[mosesburb]

Originally Posted by 1-PU70

The reason Im keeping the POA is because I read that the A6 is ment to run constantly and not cycle. Im worried that if Im driving all day on a long trip it might screw up the compresser cycling all day.

Originally Posted by leddzepp

This is why I retained the factory POA and used the procedure mrein3 described above to adjust it. If you change over to the orifice tube, I would refrain from hooking up the cycling switch as trucks72 stated above.

A6 compressors can be used with a clutch cycling switch. Air conditioning systems using the A6 compressor in the late seventies and early eighties came from the factory in CCOT (Clutch Cycling Orifice Tube) systems.

It used to be that the A6 was the horsepower hog that never died, but in my years of selling parts I found that their reputation is not as stellar anymore (they are still HP hogs). The compressor is still an extremely rugged and durable design, but the manufacturing and remanufacturing of these compressors has diminished their reputation.

For years I would only sell new compressors. Reman units were (and most still are) junk. I sold several new A6 units over the years, but around 94-95ish most of the units I sold (new GM units) came back with either front seal problems or clutch problems. One customer needed his vehicle and I couldn't get another new A6 for a few days, so I got him a Delco reman unit. That one lasted great. After I switched out most of the 94-95 units for remans I was able to keep those away for a long time. The cost of the new units was ridiculous and the Delco reman units were cheaper so it was easier to sell those especially when they seemed to outlast the new ones (defies all logic--maybe the manufactuing of new ones was transfered from GM to an outside vendor or something).

The problem with the reman units (Delco or other brands) is they take a compressor and clutch that has been reman'd several times already and reman it again and expect a good sevice life out of it. I had several compressors come in that I could not adjust the proper air gap on the clutch because the friction surfaces of the clutch had been resurfaced so many times. Whoever reman'd the units for Delco seemed to hold their tolerances tighter than the Joe-Q rebuilder, but I did have issues with a few of theirs over the years.

So to make a long story a bit longer, it is safe to cycle the clutch on the A6 provided it is in good condition and the system is properly charged (GM did it for years). If the clutch is cycling enough to damage the clutch then either the system is low on refrigerant (this will kill a compressor that runs constantly also), the system has way too much high side pressure (also will kill a constant running comp) or the outside ambient air temp is low and you should have your windows down instead of running the A/C. I also agree with Andy4639 that if you are not going for originality, scrap the A6, go with a Sanden/Sankyo/Zexel and enjoy the horsepower that is not rquired to spin the compressor and enjoy the durability of a more modern design.