245 Compressor clutch about seize???????

1982 245. Air conditioning just re-gassed and blowing very cold. In the
last week I have noticed vibration at highway speed (felt like wheels
unbalenced), but not really around town. Just checked under the bonnet
(hood???) and I notice that when the thermostat engages the compressor
there is a grinding noise from the compressor. Once the A/C gets the
cabin to the required temp, the clutch at the front of the compressor
stops spinning and the grinding noise stops. When the A/C is not
engaged there is no grinding noise at all, although there is some belt
squeal, which could be poor belt alignment due to hardenend bushes.

The compressor was replaced about 5 years ago by P/O but the invoice
shows that the clutch was not replaced at the same time as it was "ok".

Questions: Would a faulty compressor clutch cause a vibration as speed
that could be felt in the cabin?. Is replacing the compressor clutch a
difficult job? If I do not attend to this urgently is it likely that
the clutch could seize causing loss of power steering.

Thanks to all and cheers from a hot Sydney, Aus.

 

This sounds like a failing compressor rather than the clutch, it's not
uncommon for a failed compressor to contaminate the system with metal
filings which then kill the replacement compressor.

 

I agree with James Sweet; it sounds like the compressor is failing.

The clutch can do odd things when it fails, also. If it was like the one on
our 85 765T, the clapper on the clutch is attached with rivets. The rivets
failed on ours - if one or two of those are broken it could make things
noisy. A visual inspection of the rivets will tell about that.

Mike