Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting A/C: Jumped connections, clutch still wont engage

Problem: A/C wont blow cold air

We've verified that it has enough refrigerent, jumped the two relay's to get the compressor to fire, no luck. When we pulled the relay in the fuse box and jumped that, it would arch and spark a bit, but still no A/C. So the tech thought it is the diode, which I'm thinking is in the compressor/clutch assembly. Sound about right?

Did you try the "hammer knock" test? Start the car, turn on the A/c, carefully knock the clutch with a ball preen hammer. If it engages, it is probably the clutch air gap.

http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=trouble&Number=1248418&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&fpart=all&vc=1

Haven't tried that, but I will.

I forgot to mention that I dont see the idle change at all when I turn on the A/C from the HVAC panel either. Does that mean anything other than the cluth is not engaging?

Check the AC clutch electrical connector. Mine has had a couple of zip-ties holding it on for a couple of years.

Steve

I dont' know why, but I didn't do a thing to it, but it just started working a week or two ago just before the crazy 100 degree weather. Maybe it was God. But its still working just fine whenever I want it.

Wierd eh? Maybe it was pissed because I didn't use it very much.

Maybe reconnecting all the plugs made good connections this time, such as at the pressure switch on the accumulator can. If the A/C is effective in the 90 plus weather, it's got plenty of R134

Yeah, that's how mine started. Then the wife called me on a 98 degree day because the A/C was not working..... Nothing crabbier than a wife with no A/C on a hot, humid day.

Steve