Is your AC Compressor Clutch moveable when the engine is off?

[useyourname]

I'm trying to diagnose why my AC is not working.

 

If your AC works on your MK2, could you please do a test for me: With the engine off (and cold), try to turn your compressor clutch by hand and see if it spins.

 

Thanks

[SuperbTWM]

Doesn't the MK2 have the clutchless style AC?

 

If it does it won't turn because you will be trying to turn the whole drive train

 

If it does have a clutch then the aircon compressor should turn without using brute force but you may need to use something on the fastener in the middle to get some purchase on it.

Edited 28 May, 2017 by SuperbTWM

[PatS9]

There clutch less, basically they always work but they've got valve inside that's let's gas through 

[juan27]

Anybody else get a noticeable moan from the AC when idling or in low speed traffic that goes away if you turn it off?     

[Diego67]

I've just had a new one !

No there's no click when it's on or off , or any noticeable rev surge !

 

[TheClient]

3 hours ago, juan27 said:

Anybody else get a noticeable moan from the AC when idling or in low speed traffic that goes away if you turn it off?     

Yes, my 2011 vRS does it like a moaning / droning noise.  It was really bad when I first bought the car, I had it regassed, it was a little low but not massively. It improved it, but it still does it coming into traffic or idling especially after driving at normal rpm and then going to idle.

 

Their recovery analysis said no oil recovered though, so was never sure if that was a mistake or if it literally had no oil. If it had gas, I would of thought there was some oil through it. 

[Jelibeli]

12 hours ago, TheClient said:

Yes, my 2011 vRS does it like a moaning / droning noise.  It was really bad when I first bought the car, I had it regassed, it was a little low but not massively. It improved it, but it still does it coming into traffic or idling especially after driving at normal rpm and then going to idle.

 

Their recovery analysis said no oil recovered though, so was never sure if that was a mistake or if it literally had no oil. If it had gas, I would of thought there was some oil through it. 

 

They don't last long without oil - mine was re-gassed by a friend for free, but he didn't add oil, saying there would be enough left in it.  Next day, screeching noise, ancillary belt torn to shreds and dead compressor.  You probably had oil.

[Jelibeli]

On 2017-6-10 at 20:48, PatS9 said:

There clutch less, basically they always work but they've got valve inside that's let's gas through 

 

They use a variable swash-plate compressor that is always running, but when the swash plate is set flat, the compressor just turns and does nothing.  When the swash plate is angled, it pumps.  This all happens inside the compressor and externally, you see no difference.

 

This gives an idea of how it works:

 

[TheClient]

1 hour ago, Jelibeli said:

 

They don't last long without oil - mine was re-gassed by a friend for free, but he didn't add oil, saying there would be enough left in it.  Next day, screeching noise, ancillary belt torn to shreds and dead compressor.  You probably had oil.

Yes, that was my thinking at the time. The groaning / moaning maybe something else ac related (maybe expansion valve) or just the compressor complaining about being 6 years, 43k miles old. It definitely reduced the prevalence of the same noise following evacuation and re-gas/oil in specified quantities, I have the sheet of what was put in somewhere.