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A/c question

3063 Views 10 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  Fixit-13, 
8v-of-fury
I see veedubyoo just posted an A/c question, but this is completely different, and I didn't want my first post to be a thread jacking! :D

Ok So car is brand new to me, no idea on anything about it (sadly). Had it running in the driveway today as I was farting around with it, and i thought to myself "Hey lets turn on the A/c, for the hell of it and see what happens" Well doesn't it start blowing ICE COLD.. WOW. so i had the air on for maybe 5-9 minutes, could hear the clutch on the compressor going on and off, and could see the rad fan spinning away. Turn the air switch off and shut the car down for about 10 minutes when my brother arrived to have a chat. Start the car back up to show him the ice cold air on the new to us car, and there was nothing just ambient temp air. The light on the switch was on, and the recirculation button worked I think.. where it would start sucking air from the car instead of outside air.. but the A/c compressor did not kick on and the rad fan did not come on either. So I believe it to be an electrical problem.. maybe the switch just went on me?

Whats my direction of attack on this boys? thanks a bunch in advanced.

Jeremy
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8v-of-fury
So same thing tonight fella's...

start the car up pull it out and get it up on ramps, take a look underneath and get the front end all back together (fenders, hood, bumper, front upper cross member, lights).

and after i was done, about 2.5-3hrs.. start the car up and for shits and giggels I turned the air on to see what would happen. Hear the compressor kick on and ICE cold air starts blowing out.. turn it off and the heat on to see how it does and how the rear defrost does (defrost works :)) and then i try the air again.. hitting the ac switch does not turn on the A/c... the light comes on but no compressor or rad fan comes on.. I dont get it
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J
It's not the AC fuse. Charge? Pressure valve? It should switch the fans on high. Do you have a bentley manual? It says to test the pressure switch, jump terminal 1 and 2 on its plug. The AC clutch should turn on. In this case either the AC is discharged or the switch is bad.
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8v-of-fury
I do not own a bentley, might be something on the shopping list :p

So where exactly is this switch located? for me to be able to jumper pins 1 and 2. If the clutch turns on we have concluded what exactly? The system is depressurized? or The switch is bad. Whats the cheaper fix? A DIY recharge from Canadian Tire? Lol

Where is the switch?
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J
It should be right next to the drier on the right hand side. It turns the clutch turns on, the pressure switch will turn it off it the pressure gets too high or low. The inspection glass should also let you see if it has a charge.
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8v-of-fury
sorry to be such a noob, but I have never had any expereince with A/c systems, or this car lol. Where is the drier inside or outside of the car?

I know what a site hole is, what is it that I should be looking for in it though? and where is it located as well?

thanks a TON!
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chittychittybangbang
The drier is inside the car and looks like a silver can. I think it's a kind of filter that removes moisture from the AC system. Not an AC guy. There's a high pressure line which carries the freon after being compressed where it goes to the condenser and releases heat. Then it goes to the evaporator and absorbs heat from the cabin and goes back to the compressor.

If your car doesn't have a site glass, you have to have it tested for leaks. I had this done once - they vacuum extract the old coolant and put in a dye to detect the leak location. Both are on the low pressure side.
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B
I have a related question. My AC compressor comes on and works. However the fan does not kick on. If you manually help it start it will turn, but will not turn on by itself. Is this an issue with the brushes like I saw on the mk5 or would this just be a bad fan motor?
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chittychittybangbang
bbaker said:
I have a related question. My AC compressor comes on and works. However the fan does not kick on. If you manually help it start it will turn, but will not turn on by itself. Is this an issue with the brushes like I saw on the mk5 or would this just be a bad fan motor?
Click to expand...
You could take the motor apart and clean the brushes, or test the motor with 12V off the car. Could also be a relay issue?
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B
Thanks. I will try that. and check the relay.
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F
Relays are common problems. Make sure your rad fans come on when you turn on the ac. Bad things happen if they don't. I have never had the physical AC switch go bad but I have had two of the blower motor fan controls go. They start acting up by working and then not when the ac cycles. Playing with the control ( moving to another speed ) tends to work after you turn the ac on and off. You also start to notice the control itself getting hot around the outside of the knob. Eventually they have a total melt down. :(
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