The air conditioning on my 2003 Ford Focus with a 2.0 liter DOHC Zetec engine started cutting out after operating for a time, especially during very hot conditions. Visual inspection of the A/C compressor showed it was not engaged when this would occur. The A/C could sometimes be restarted five to ten minutes after it failed. The A/C compressor would usually operate to some degree when the engine was cold or with the defroster turned on in wintertime conditions here in New England.
I figured that the A/C clutch was bad and would need to be replaced. However, upon researching the replacement procedure I discovered the existence of these shims. I bought this set of shims along with a set of feeler gauges to further diagnose the problem.
The shim kit Amazon sent me only had four shims included, while the pictures I've seen of this part number include five shims. The ones I received are the following thicknesses in inches as measured by my dial caliper: .052, .045, .033, .029
The existing shim in the clutch hub in my case was .040 inches. That put the gap between the clutch hub and the clutch pulley at roughly .035 inches. I replaced the existing .040 shim with the new .029 shim. The .011 inch difference reduced the gap to roughly .025 inches when I reassembled the clutch assembly.
This change was enough to allow the A/C clutch to once again operate reliably. It is nice that a worn down A/C clutch can be adjusted this way rather than replaced.
| Manufacturer | Motorcraft |
|---|---|
| Brand | Motorcraft |
| Model | Spacer Kit |
| Item Weight | 0.8 ounces |
| Product Dimensions | 6.9 x 3.9 x 0.2 inches |
| Item model number | YF1800A |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Exterior | Painted |
| Manufacturer Part Number | YF1800A |
