2008 V50 AC Topic is solved

Melodie · Post by **Melodie** » 20 Jul 2016, 11:05

My AC stops blowing cold air when the outside temperature is above 85. I had it recharged and this didn't work. Last week we replaced the receiver/drier and the air is colder but still quits blowing cold air when the outside temp. is above 84 degrees. I have read it could be the compressor clutch gap that needs adjusted. Any other suggestions?

Post by **oragex** » 20 Jul 2016, 12:35

that mechanic seems like a 'I guess' kind
Indeed the gap can go bad, simply look at the a/c pulley if the clutch is cycling or is not moving at all. Look up on Youtube to understand what I mean
I'd make sure the cabin air filter is clean (can remove it to see for any change in the a/c)
I'd make sure the thermostat in the center console is free of dust. Does the /AC work properly on manual mode with the recirculating button off (no lights on it)?

Post by **kranz** » 22 Jul 2016, 02:51

I have an '06 V50 with a similar problem that surfaced recently during our current 90+ degree days in Atlanta. If in the 90s the AC will blow cold for about 10 or 15 minutes and then starts blowing warm air. If I turn the engine off briefly, after starting again it will again work for the same short period. If the temps are in the 80s, it seems to work fine. The cabin filter has been changed recently (a rather unpleasant task). I've not had a chance to trouble shoot this and the car is out of town at the moment but I hope to investigate when it returns.

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 22 Jul 2016, 09:46

Many, many having clutch gap issue....it is worth checking and it's not hard to determine. Either that or the gas is just low. The AC system is actually quite robust and replacing components in it is typically not the answer.

Fjordy · Post by **Fjordy** » 22 Jul 2016, 16:43

It's easy to check if it's the clutch gap issue. Once the AC has gone off after running the car for a bit you need to leave it running with the AC manually switched on and lay down on the ground to look under the car just in front of the right front wheel.

You want to look for this (minus the white cable ties):

If the clutch you see in that pic is not spinning then you should tap it gently with something (like the handle of a wooden spoon

- that's what we were using when we drove across the country the last few days whenever the AC cut out)... Be super careful obviously since the car is running and once the clutch gets sucked in by the magnet with a bit of help from being tapped it immediately starts spinning pretty fast. If that starts the AC working then you need to get the clutch replaced or try one of the various fixes. I did the DIY cable tie version (google "volvo ac clutch cable tie") just today and it's working well so far after one afternoon of driving.

Cheers.

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 22 Jul 2016, 20:45

cable ties might last you a year (maybe) but is not a permanent solution... you can take the end of the compressor assembly apart and take some of the shims out to lesson the gap, or you can purchase replacement shims...there are a ton of write-ups on this procedure as well.

Post by **kranz** » 26 Jul 2016, 18:33

Many thanks to those that suggested my car might be suffering from wide clutch gap. I measured the gap on my '06 V50 and found it to .021", just slightly over the upper limit of .020". So I applied the zip tie remedy using some rather thin ones. Gap now measures .012", the specified lower limit. Then I drove around Atlanta in the 96 degree afternoon heat and found it to be making the cabin once again quite comfortable. Of course it is to be seen how long the zip ties last, but it was infinitely easier than removing the clutch pulley in a very confined space.