A/C Compressor help needed.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 144
Likes: 0
A/C Compressor help needed. Hey all!
I just got my car back from the dealer where it has been there for the past three months! Well, they did a great job on the sheet metal, but for some reason now, the A/C compressor will not flip on. Blower and everything seems to work ok. I have a check engine light, but have had that as the dealer didn't fix the air pump (not a biggie as it is getting tossed anyway). Well, I figured the compressor isn't firing because of the lowside pressure switch is either bad, or there isn't enough freon in the system. Both could be the case as the car has been sitting for a while!
Stop me when I am wrong.
I am going to go ahead and ramp up the front to get under it. The lowside switch should be at the compressor, right?
So now, if I jump the switch, the compressor should fire up, right?
If the compressor fires up, then it is definitely the switch or no freon. I do a messurement on the freon now and the pressure is fine, but I figured it isn't a good reading as there isn't anything moving. Is this a correct assumption?
If I need to replace the switch, can I just do a swap out or does this switch make direct contact with freon? Would the system freon have to be emptied and then pumped back in?
I just got my car back from the dealer where it has been there for the past three months! Well, they did a great job on the sheet metal, but for some reason now, the A/C compressor will not flip on. Blower and everything seems to work ok. I have a check engine light, but have had that as the dealer didn't fix the air pump (not a biggie as it is getting tossed anyway). Well, I figured the compressor isn't firing because of the lowside pressure switch is either bad, or there isn't enough freon in the system. Both could be the case as the car has been sitting for a while!
Stop me when I am wrong.
I am going to go ahead and ramp up the front to get under it. The lowside switch should be at the compressor, right?
So now, if I jump the switch, the compressor should fire up, right?
If the compressor fires up, then it is definitely the switch or no freon. I do a messurement on the freon now and the pressure is fine, but I figured it isn't a good reading as there isn't anything moving. Is this a correct assumption?
If I need to replace the switch, can I just do a swap out or does this switch make direct contact with freon? Would the system freon have to be emptied and then pumped back in?
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 144
Likes: 0
Thanks all who contributed!
After going through and checking all the fuses and everything, I took a shot in the dark. It might have been luck, but I warmed up the lowside and was able to get the compressor to cycle once. Once it cycled, I was able to get a good reading on the gauge. Read low, very low. Through some freon in and got the compressor to kick back in. Low freon. Thanks all! Word to the wise, don't trust a gauge (one side gauge) if you can't get the compressor to cycle. If I would have had a high and low side gauge, we wouldn't be talking now!
After going through and checking all the fuses and everything, I took a shot in the dark. It might have been luck, but I warmed up the lowside and was able to get the compressor to cycle once. Once it cycled, I was able to get a good reading on the gauge. Read low, very low. Through some freon in and got the compressor to kick back in. Low freon. Thanks all! Word to the wise, don't trust a gauge (one side gauge) if you can't get the compressor to cycle. If I would have had a high and low side gauge, we wouldn't be talking now!
