Hi,

I have a 2013 Rogue. The ac is not working and I am attempting to fix it by replacing the ac clutch, pulley, and coil. There is something I don't grasp about how the ac compressor works.

My understanding is that when the ac coil is activated, it generates an electromagnetic force that draws the clutch towards the spinning pulley. When the clutch and pulley engages, torque is transferred to the shaft of the ac compressor, making the cooling cycle possible.

What I don't understand is this: where is that 'play' that makes it possible for the clutch to be drawn towards the pulley when the ac coil is activated? I have just installed the new coil and pulley and clutch, and I notice that everything is screwed on tightly with no play at all (there is an air gap between the clutch and the pulley; but the gap is fixed and I can't close it by pushing against the clutch). I don't see any spring anywhere that would give the clutch any play.

So what gives that allows the clutch to move towards the pulley when the coil is activated? Should the shaft of the ac compressor move axially if you push against it? I have tried but the shaft of my ac compressor does not move inward or outward.

I have not yet tried starting my car to test the new parts because I am afraid that the source of the problem may be something else.

Thank you for your help.

Did you take a moment to read through this thread?
AC compressor clutch not engaging

Hi Rogue One,

I have read through the thread you indicated and I do not see an answer to my specific question: should there be some axial play between the ac clutch and the pulley in a 2013 Rogue under normal circumstances, when the car is turned off? If all things are normal, should I be able to close the air gap between the clutch and the pulley by manually pushing against the clutch?

I can confirm that my ac fuse and power harness do work as there is normal voltage transferred to the ac coil when I press the button from within the cabin to turn on the ac.

Thank you.

Were there any shims on the shaft of the clutch when you removed it? If so I hope you installed them in the same spot they were in when you removed them.

If you have the clutch all back together and everything is tight. That means the snap rings are in place fully seated and the nut on the end of the shaft is tight and the three screws are tight, then start your car and turn the ac on. Two things should happen. The center of the compressor that you just replaced the clutch on should spin, I'm assuming it did not before replacement and your radiator fans should come on. The gap is very small and I'm not sure the clutch moves so much as its now stuck to the pulley because of the electromagnet.

Hi Rogue Jarhead,

I did not forget the shims. They are placed back into the new clutch plate.

I will zero in on your last sentence: for the clutch to get stuck to the pulley it has to move towards it. The clutch and the pulley can't engage unless they touch; and they can't touch unless one moves towards the other, closing the gap between them. So what moves here that allows the air gap / clearance to be closed? As I said, both the clutch plate and the pulley seem to me to be fixed in place axially, with a fixed gap between them.