Alright my AC used to work before I rebuilt my engine. Now it doesn't. I thought it might be a fuse, but only one was bad and I swapped and still nothing. Unless I am missing the fuse altogether somehow. Anyone know which fuse controls the compressors clutch? Because right now it is always I guess "engaged" (where the compressor is not working). Any ideas? Because on my old truck there was a switch to make the compressor turn on under the hood and I had to jumper a plug for it to work. Thanks. Oh S4 TII.

 

Ok I searched and where is the dryer wires that people said to jumper? Is that right next to the overflow tank in the very front where that plug goes? Well I jumpered that and now my ac won't work at all. Not blow any air or any lights or anything. I have too many strange electrical problems to believe all of the sudden. My gauges are hooked up through the fuse panel right. Now they won't work unless I turn the car on, then "off" (I have a turbo timer so the car stays on, but the ignition switch goes to off). My stock gauges won't work when in neutral or in 5th. Anyone have any ideas? I have one fuse bad which I swapped for another and noticed nothing. But I'm going to the store to get another shortly.

 

If you jump the "low refridgerant cutout" switch at the dryer, you still have to turn on the AC switch on the dashboard (Logicon) to engage the compressor. If the compressor still doesn't engage you'll have to start troubleshooting the electrical supply and ground to the compressor.

 

Now I have new problems, not sure if you read my second post. The logicon doesn't work at all now that I tried to jumper that plug. What fuse controls that? The only one I had out before was the one labeled "meter." I know that there is one under there that controls the ac or compressor or both, but none are labeled that. Anyone know which ones to mess with?

 

With that may electrical bugs, I'd look upstream.

Maybe start with the firewall to bell housing ground.

 

I'll check while I have it on ramps. Good idea.

 

Well I'm not sure where exactly that ground is. Is there an easy way to see it? Well I got everything to work again by changing/upgrading fuses since some were too low and one was blown.

 

Well, I've never tried this.... But you can be a test if you want


There is a wire that comes off of the acctual compressor (should come out from right behind the pully/clutch.) If you don't want to chaise down electrical problems, I would think that you could run a toggle switch, with 12V to that wire (maybe 6/8V???), and it will engage the clutch.



That SHOULD work. I've never seen/done that, but if that is the same type of clutch that is on our lawn mower, that engages the blade, it will work, because that is what we did....

 

Now how do I check for something with the AC compressor? Can I get a picture or description of where the wires are to jumper from the dryer? (never done any work with the ac).

 

I don't feel like cutting/splicing etc unless absolutely necessary. Thanks for the idea though Anyone else?

 

There's no cutting or splicing, you're just jumpering the plugs two terminal with a piece of wire. This is by far the quickest and easiest way to check it.

 

I'll give it a try and post the results. Thanks.

 

Ok I did it and I am low on refrigerant. Now I believe I just have a slow leak that isn't a problem because it lasted me like 6-8 months before I had the car sitting getting the engine rebuilt for like a year. So if it lasts 6 months I'll be fine with that...as long as I have the cheap stuff. Now I think I do because I wouldn't pay out the *** for fill ups. But how can I be sure. And whats the cheap stuff? R-134? How hard is it to fill it myself anyways? Thanks alot. Its too damn hot in Florida to even drive at night with no AC right now.

 

About that ground*:
(The battery is grounded directly to the motor by a heavy cable to the starter bolt.)

* The body is grounded to the engine by a short white primary wire that bolts to the topmost part of the bell housing, and clips on to a spade connector on the firewall, just to the right of center (passenger side) above the brake & fuel lines.
That wire carries ALL accessory & ECU load.

If that wire is the least bit weak, your electrons will get creative & try to find another path.
Then all kinds of bizarre things can happen.

An original exhaust system will have some ground straps, but who has an original exhaust?

 

I checked the bell housing one and it is a little bare need the firewall so I'm going to put some electrical tape on it till I can replace the whole wire. Gotta get the car up to check the starter one, and as for the exhaust where do those go? Since one thing that did change is my exhaust from the turbo back?


Oh and anyone on the "freon" questions above?

 

The exhaust grounds were mostly for corrosion control & to help some with the oxygen sensor signal.
No biggie if there gone.

About freon:
A "134a" conversion is not the best in our cars, unless you happen to be replacing the compressor and/or other main parts of the system.

Call around for a shop that has an "R12" equivalant like "freeze 12".

 

Well my car was cold as hell before, so whatever was in it is going back in from the same shop. He told me $55 to drain it, fill it and check for leaks so its good enough for me.

 

Sounds good - He's probably using freeze-12. I'm seeing it more around here also.