Volvo Air Compressor Cuts Off After Running Fine For Several Minutes

VOLVO MADNESS

The Volvo s60 models of early 2000s are prone to an A/C compressor cutting on and off at the weirdest of times.  The cause of this cut out craziness is that the compressor clutch is getting worn and is too far from the electromagnet coil to engage the compressor.  Its kind of maddening to think that the only thing wrong with the A/C of your awesome Volvo is a slight difference of 0.2 to 0.4 inches of space.  That being said, the preferred method of fixing (I use that term liberally) is to bread clip the ##@##.  A bread clip is the plastic clip that comes on a loaf of bread that keeps the bag sealed.  It is cheap and readily available and for some reason works remarkably well here.  A zip tie has also been used but they are a little thicker and can lead to the clutch wearing if its too close.  

Here is where you stick the bread clip.  Keep in mind you have to cut off the excess plastic of the clip:

Keeping the bread clip under this part of the clutch lowers the distance between the clutch and disk that drives the compressor as I show in the is next photo. Keep in mind a distance of 0.02 inches is about the norm:

The red arrow shows the clutch gap with my screwdriver inserted to make it easier to see.  

It is possible to do this repair with the compressor on the vehicle and still get away with it.  You will not hurt anything and it is worth having your a/c back in the summer (especially in Florida).  Go for it. On the other hand, mine only lasted about 6 months so a new compressor being about $200 it is worth replacing which is what I did with mine.  

If for some reason you are thinking of breadclippin', don't loose your cool. There ain't much space under the Volvos so keep calm and keep bread clippin your way to cooler times.