Help SuperK Diagnose a AC Problem!

[SuperK]

It doesn't work.

[SuperK]

OH right I probably put details on here right? OK, so as you know had a factory no-ac '95 B6DE. Or as you DIDN'T know now you do. Here's the problem:

It's been working great for almost a year I beleive. anyways, the compressor started making funny noises and I felt that it was going, until one fateful day I turn the car on and all I hear is "PSHHHHHHHH!" when I engage the AC. I figgured (It's a bad way to spell figured but makes me "web hip" or "down with the e-g's") THAR SHE BLOWS. but something kinda smelled funny so to cover all bases I even yanked the evap coil box from under the dash making sure no valves blew or anything.

So pressure relief valve and the coil is fine. Lines are fine. I had a replacement AC compressor I yanked out a couple years ago as a spare at a junker, so I went ahead and used that. Got 8oz of PAG46 oil. drained then added the 8oz. Bolted up, made sure everything is running, even hooked the evap coil to the lines under the hood to inspect everything while the system was pressurized. Everything plugged in, A-OK. So with my evap coil being diagnosed as no longer a threat to society, threw it back under the dash, plugged in the 1 wire and screwed everything on.


I charged the system and it's holding pressure just lovely. Here's the problem: The AC clutch won't engage! My burned out compressor still engaged the clutch. Eveyrthign is wired and all electrical seems to be in check.

There's no fuse for the AC system that I could find, under the hood or inside the compartment

EVERYTHING is plugged in just like before, wire from fuse box to cooling fan to compressor to 2 relays to ground to that little window wired high pressure line, but it refuses to engage.

I tried swapping the relays around to see if anything changed.. and it didn't


Is there anyway to isolate whether the issue is solely a compressor issue, relay, electrical or whatnot?

I just want to NOT dump a ton of money on a reman if I don't have to, and I'm a AC noob. I mean sure I pulled everything out of a junker and plugged it all in a factory non-ac car but that doesn't mean I know how the darned thing works!

[Savin]

Its January, you don't need A/C.

On a serious note: you should be able to hook up a direct 12v source to the A/C compressor and see if the clutch will engage, if not, its probably bad. Whatever your issue is, its most likely to deal with the compressor itself if that's the only thing that has changed.

Also, on some cars, I'm not sure if all are like this, but if you don't have enough freon in the system or if you have too much, the clutch won't engage. (something about freezing of sensors or components or something) When my brother recharged his mustang a few years ago, he overfilled it with freon and all the piping froze. (frost on the pipes in the middle of summer not good) A/C blew hot, and I don't believe the clutch engaged either.

When you refilled your A/C system, did you do it with the DIY kits, or did you have it professionally done? Putting a vacuum on the system before charging it will make sure you get accurate amounts of freon and pressure in the system and detect if there is a leak. Air in system = bad.

That's about all I know.

[SuperK]

I live right next to the mountains. I don't see the sun all winter long, and it rains daily. I hate foggy windows.
If I don't do it now it will be summer before I can complain.

Just kidding, I can complain every day.

the ac clutch seems to engage fine in the old burned out one. well... when I said fine. heh, not really.

Also I was advised by someone locally that using a synthetic r134 freon would be preferred over vacuuming. He said you never actually remove the "air" out of the system because as soon as you remove the vacuum bam, air's back in the system. He said that the reason for vacuuming is to pull out the moisture, and synthetic chemical dryers work fine. I am not sure of these claims but seems reasonable enough for me not to rent a vacuum


Anyone else have any input? the old comressor still engaged even though there was NO pressure in the lines. push on the LP nipple and not even a light "ppsss"

[Sleeper6]

Well if your new ac compressor isnt engaging it could be a problem with the replacement one, just b/c your old one engaged doesnt mean your replacement is ok unless you pulled it off a known working unit. Second vacuuming is done to remove debris as well as moisture in the lines, you could have just as easily put alll the contaminents that were in your old ac compressor into your new one and ruined it just by doing that. Long story short is a/c work is best left to proffesionals until you learn enough to be comfortable with it.

[SuperK]

Sounds like I should order a reman. If I did kill it from the contaminants or debris it would have attenpted to engage. this didn't happen so I's gonna say it's probably just a faulty compressor. Wasn't sure how to do the troubleshooting without replacing parts as I usually do and was hoping people had some pointers.

[PATDIESEL]

Don't you have a factory repair manual? If not invest... It is a true investment too, not an invement like buying a car kind of investment. (like we all think our cars are)
You can swap just the clutch from a good compressor, but I do not know if you can do while it is on the car.
Just a note- I have tried to do AC work a couple of times myself and it is just plain hard without the right tools. I would suggest getting a working clutch and then just take it to a repair shop. I know a guy down here that is Really good and pretty cheap too. Recently replaced the whole system in my Pop's Ranger and charged it for about 400 bucks.
GL and come see us sometime soon.

[SuperK]

I'm not afraid of work... I don't need the AC compressor in the car anyways, I have my old non-ac belt I can use in the meantime.

That'd be kinda fun though, disassemble the old compressor and swap the good parts... doesn't hurt to try, I mean, two bad compressors, what do I have to lose?

I mean, I've taken the whole system out of one car in a junkyard and put the whole stupid thing in mine so I mean... I don' think I need to pay anyone to replace parts...

Reman compressors for the four banger run 115 so I don't think I'll find someone to do the work cheaper than a replacement is anyways.


I DO need to visit though. Everything's just so darned busy.

Oh hey, off topic pat, but guess what! I had to park the ZE again. It's not road worthy AGAIN. Why? Dead clutch. Life's good with that car, I swear!

[Daninski]

God, remans in Canada are $600, I was lucky and the shop found one for $400. I shopped on line and even Rockauto wants $325 I think. PatDrizzel is correct, I take mine to the shop and let them evacuate the system and use their pressure gauge to get the freon quantity just right. To much freon and you could blow your system. Too much oil and you can cause constant compressor stalls.
Maybe if you didn't go around selling crappy Laptops things like this wouldn't happen to you.

[SuperK]

I warned you. You MADE me sell it to you. I tried to stop you from buying that laptop

[Daninski]

I warned you. You MADE me sell it to you. I tried to stop you from buying that laptop

Yes, my powers of persuasion are not to be underestimated. I've talked my way into plenty a pickle but non so sour as the pickle I found trying to diagnose that,,,,thing. Even a buddy of mine with degrees in computer theology couldn't wrestle that beast into submissiveness. New HD, matched RAM, disconnecting conflicting hardware, nothing satisfied it's hunger to dumbfound and frustrate. I had no choice, in the end I took up drinking. Now I sit around with other beaten and broken men wondering how it could of gone so terribly wrong.

[Dark_Rider2k3]

Hey Dan, what's your computer issues? Maybe I can help fix it!

[SuperK]

DAN! Sell it to him ASAP!

[Daninski]

Hey Dan, what's your computer issues? Maybe I can help fix it!

Ok I have an Everex Laptop about 2-3 years old you can have for $100. I believe it has a loose connection that causes intermittent issues. Right now it needs the operating system reloaded. It has a 15.5 inch screen that works perfectly. Question is, do you think your man enough? Well do Ya, Punk.

[Daninski]

Bump. Guess he wasn't man enough?