So, it's the hottest day of the year where I live, and the A/C in my 2002 Z28 stopped working midday. It worked fine this morning, then when I went to start the car this afternoon, all it did was blow hot air. The compressor is not kicking on, as the car doesn't drop in RPMs when I turn the A/C to on, and I don't even see any sort of electrical drop like a flicker in the lights that I normally get when it's working.

I know that I should probably start with the fuse, but is there anything else that's obvious that I should be looking at?

 

Anyone?

 

The freon probably leaked out, it wont kick on if it doesnt have any freon in it.

 

Well, it went from ice cold a few hours before to completely dead. The refrigerant was recharged back in April, so it's not like I was sitting on the original stuff that had slowly leaked away. Anyway, I just tested it and there's plenty in there.

 

You have a bad compressor, or a bad high or low pressure switch causing the compressor to not cut on. Verify you have 12v+ at the compressor lead to see if its being commanded to turn on.

 

Or possibly blown compressor fuse, a/c compressor relay. Jump the low pressure cycling switch in the accumulator with a paper clip see if that makes the compressor kick on, if so it needs that switch.

 

it is not uncommon for the ac to quit working like you described. simple explanation is an o-ring or something finally let go, or one of your hoses rested on the swaybar or something and finally had a hole worn into it and the refrigerant leaked out.

i would not jump your low pressure switch, you should put a gauge on the system first. if you did force run the compressor and you get no cold air, you still don't know what the problem is. if you force the compressor to run for any length of time and there's no refrigerant in the system you'll overheat and ruin the compressor, would suck if you're only problem was a $2 o-ring or $30 hose.
the low pressure switch prevents the compressor from running when pressure is below 30 psi. the system if it's nearly full of refrigerant should be about 70 psi or higher with the system off, so either get a manifold gauge set or have a shop check it quick for free. if you're not low on refrigerant, then the PCM is what commands the compressor clutch on/off and various conditions can prevent the PCM from commanding the compressor on. i don't remember at the moment but search my username in general repairs regarding AC i posted them all not too long ago.

 

Good thread Op...my did the same two weeks ago. How hard is it to swap out the compressor?

 

BINGO! It was this ^.

Now I'm just trying to find a deal on an A/C discharge!

Thank you all for your help in troubleshooting this!