From what I gather, it's common for the A/C compressor clutch to fail in these models?
Mine appears to be slipping enough to not allow proper cooling to occur.
Hate to just replace clutch if someone has a good lead on a clean used unit, give me a shout.
Thanks,
Bill

 

I had that as a problem on one car (not a Saturn) and found if I measured the voltage on the wire at the compressor when the clutch was to be turned on the voltage was not close to the (about) 12 volts needed to energize he clutch but closer to 8 volts. This was measuring with everything connected so having the load of the clutch windings present.
The 8 volts was sort of expected as there was a number of sensors in series with the clutch and connectors too. The voltage drop was excessive so by the time the clutch got involved it would not lock on. The voltage was just too low.
As the car was old and connectors were old there was no real way to fix things by cleaning connections. Besides some were hidden.
So I got a separate relay which the voltage at the wire would turn on and wired the relay from the battery directly with an in line fuse of about 10 amps through the relay contact to the clutch connector so the clutch was not run straight off of the battery and problem solved. The signal from the car wiring turned on the relay and the relay turned on the compressor clutch. This worked for me perfectly on an old car. BUT and there is always a but, it worked because the measured voltage at the clutch was about 8 volts or so when it needed to be 12 volts or so.
That would run the relay but not the clutch directly.

 

what are the high and low side readings?

What makes you believe that the clutch is slipping? Is it a visual confirmation?
Not being a smartass --you just didn't explain your suspicion in the original post.

 

oh, and i got that same fortune cookie. taped to my door at work

 

Yep, it's a visual, and definitely slipping.
Compressor tries to kick in, clutch spins for one second, and then fails, even after several cycles of trying to spin continuously.

 

Why don't you just get one of those cans of 134 with the built in gauge at Walmart and hook it up and try it, Bill? At this point in time, I don't see where you'd have anything to lose. Seems to me that you might just need a charge.

 

To me, your clutch is failing to engage/stay engaged. To me, slipping would imply that the clutch was physically slipping while actually running. Semantics maybe. whatever.

Your low side pressure might just happen to be right around the cutoff pressure for the low pressure limit switch, which will inhibit clutch engagement.

Hence my suggestion -- do a lend a tool for a/c gauge and check the low and high side pressures so you know what you're working with inside the system.

Just one more variable to rule out if nothing else.

And it costs nothing.

 

Gotta agree with both Derf and Ruby. Both suggestions work to the same end. Except one is going to cost you some money BUT you will have the gauge, the other means u have to get a set of REAL gauges some how and run the test Derf suggested.
HINT:
I already did the can of 134 and the gauge. That is how I got my gauge!

 

Already had it on a set of gauges, low side was bouncing around badly.
Found a remanufactured with 1 yr. warranty for $249.00, going that route.

 

OK peeps, here's the A/C compressor I ordered, comes with the new air drier and seals, pag oil already added.
Heck of a lot cheaper than the GM replacement priced at $712.92 + tax.
Has a 1 year warranty also.
Hope this helps someone who might be also looking.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/121205207057...84.m1423.l2649