Hello all!

 

Towards the end of last year my AC stopped working in my 2013 (pre-FL) 2.0tdi Yeti.

 

I've finally got round to having a look at it and I discovered the pulley that drives the compressor has failed.

 

After looking through the forum I noticed that the pulley on my yeti is somewhat different than the usual metal shear plates that are fitted.

 

 

Mine appears to be a plate with three bolts on the OD which attach to the compressor spindle by a rubber mount (brown ring). The rubber has completely torn itself away from the compressor spindle and now the pulley simply spins the rubber around, without driving the compressor.

With the plate removed the compressor spindle spins freely using finger pressure, so the compressor seems to not be seized.

 

Has anyone seen this type of pulley before? I can't seem to find a replacement of this type anywhere. If not, can I buy a shear plate type and replace?

 

Help would be much appreciated! 😁

Spoiler

 

Hi MorriYeti,

Sorry to put up a question rather than an answer but   VB while you car was idling was there a squeaky rattle sound. My 2.0 diesel has had this sound for ages and the a/c isn’t working properly. Have asked mechanics previously but yge couldn’t find anything but what has happened to yours could explain what is failing on mine. 

Hi Meyannos,

 

There is a slight noise coming from the pulley when at idle but I can't hear this from the driver's seat, only with the wheel arch off.

 

Not to say that's not the issue you're having. I've read that some others with a different pulley experience a rattle sound.

Don't know if anything here will help. Scroll to p26.

You need to identify the make and model of your compressor.

 

AC Clutch Catalogue.pdf

Edited 24 February, 20251 yr by KiNeL

There will be a silver label with the VAG part number visible on the side of the compressor which I think also identifies the OE manufacturer.

 

I have had 3 of them apart, Sanden and another make, they had the same spindles and the pulleys were interchangeable.

 

If you know the make of yours then you will have more chance of finding a compatible aftermarket part, VAG and the compressor manufacturers do not sell them seperately.

 

For them to shear or in your case shred there has usually been something blocking the compressor rotation, I did mine through inexperience learning by mistakes, I was recharging with R134a and had not realised it was a long process so inverted the cylinder, I should have closed down the filling valve to the minimum as I ended up hydrolocking the pump, the shear plate rattled afterwards (rivets loosened) and failed a couple of weeks later.

12 minutes ago, J.R. said:

There will be a silver label with the VAG part number visible on the side of the compressor which I think also identifies the OE manufacturer.

 

I have had 3 of them apart, Sanden and another make, they had the same spindles and the pulleys were interchangeable.

 

If you know the make of yours then you will have more chance of finding a compatible aftermarket part, VAG and the compressor manufacturers do not sell them seperately.

 

For them to shear or in your case shred there has usually been something blocking the compressor rotation, I did mine through inexperience learning by mistakes, I was recharging with R134a and had not realised it was a long process so inverted the cylinder, I should have closed down the filling valve to the minimum as I ended up hydrolocking the pump, the shear plate rattled afterwards (rivets loosened) and failed a couple of weeks later.

Do you know the easiest way to access the part number? Can't see a way in through the wheel arch. Is it viewable with the undertray off maybe?

 

The only thing I knew to be wrong with the AC system when I bought the car was the radiator core being described as "rotten" on the previous owner's service report. Could this lead to a locked compressor or blockage? I assumed it would just eventually lose gas and I'd need to replace.

 

Once I know the OE part number I may take a punt and just replace the plate, they're less than £20 by the looks and try my luck. Like I say, the compressor seems to spin fine using just my fingers.

 

Thanks for the info!

47 minutes ago, MorriYeti54 said:

Do you know the easiest way to access the part number? Can't see a way in through the wheel arch. Is it viewable with the undertray off maybe?

 

Yes, underneath from front with undertray off or from above using a mirror and/or cameraphone.

 

48 minutes ago, MorriYeti54 said:

The only thing I knew to be wrong with the AC system when I bought the car was the radiator core being described as "rotten" on the previous owner's service report.

 

I take anything written on a service report with a large pinch of salt, just been responding to a posting about a Haldex filter reportedly covered in swarf and a £4k estimate to fix it which was completely fictional.

 

£20 is definitely worth a punt, you might then find that the AC has no gas and that the condensor was indeed leaking but £20 is not several hundred for a new pump.