98 ssei ac compressor seized and keeps car from starting

[CatmanFS]

For the past few weeks ive noticed a squeeling, rattling, grinding kind of sound, and located it to be the ac compressor. yesterday it wouldnt start, and realized the ac pulley was stuck and was keeping the car from starting. I towed it back to my house and have to fix this myself. Ive read about gm ac compressor clutch, pully, bearing replacement but im still unsure about the tools i will need or anything about the procedure. Ive read general info but there seems to be little information about this specific application in the web. Any info or hits or advice would be appreciated as this is my dd and i need this fixed asap and for as little money as possible. Thanks.

[gmman]

have you tried removing the serpentine belt. this would verify that starting problem is truly due to seized compressor.

[CatmanFS]

im positive the problem is a siezed compressor. I lubed up the ac pulley and it started, and just slid over the compressor pulley. Also a visual confirmation proves its the only pulley not moving.

[Jfridge92]

The cheapest way would be to get a bypass pulley and a shorter serpentine belt and bypass the ac compressor until you can repair or replace it. You'll need to evacuate the freon from the system properly before disconnecting the compressor and ac lines. You can probably source a used compressor from a junkyard, but the reliability of a part like that could be questionable. I'd personally go new on a part like that to avoid leaking seals, or a bearing that could seize up shortly, but depending on your budget a used unit could get you by for the time being.

[CatmanFS]

I know all that. Ive read all the info i could find, which is basically what you said. I need specific info on the ac clutch pulley and bearing, what tool i need to replace it, and anything that would help on an operation like that. I know theres people who have done this without mangling thier ac unit. Btw does anyone have a good home baked method of evacing the freeon and such?

[RJolly87]

This should be a start in the right direction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3DNsbATFxs

Assuming the compressor is seized however, and you do replace the clutch pack, just make sure you leave it unplugged, and you will still have to replace the compressor if you want A/C action again.

[CatmanFS]

So you're saying the problem, being seized up like that, is the entire compressor? I was hoping i could pull the clutch and bearing out and find the culprit, replace it and everything would be fine, at least temporarily. I read about shops not doing this without replacing the whole ac because the compressor itself would go out eventually anyway, but I was hoping to at least get it running so I could take it to a shop, evac the AC and then replace the compressor.

[RJolly87]

If the compressor is seized, it will not turn. If it will not turn, than the clutch fries when it engages, or kills the engine. When it fries, it can stay engaged and keep dragging, causing issues.

We had a taurus with this problem, and it got so bad that the pully was smoking, and snapped the belt in half then the car was shut off. If the compressor was not seized up, then it would just be turning all the time

[CatmanFS]

Couldn't the bearing or something be so mucked up that it's just stuck there? The bolt above the AC compressor on it's accessory bracket had rattled loose, I'm hoping that the looseness made it wobble enough to thrown the bearing, or melt something around the pulley. It's just a hope. I'll know soon enough either way. Just going to rent the tool and break it down and see what's happening. If I can't find what's caused it to seize in the bearing or clutch, I guess the whole unit needs to go.