Ok I replaced my entire A/C system minus the hoses and I'm having troubles getting my AC compressor clutch to engage. I read this in another thread curious exactly how to test it. "You can ground the connection going to it by using a paper clip or wire to make it turn on." There are two plugs. When I bought the compressor the parts store said it was tested and working. I also read something about how if there is no freeon the clutch will not engage I've tried to put like 50 ounces of freeon in it before I realize the clutch wasnt engaging. Anyone got any thoughts?

 

The AC compressor will come on when you have the climate control in defrost. That helps in keeping the humidity down. You say you put in 50 ounces in? Maybe you have a leak. Check the hoses for cracks. Did you check your ac clutch relay in the PDC? The experts will be coming on shortly for better advice. HTH.

 

Yeah accidently I just kept filling until I felt it get cold. Well it never got cold... after 3 12 ounce cans and 1 16 ounce can. /sigh. I'm probably going to let it all out tomorrow and refill it. Maybe I overfilled it. I'm pretty sure there is no leaks as everything was replaced.

I was just driving and my AC got really really cold for about 10 mins. I stopped and popped the hook and check to see if the clutch was engaged and it wasn't. It possibly was for a short period, enough to blow really cold air in my car but I'm confused as to what the deal is.

 

there are two pressure switches in the system. one right at the compressor one where the hoses enter the firewall.

one at a time unplug & short across. if the clutch kicks in you either have too little or too much 134 in the system. remember the clutch cycles, it should not stay engaged all the time.

if the green plug at the firewall kicks on the clutch system is too low on pressure to run, if the black one does it you have over filled.

If that doesn't do it jump power to the clutch connector. If it won't kick in then you have a defective clutch, never have seen that in new or re-man a/c compressors but there is always a first.

clutch kicks in when jumped, fuse relay, dash switch.

Oh you didn't say if it had rear a/c or not. if it does your still to low.

Now for the big questions. do know anything about a/c? did you pull the system to vacuum at least fifteen inches before you added 134? if no your ****ed & must start over. the system has to be pulled to vacuum first!!!! if you didn't you over filled it on the first bottle & are damn lucky it wont kick in.

let the system sit under vacuum, static, & see if it holds. that is the first stage leak check. if it wont hold vacuum it definitely wont hold 134's small *** molecules.

If you did put it to vacuum first then ignore that last bit. if not you need to take it to a shop for evac & recharge.

Please, please, please, do not vent even 134 to atmosphere. it is not good for the environment we all share.

A/c is not a system people should try to work on with no knowledge of exactly how the system works, I have seen people hurt & know a guy who was killed charging the system the wrong way. if that can blows up in your face it's gonna cause big time hurt. 134 is also flammable where r12 was not. kick in an over pressurised system & it can literally blow up. Particularly when air is left in the system & you keep adding 134 on top.

You don't hear about this kind of thing much because very few people attempt to work on the system themselves. even if it was a no hazard situation there is special equipment needed to properly charge the system & the fill it till it's cold method is definitely not the way to do it.

My 2psi

 

Well there it is......LOL

 

yup i agree sounds good to me

 

OK well I took it to a AC guy and he hooked up to a machine and said its not to low or too high even without vac'ing it the clutch should still kick on. I jumped both hi an low pressure sensors and neither one of them kicked the clutch on. I know the relay is good. I don't have rear AC.

Does it sound like a bad clutch?

I know at first I put too much in the system when I hooked it up to one of those walmart gauges and it was in the red warning area. The AC guy evacuated it until it was at 28 ounces. He said even with the air in the system the clutch should still engage is this true?

I'm thinking I might need to buy a new compressor and I'm going to have to drop almost 200$ on one so hopefully I wont have too.

I used a multi meter today and probed the connection that goes into the clutch. It was reading 5.00-5.50 volts? orrr whatever I don't understand what type of power it was but it the connection was good.

When I paper clip the LPS the engine picked up a little bit bit no clutch. Even when I re-attched the plug the engine picked up probably 50 rpms.

Anymore advice? Is it worth getting evacuated and vaccumed and refilled to see if the clutch will engage or just get a new compressor and start over.

 

I did have my dash almost completely apart when I changed my heater core out and swapped my evap. Is it possible that I didn't plug something in or broke a ground? I mean the switches all work when I turn the ****... I was thinking I might of missed a plug or something? Is there one back there in the HVAC box...? My heater works great but no air in TX is killing me

 

it is very possible that you missed a plug or a ground, but it would suck to have to take the entire dash apart again just to CHECK for a bad ground or missing plug

 

I mean is there one back there? I believe I connected everything. but the fan works when I got to switch it from the different options.