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7) Unplug the compressor. Take a look at your connections. I think the PO did not have the connection on tight which may have led to an intermittent connection and a slipping clutch. The connectors should be a “spring fit”. The auto-focus wasn’t so great, but one fitting was shiny/worn on the front and the other on the back. The plastic housing was also worn through, so I think the electrical connection was made between the spade fitting and the plastic, not by the actual spade fitting. These were also saturated with old oil, so I cleaned them to get a good electrical connection later. If you remove the Philips screw near the oil lines you have more room.
8)Start loosening and removing bolts on the compressor. I found that moving the compressor was easier after I disconnected the manifold. You did evacuate the system, right? If not, you’re in trouble now. There’s a 13 mm nut/bolt that hold the manifold to the compressor via a bracket and a 15 mm between the two ports. Before you remove that, take a look at the small gap (<1 mm or so) between the manifold plate and the compressor body. That’s what you’re looking for at the end of the job (note: I have no experience with O-ring style R4 compressors, you probably don’t want a gap there if you have an O-ring.)
9) As you loosen the manifold, bright green oil (if it’s a 134a system with UV dye) will leak out. You may want to capture the oil to measure how much is coming out. Since I was going to flush my whole system, I didn’t bother measuring, but I did have a catchment pan. Wear goggles.
10) The 15 mm is sort of a hassle. I couldn’t fit a socket in there and I don’t think there’s room for a ratcheting box wrench. Tough it out.
11) A sealing washer MAY fall out as you really loosen the manifold.
12) There are three 19 mm bolts that go from rear-to-front and one 10 mm adjuster bolt. The pattern is similar to the P/S pump: counter-clockwise from top – pivot, slider, slider, adjuster. I needed to use a variety of sockets and extensions. A hinged 19 mm box end would have been primo. I don’t have one.
13) When the bolts are loose, you can remove the belts. If you’re going to do the alternator belts, now’s the time. I’m not covering that this DIY, but don’t dork up your adjusting bolt – it’s a $70 part. Loosen ALL the nuts and bolts, then turn that adjuster. Put on the new belts and get back to the compressor.
14) As you remove the mounting bolts, the spacers will fall out and roll away or hit you in the face. Wear goggles.
15) Remove the old compressor.
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