Diagnosis for AC compressor?

cameroncameron
in Cars & Transportation

I drive a 2003 VW Jetta 2.0 Manual

When the AC is on, heat or cold, it will bog the motor down. It feels like im in 3rd when starting in 1st and so forth through all the gears. No torque or decent acceleration, I have had many people honk and flip me off :) lots of fun.

I have now not been using my AC at all because once it is off and not engaged then I have zero drivability problems....until a couple weeks ago. (I have been putting this ac job off for almost a year out of laziness and money.) Now at certain rpm ranges the car would vibrate and groan, at idle around 1800, in gear around 3500-4000. I hardly go that high anyways but i started to hear it when i got on it trying to merge on the freeway.

So I then took off my belt to check the pulleys, to make sure the noise wasnt engine related. Motor ran just fine with no belt, zero noise. I tested all the pulleys and the only one with any movement was the AC pulley, it had a slight click when trying to wiggle it...nothing massive, just a small wiggle.

Now, long story short...Should I be looking at replacing the compressor? Found one online for only 300 and it comes with all the bells and whistles. Or could it be the clutch? Pulley? I do not know AC systems! Please help me before I just throw a whole new system at it...

btw..I forgot to mention that it will still blow cold or hot air. When I do turn it on, it works, it just slows me down to the pace of a turtle.

Thanks to who ever has input!

Comments

  • drpeppersdrpeppers

    Ok its like this you have a 2003 and it is now 2013 so its 10years old and you are starting to have problems so get a a/c compressure and orifice tube and recever dryer and have the system pulled down and flushed out change the orifice tube and dryer and o-rings and comp and put a new belt on pull a vacuume on the system and charge it and add oil and you wont haave any more problems out of it for a long time ,If you do it right now it will do you right good luck .

  • anonymousanonymous

    hi Paul, A/C compressors are pushed by ability of an digital seize. the seize while the A/C is interior the off postion remains nevertheless while the engine is working or has purely a average very sluggish spin from drag. while A/C is became on the cluch spins on the comparable velocity because of the fact the belt driving it. the compressor wont work together if sufficiant freon isnt in it or if too lots is further in many situations. a tech can leap the A/C seize and temp work together the seize to substantiate the seize is working. he additionally can try the presure swap in lots the comparable way.

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