Hello all, I'm calling on all of you and your vast knowledge. I have a 2002 Lancer OZ. My AC recently stopped working, due to the snapped belt that occurred just before, I suspect. I have since replaced the belt, but upon closer inspection of my compressor I noticed that the front clutch "plate" is loose and wobbling around. It looks like this video: (Not my video, but the same problem) The 10A AC fuse under the hood blows every time I turn on the AC. My question is, is there any possible way to fix it without getting a whole new compressor? I just don't have the cash for that kind of repair.

Thanks in advance

 

Cheapest solution would be to find a compressor from a salvage yard and swap the clutch. that way you wont have to deal with evacuation and recharging the system that would come with swapping the whole compressor. First though I would try to pull off your current clutch and find out exactly what went wrong to see if it can be repaired

 

Awesome, thanks. I will definitely look into that.
Do you know much about the replacement process? I saw just a small nut on the front of the clutch. Is it as simple as just undoing that and taking the clutch off? Or is there more complicated stuff to worry about?

 

And probably the compressor also, but a new clutch is worth a try.

There are two grip rings involved, and the nut on the shaft. First ring gets you the stator, the hub that is gripped by the clutch plate. The second ring gets you the field coil that magnetizes and pulls the clutch plate into engagement. The outer ring is fairly easy, but the inner one is a bear. You can wedge an 8" vise grip on one of the three lugs and pin the outer plate to remove the nut.

 

Yeah I figure if nothing else if it did fry the compressor as well then at least he will already have another one after attempting the less expensive option