A/C clutch fell off
 

Yesterday my girlfriend and I started hearing a noise coming from her 03 Honda CR-V when under hard acceleration. I rolled down the windows and got her to try various things while I listened. Eventually it became a constant screech from the engine bay and I popped the hood. It really sounded like a pulley was going bad so I told her to turn the engine off and when she did the car spat the A/C clutch at me. Now I'm wondering if all I have to do is reattach it and if its safe to drive. Its an i-vtec 2.4 DOHC engine. Its got one drive belt for everything. We drove home and I've been keeping an eye on the belt. I know we can't drive it if the belt comes off but it seems like its not in danger of coming off. BTW the Honda dealer said it would be $1200-1600 to get everything fixed. I said phuck that. Anyone have any experience with this?

Sounds like the compressor locked up which means $$$$

Thanks. How would I test this? Is there any way to try to turn it? I'm a :noob: at AC.

Also, I have pics of the clutch but I'm on my girlfriends stupid mac right now and uploading them was getting complicated. I can post em up in a little while if that would help.

Stick the pulley back on and try to turn it by hand? And make you're actually spinning the compressor and not freewheeling.
If its held on with a press fit and it just came off....bluemax could be right.

Well a failing clutch is one thing, one happened to fail me on my dad's chevy pickup. Put a belt on, drove in very low rpms with it squealing like mad, until it broke half way to the shop, and then I babied it the rest of the way, shutting it off at any opportunity. Sacrificed a belt, but cheaper than a tow.

Now if the pulley actually came off, I would in no way attempt to reattach roadside and drive it, it'll only fail again. You need a new compressor, unless the pulley/clutch assembly can be replaced separately. I believe I could do that on the truck, but a remanufactured compressor unit was the cheaper option at $185.