Ac compressor help
 

I've searched and found a couple threads but none that I think pertain to my situation. Well my compressor won't kick on. Ac works fine just cant get any cold air. Checked the freon level and that's all fine. I pulled the ac/heater panel and jumped the brown wire to the green wire still didn't kick on. Not sure if that was nessecary or not. I pulled I guess what is the ac switch on the ac line and jumped a wire from one terminal to another and the fans kicked on but the compressor didn't kick in. I even pulled the alt to get to the compressor and I checked for power at the plug and didn't have anything with the car on. Anything else can I do to try to get it to kick on? One thing that I'm not sure of is the fuse panel inside the car, the CRANK 3 amp fuse I have no power to that whatsoever yet the car cranks fine. Not sure if that has anything to do with it. I'm hoping its not the compressor. Any help is appreciated

I am unsure of the configuration of your situation, but I am currently working on a 2000 silverado. Did you jump the relay AC relay? I would check that to see if the clutch engages. Although, if the high pressure cut off is tripped, that wont work. You could also send power directly to the clutch to see if the coil if faulty. The system I am working on is an orifice tube/cycling switch system. It uses pressure readings to cycle the system on/off. When the low pressure switch reaches 25#, the terminals read 12V, which cuts power to the AC relay, which powers the clutch. When that pressure jumps back up to 45#, the terminals on the low pressure switch read 0V and energizes the relay.

You can jump the clutch straight to the battery with a couple of jumpers to see if it's working or not. If it won't engage when you do that, then it's bad.

My concern is should there be 12v at the plug on the top of the compressor towards the front of the car?

If you can't get the compressor runnning, how do you know anything at all about the refrigerant status? You can't get a meaningful gauge reading with it not running.

Are you talking high pressure cutoff switch or clutch engagement?

Listen to this guy! He has been helping me with my Silverado.

As far as the level of refrigerant I just one of those gauges you hook to the bigger ac line and it said it was full. Ac systems are totally not my thing.

I am not sure about high side gauge readings, but low side, the compressor needs to be running at full speed and should be somewhere in the 25-45# range, depending on the cycle of the system, but usually on full speed, that is in the 40-45# range and is what is accepted.

I guess I'm gonna try jumping the relay tomorrow like you suggested. Because even the fans don't come on when I switch the ac on. So I would assume it's something else as well.

That should work as long as high pressure cutoff switch or other safety sensor/system is not disabling it.

I wouldn't jump the relay, just jump the compressor to the battery. Then if that works, proceed to the relay. If you jump the relay first and it doesn't work, you still don't know if it's the relay or the clutch.

Yea, you're right. This Silverado issue has me thinking they're all like mine! The Silverado compressor clutch wiring is a PITA to get to.

Any update OP?

not yet at work right now. should be able to mess with it later tonight. ill post as soon as i get to it..thanks for everyones help as well