Hey guys. Been doing alot of work on the truck this week off.

After installing my flex a lite 183. and fooling around under the hood, I noticed that my AC clutch engages, and randomly disengages with out the FROST button being on. So i started to fool around with the enviro controls. I noticed full Red, all the way clockwise, turned the clutch off. Goto the half way point where you just touch some blue. Boom clutch turns back on......

Really????

At half way it wants to turn on the AC clutch, and AC efan.

Also I can have the control at any temp, leave the fan control right off. And it stays off.... And now that I think about it, I always have my fan on lvl 1 or 2 during the summer months. But Ive always assumed that with out the frost button off, The AC stayed off. So after 4 years of driving with my fan on. Ive been running with the AC on with out even using it?

Insight would be great. Or even a hyper link to a previous thread with the answers. ( And yes I did try the search tools, Nothing came up for AC clutch problems)

 

I just noticed a similar issue with my 04 1500 figured it was because of my alarm system so I completely removed the alarm system and I experience the same issues as you.

Been googling to no avail is this normal?

 

You sure you haven't got the direction control set to defrost??
The AC always engages with defrost selected. Even without the frost button pushed to on.
Turn the direction control to vents or Floor and check again AC clutch operation.
Al.

 

Oh yeah..... The AC will only kick on and off in defrost mode , when the fan selector is set to run.
It will not operate if the blower fan is off.
Hope this helps????

 

The AC is supposed to run intermittently in defrost mode; it helps by evaporating the moisture. I've had many cars that do this.

 

If your truck is set to defrost the A/C compressor will engage and disengage to DRY the air before blowing it onto the windows.

That is likely why it wont disengage the compressor's clutch.

Try putting it to the "face" (upper) vents and make sure the frost (A/C) button is not lit up.

 

The A/C system always runs on my truck too. Heat or not. Button on or not. But it won't "Cool" unless the button is pushed in. My belief on this is that it kicks on periodically to keep pressures within specified ranges. But yes...if it is on defrost...even floor and defrost, the A/C system runs to dry the air to remove the fogging. You won't ever notice a power difference in this truck with or without the A/C system. Maybe if you had a small 4 cylinder motor will you ever notice a difference when driving with or without the A/C on. Mythbusters did a whole episode on fuel economy and power with the A/C on vs. without the A/C and windows down.

 

Thanks for the replies I was unaware that this was normal operation in defrost.