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a/c clutch not engaging...

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Old Mar 5, 2006 | 04:21 PM
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Default a/c clutch not engaging...

Howdy. I tried searching, came up a little empty handed. My a/c clutch recently just stopped engaging at all. I've replaced the relay and checked to make sure the wires that plug in to the front of the compressor are still good. What else should I check? What would suddenly just make it stop engaging or even trying to engage like that? Thanks for any replies.
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Old Mar 5, 2006 | 05:21 PM
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Don't know...did you check the A/C CRUISE fuse too? No SES light?
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Old Mar 5, 2006 | 05:48 PM
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Originally Posted by 2001NBMZ28
Don't know...did you check the A/C CRUISE fuse too? No SES light?
No SES light
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Old Mar 5, 2006 | 09:39 PM
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did you actually check and make sure that your getting voltage at the connector that goes to the AC compressor?? If it is getting voltage...than its possible that maybe there's a cut-out switch that is bad or something
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Old Mar 5, 2006 | 10:27 PM
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Could low in freon. Connect AC gauges to see if you have freon. Could be a leak in the system.
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Old Mar 6, 2006 | 07:24 AM
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Originally Posted by Travis99LS1
did you actually check and make sure that your getting voltage at the connector that goes to the AC compressor?? If it is getting voltage...than its possible that maybe there's a cut-out switch that is bad or something
I didn't physically check for voltage. Cutout switch?
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Old Mar 6, 2006 | 06:45 PM
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Turned out the refrigerant was completely empty Hopefully it doesn't leak out the cans I just added.
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Old Mar 6, 2006 | 07:37 PM
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yea...if it was low on refrigerant that would keep the compressor from turning on. I'm almost positive that there is a trinary switch that protects the system from excessively high or low pressure..either way dont put any of that stop leak stuff in there...it will cost you more money in the long run because that stuff will contaminate recovery machines. Unfortunately it will leak out the cans you just added..it may take a little while, but it will leak it out. The refrigerant really cant just be depleted, if its ever low on refrigerant..than there's a leak somewhere. A test that you could do, is some places sell a dye you can put in the system, you than run the system and use a black light and look for the glowing dye...its real accurate and its a cheap way to find a leak.
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Old Mar 7, 2006 | 07:39 AM
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Originally Posted by Travis99LS1
yea...if it was low on refrigerant that would keep the compressor from turning on. I'm almost positive that there is a trinary switch that protects the system from excessively high or low pressure..either way dont put any of that stop leak stuff in there...it will cost you more money in the long run because that stuff will contaminate recovery machines. Unfortunately it will leak out the cans you just added..it may take a little while, but it will leak it out. The refrigerant really cant just be depleted, if its ever low on refrigerant..than there's a leak somewhere. A test that you could do, is some places sell a dye you can put in the system, you than run the system and use a black light and look for the glowing dye...its real accurate and its a cheap way to find a leak.
Stop trying to scare me
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Old Mar 7, 2006 | 12:04 PM
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Originally Posted by 2001NBMZ28
No SES light?
Well shoot, I should've read further. I know there are codes for the A/C (like P0530 for example) but it says the MIL will NOT illuminate, but they're stored in "failure records"...and "PCM disables the A/C compressor in order to prevent compressor damage."
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Old Mar 7, 2006 | 07:02 PM
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It's empty again
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Old Mar 7, 2006 | 07:15 PM
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Damn in a day? You have a big leak, time to use the dye that was mentioned above
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Old Mar 7, 2006 | 07:23 PM
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Originally Posted by taintedmeat
It's empty again
Have you visually inspected all the lines/compressor carefully? If its leaking that fast, you might be able to spot the leak without any type of leak detector. Look for compressor oil around all the fittings, any of the lines, and of course around the compressor.
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Old Mar 7, 2006 | 08:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Travis99LS1
Have you visually inspected all the lines/compressor carefully? If its leaking that fast, you might be able to spot the leak without any type of leak detector. Look for compressor oil around all the fittings, any of the lines, and of course around the compressor.
Provided I find the leak, then what? Can I just purchase new lines? They can't be patched can they?
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Old Mar 7, 2006 | 09:46 PM
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yes..if you find the leak, assuming its one of the lines, you can just replace that line. Technically speaking, anytime you replace a component, your suppost to evacuate the system, to remove as much oil/moisture from the system as possible, than fix the problem, than recharge the system with the correct amount of oil/refrigerant. I'm sure though if your in a bind, you could just replace a line, and than recharge the system and call it a day, it may be a good idea though to hook it up to a recovery machine and add a little bit of oil back into the system to compensate for whatever may have leaked out.
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Old Mar 7, 2006 | 09:51 PM
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Originally Posted by Travis99LS1
yes..if you find the leak, assuming its one of the lines, you can just replace that line. Technically speaking, anytime you replace a component, your suppost to evacuate the system, to remove as much oil/moisture from the system as possible, than fix the problem, than recharge the system with the correct amount of oil/refrigerant. I'm sure though if your in a bind, you could just replace a line, and than recharge the system and call it a day, it may be a good idea though to hook it up to a recovery machine and add a little bit of oil back into the system to compensate for whatever may have leaked out.
Thanks man, guess I'll check out gmpartsdirect
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Old Mar 8, 2006 | 12:03 PM
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FOUND IT

It's the evaporator tube! 40 bucks on gmpartsdirect.
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