Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Stalling with A/C on

My 2000 SVT will not idle with the A/C turned on. Every time I pull up to a stop, or even if I am slow shifting gears, the revs will fall sharply and the car will stall. I only have this problem with the A/C turned on (the A/C blows cold and seems to be working fine). This only started happening this week when the weather got really hot.

I know there are other posts about this issue, but none seem to indicate any resolution. People are replacing IAC's, TPS's, looking for vacuum leaks, but there is no final word on what is causing this.

If there is anyone who has had this problem and fixed it, please let me know what to do.

Thanks!
Brandon

Yup, I get that too, not to the point of stalling but very close. All I know (which isn't much) is that when you have the AC cranking it puts alot of load on your engine. See I told you I didn't know much.

The clutch inside your AC compressor is seized.. or about to take a [censored]. As it wears, it engages quicker (like if you are sitting at a stop sign and you just let off the clutch pedal quickly and stall the car out.) Time for a new AC Compressor.

The clutch, as stated will(can) cause this. Excellent description there Lil'.

The ability to FEATHER in is lost and it more or less dumps the clutch, causing a sudden drop in power.


Ray

Thanks Ray!

Oh well, I better just role down the windows and stop using the AC.

Thanks for your advice, but I am somewhat unclear on what an A/C clutch actually does. Seems to me that if my clutch was bad, my AC wouldn't engage at all. In fact, it engages fine.

I can actually turn on the AC while driving, then whenever I see a stop light/sign up ahead, I can switch it over to panel or off and then stop. Once I get moving again, I can turn the AC back on. However, if I am in neutral or the clutch (actual clutch, not AC clutch) is engaged, the car will die immediately.

Is this still consistent with a bad AC clutch?

Thanks again!

Yes... if the clutch goes bad in the a/c compresser.. it has a TON of tension (Think complete opposite of a trans clutch). The "pads" that engage and push against the pulley on the compressor are pressing against it too much (clutch is wore out). I fyou drive with A/C on too much more, you will get the clutch/pulley so hot that they will almost "weld" eachother together from the HUGE amount of friction it is causing. A/C compressors can be picked up for less than 100 bucks and are not TOO bad to change. i'd compare it to replacing an alternater.... well, those are a [censored] to do to.. but, depends on your mechanical ability. You WILL get RAPED and Re-RAPED at a shop to have this done.. especially in the summer time. Expcet to pay about 600.00+ parts/labor/recharge (I was quoted that on my last CSVT). I said [censored] that and did it myself. 145.00 total including an A/C recharge (not needed, unless low) and about 4 hours labor time to do it. Do it yourself and SAVE MONEY!!!