I thought maybe someone over here where the cars aren't station wagons might benefit from my recent A/C compressor shim efforts. I was experiencing the dreaded intermittent compressor clutch (which left me without air conditioning several times in the recent 110 degree heat wave here in Arizona). It has the potential to be a fairly big job, but this technique took me only an hour or so, and is working like a champ (and should for some time).

FYI - the problem is very common to our Volvos - the clutches wear until the gap the electromagnet has to close in the compressor clutch is bigger than it can handle, especially when it's hot (see 110 degree reference above!). FWIW...

https://volvoforums.com/forum/2001-2...-option-78578/

 

The volvo service guy swore to me that was an s40 problem, not volvo wide. Not looking forward to that again. Easy fix or not, it's ridiculous!

 

If only it WAS a problem with only the S40 series... I wouldn't even mind doing the job "right" (de-shimming the compressor clutch) other than the fact that the compressor is right up against the body, and there's just no room to work without doing a fair amount of "drop and jiggle", that would take 10x longer than the actual de-shimming process.

FWIW, my V70's A/C is blowing arctic air a week later, and hasn't hiccup'd even once since my fix.