS yet. I haven't checked anything in relation to the wonky idle issue. I'll get around to it eventually...

R12 is still around, I buy it off ebay every so often. Some sites say that you need the certificate, but I have yet to actually have it requested. I did take the course online a few years ago... Takes maybe an hour to read through the material and take the test. Now I'm certified... lol

It will take under three cans to fully charge the system. You may want to invest in some gauges... You will also need the high side adapter (the r12 gauge set hose isn't the right size). You could always get a two oz R12 oil charge and shoot that in... It may quiet and smooth things down some. When freon leaks out, the oil goes with it. Most times freon is added back but no oil. I would also change the belt.

It seems like the idle is affected by the uneven drag from the compressor... The IAC can adjust for the initial load but is having trouble trying to keep up with the wide variance you are seeing in load. There is something wrong with the pressure or the compressor I would imagine.

i agree with vegas, try adding some oil to the system. it may be that the oil is all in the accumulator and the compressor is loading up at speed.

-J0N

Well I'm an idiot... should have just changed the belt a while ago when I this first started. :headbang:

That was the cause of the squealing problem. It's nice a quiet now. I ordered new belts since I had other stuff to order from Rock Auto and they were closeout items. I was going to put them on tonight, but when I got in the car to leave work today it was squealing horribly and I couldn't make it stop. I figured I got nothing to lose by just swapping them out. So... since the belts are so easy to change I just went back into work, grabbed a wrench, and swapped them out. VOILA! quiet A/C operation!

NOW - I just have to look into the idle problem when the A/C is on. Not that pressing of an issue, but it is kind of annoying.