Shankmonkey

Yeah it’s pretty weird, I’m not sure what to believe at this point.

In case anyone else was wondering, I contacted DENSO and gave them the part number and they responded today with:

Well now I'm good and confused. I looked up the AC compressor model online and it said it was clutchless, and I can't imagine it running the entire time for the two 8-hour drives I took without seizing. But that is an electromagnet clutch there like I thought. So I'm at a loss now.

No offense taken at all haha, I can't count how many times I've started to work on a problem to later realize it was something simple I had overlooked or should have looked at in the first place. I looked at the pulley and it was spinning, and the hub was also spinning. I watched it and never saw it disengage, and even reached down and felt the inside lightly with my hand to feel the hub moving too. I checked it again with the A/C compressor unplugged and with the A/C off and had the same results. I'm also not super familiar with A/C systems in general, but from what I read, it seems like if my compressor clutch was truly seized, then my compressor would have likely burnt up by now as I've done some 7-8 hour drives in the past few months for work. I suspect it might be a Clutchless system with a Variable Displacement Compressor. This would make sense as in this type of system the pulley-wheel always spins, even when the A/C is off. I know I have low/no pressure in the system and the A/C slowly got worse over 2 summers so I have a leak somewhere and will probably just get the system evacuated and filled with some dye and then find the leak at the end of summer and fix the leak and go from there.

Unfortunately I’ve heard a few stories like that, I’ll check out an ac shop and see what they say.

I've had my 2010 Journey 2.4L for 4 years now and the A/C worked when I got it. This summer I turned it on but there was no cold air. I checked the fuses and they were all good. Then I checked to make sure the clutch was engaging with the compressor. It was on engaged and so I turned the A/C off and it was still engaged. I unplugged the wiring harness going into the A/C and turned the car on and the clutch was still engaged. So I'm thinking the clutch is seized. I pressed the valve on the high-pressure side and I couldn't hear or see anything come out so I'm thinking I have a leak now too. My biggest concern is driving with the compressor always turning, I don't want it to seize and my belt to burn off. I'm wondering if it's as simple as replace the compressor, and take it to a shop to be refilled? Pepboys has a free leak test they offer but I'm a little skeptical about taking it there to see if they can find a leak. I'm open to any and all ideas on what to do next.