Factory or aftermarket AC clutch for 04 Vibe?

[SOHCman]

System has good charge, but clutch is dead in the water. Likely a blown thermocouple from the clutch slipping and over heating. No click at all, compressor spins easily by hand.

I assume this vehicle uses a denso unit, but could it be an AC delco?

 

[SteveSRT8]

On my cars I am loathe to buy any ac parts not branded or OEM. If you know you can sometimes go aftermarket and even get an upgrade, but otherwise it's always hard to beat factory levels of reliability.

Even AC/Delco didn't actually make the compressor, somebody else probably did.

 

[zzyzzx]

I would just buy something off of Rock Auto and be done with it. I would not be brand particular.

 

[Chris142]

The comressor is pretty old already. A new clutch will most likely outlast the compressor at this point. A new compressor may be close to the cost of a clutch anyways.

 

[mattd]

check compressor relay. They are FAR more common than compressor failures on these cars.

 

[tommygunn]

The AC Delco version is probably repackaged Denso anyway.

 

[kschachn]

Like most people here have mentioned, it is likely a Denso compressor. If it is then you may, or may not be able to buy a clutch from Denso - for one of my Toyotas that is the case. I can however buy just the clutch from Toyota but the cost is getting pretty close to a new "aftermarket" Denso compressor and clutch.

Shop around for the Denso unit if that is what is installed. I got a screamin' deal on Amazon for my BMW, it must have been on clearance or something. It was like $124 new, and as soon as I bought it the price jumped to $250 or more.

 

[SOHCman]

Thanks, didn't really want to open up the system, but it might be wise to do the whole thing now.

 

[MarkM66]

Did you at least check the relay?

 

[mikered30]

Dollars to donuts it is the AC (MG/CLT)relay, swap with the horn relay to confirm. Know issue on Toyota nation. Replace with Tyco, Bosch, Siemens, Omron, Potter & Brumfield, or Denso relay. Most others are junk. Corollas come with Denso, your GM might come with AC Delco relay. Sticker shock, the Denso relay at the toyota dealer is $75.

 

[mattd]

i mentioned this much earlier in the thread a few days ago. I will bet money the relay is the issue, its a known issue on the matrix and corollas. If he wants to potentially waste lots of $ on a compressor when its not needed all the power to him.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
On my cars I am loathe to buy any ac parts not branded or OEM. If you know you can sometimes go aftermarket and even get an upgrade, but otherwise it's always hard to beat factory levels of reliability.

Even AC/Delco didn't actually make the compressor, somebody else probably did.


Harrison?

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
On my cars I am loathe to buy any ac parts not branded or OEM. If you know you can sometimes go aftermarket and even get an upgrade, but otherwise it's always hard to beat factory levels of reliability.

Even AC/Delco didn't actually make the compressor, somebody else probably did.


Harrison?


Probably. I have a local parts house for AC stuff who can get that info for me, sometimes the aftermarket can work!

 

[SOHCman]

Originally Posted By: mattd
check compressor relay. They are FAR more common than compressor failures on these cars.


Sorry the vibe has been at the body shop for a couple days (small dings), and I haven't been able to swap relays, I will do that when I pick it up in a minute and see if anything "cool" happens.

Thanks for the heads up, hopefully that saves me some dinero!

 

[kschachn]

There may not be a relay, for example there is one on my ECHO but not the Sienna (the automatic climate control version has one but not the manual). Usually the lid of the fuse/relay box will say which relay is which.

Originally Posted By: SOHCman
Originally Posted By: mattd
check compressor relay. They are FAR more common than compressor failures on these cars.


Sorry the vibe has been at the body shop for a couple days (small dings), and I haven't been able to swap relays, I will do that when I pick it up in a minute and see if anything "cool" happens.

Thanks for the heads up, hopefully that saves me some dinero!

 

[SOHCman]

I swapped the MG/CLT relay (the manual does not specify what this if for, so thanks for the heads up) with one of the fan relays that fit, as well as another unspecified relay that fit, and same result, nothing.

I checked the AC fuse under the dash, it's good. Are there any components behind the glove box that could cause this? or perhaps a second relay to check?

 

[SOHCman]

Did a little more digging, Going to do some more diagnostic checks when the car (and my wife) gets back home.

1. Direct 12v from the battery to the clutch to rule out the clutch, if it is the clutch I might remove one of the shims to see if that closes the gap enough for the electromagnet works. This is assuming a broken coil wire isn't the issue of corse.

2. Pressure switch, looks like this could deactivate the whole system if it thinks there isn't propper system charge/pressure.

3. double check system charge with different guage.

4. Make sure I'm getting voltage TO the relay both for actuation and to the compressor.

5. Barring all this, supposedly there is a computer chip or board that reads the pressure switch input and decides to turn the AC clutch on, so it could be this to.

Did I miss anything?

 

[SOHCman]

Well, basically I only made it to my first check, direct wire from battery + to clutch= nothing. Then I checked the factory feed wire and it was getting 13.82v when the A/C button is pushed.

Time for a trip to the parts store...

 

[SOHCman]

Update:

Turns out the factory compressor is Delphi. The matrix got a denso from the factory. All the parts houses wanted $500+- for the Delphi compressor/clutch, but I found a sweet deal on amazon for $300!

Might have just put a clutch on but this will be better in the long run. Replacing the dryer while I have the system empty. This hvac is also one of the kind that never shuts off the coolant flow through the heater core, just diverts air around it, so I may install a shutoff/proportioning valve like my older cars have in the line for extra cooling in the summer.