Does the A/C work when the door ajar light is lit? | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Does the A/C work when the door ajar light is lit?

Jobert

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City, State
New Jersey
Year, Model & Trim Level
2002 Explorer XLT V8
I'll search the forum to find out but in the meantime, does anybody know, or can refer me to a post or link?

I suspect the answer to the question is no cuz my A/C isn't kicking in and I believe it was before the door ajar light came on (and has stayed on)
 



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A/C doesn't care one bit about the doors...
 






A/C doesn't care one bit about the doors...

Ok. Thanks

My compressor clutch isn't kicking in. I have the A/C Pro 20 oz recharge bottle with the pressure gauge. The instructions say to first determine if the compressor is cycling (which it isn't) and if not, add 1/2 of the refrigerant. I guess I'll do that tomorrow unless someone gives me an alternate reason for why the compressor's not kicking in.

There's a YouTube video on recharging with the A/C Pro recharge bottle:

 






The '02 is notorious for the broken black wire in the door jamb boot. However, I don't recall anyone else saying their A/C quit working.

It wouldn't have anything to do with the door ajar light itself, but if it shared that ground it would. I seriously doubt it does.

Lots of things you can do. Try jiggling the plug that connects to the compressor cutch pulley, same with low pressure switch connector.

I don't recommend those AC recharge cans, not without checking your high and low side pressures. You can do it yourself for $49 via harbor freight, or pay that to a shop.
 






I would recommend getting a gauge set and checking your pressures first. It could just be something simple like a bad switch, and pumping more refrigerant in may cause bigger problems. At least see if you have enough static pressure to trip the low pressure switch. If you don't, then add some refrigerant with UV die so you can find your leak point. I would not recommend using anything with sealers in it (most of those AC Pro bottles have them).

If you do have enough pressure, check for voltage at the compressor. If you have voltage, your clutch may be bad. If not, look for a bad switch, fuse or something that would keep you from getting voltage to the compressor.
 






I would recommend getting a gauge set and checking your pressures first. ...

Thanks guys. If you watch that video @ 2:20 it says the compressor needs to be cycling in order to get an "accurate" pressure reading. My compressor isn't running at all, but I suppose I can hook up the A/C Pro bottle and see what I get for a pressure on the low side, if any.

The compressor is way down low on this truck and I don't recall seeing any electrical switch near the pulley. I suppose it's on the upper side and thus somewhat inaccessible. I only know that the compressor isn't cycling by lying underneath the truck and looking up at the compressor pulley.

I agree that the door ajar situation isn't the likely problem, so I'll look elsewhere for the cause.

I thought the A/C was working last year but it might not have been. I wish I'd looked at the compressor situation back then. I've only had this truck since last August and only had it running a month or so after that since I bought it with a "spat out" spark plug and did the Time-Sert repair. I only tried the A/C once last year and that was to defrost the windshield one rainy humid day.

But I assume the A/C had been working when I got it since the prior owner used it very regularly prior to my buying it and he seemed to have kept it up quite well. I seriously doubt he'd have driven it all last summer without the A/C working.

So it's obvious that I'm getting no A/C because the compressor isn't kicking in. But the cause of that is a question I need to answer.
 






$90 can get you a USA gauge set. CPS gauges are USA. Go Amazon CPS gauge sets.

Also, check the wire harness to the AC compressor. That harness has known points where it wears through and kills AC compressor and starter.


If you AC was reading 0 PSI then moisture has been able to get in. You need to vac the system down for an hour minimum.
 












...Also, check the wire harness to the AC compressor. That harness has known points where it wears through and kills AC compressor and starter....

That's true, there's a harness that rubs on the oil filter drip catch and wears through. It's in the stickies under something like, "have a V8, bet you have this problem."

Here: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums...6l-heres-a-problem-i-bet-you-all-have.287097/

Thanks again guys. That's very interesting because I once (1 time only) had a starter issue that may have been due to this worn harness. I'll check that out.

I'm reading the sticky now. Thanks to Number4 for that.

BTW, my '02 has 173+K miles on it. The sticky guy (KC10Chief ) only had 65K on his ride.
 






I have that door ajar indicator issue I need to get fixed (short in the driver door) and it doesn't affect my AC... AC works fine.
 






I have that door ajar indicator issue I need to get fixed (short in the driver door) and it doesn't affect my AC... AC works fine.

Yes, I realize now that my question was a bit silly. My library has 3 volumes of relevant manuals (2 Chiltons & 1 Haynes), all written by Robert Maddox. He says that when checking the refrigerant charge one should "open all vehicle doors" to make sure the A/C doesn't cycle off as soon as it cools the interior. This suggests to me (along with the A/C Pro instructions) that one can't get a good pressure reading unless the compressor is running.

As to that, he also says that when the compressor engages, there will be an audible click "and the center of the clutch will rotate." So maybe my compressor IS engaged because what I'd call "the center of the clutch" was indeed rotating. So now I have to check things out without the A/C on to see if that "center" is rotating.

I was expecting to see the outer part of the pulley to be rotating, which it wasn't.

Also, I haven't yet located the wiring harness that Number4 linked me to. So I still have to check that out.

If anyone else has a better description of where that's located, kindly advise. I'll keep looking for it in the meantime.

Also, does anyone know where the "stickies" are located now? I see the site has changed since I was last here and I can't seem to find them.
 






Gauges hooked up with the compressor not running (and having not run) should show equal pressure high and low. If it's empty, it'll obviously read so. You can also press in on the low pressure fill ports Schrader valve. If it's empty, nothing will come out. If something comes out, stop pressing.

The front of the compressor pulley is the clutch. It's pretty much the diameter of the pulley and about 1/4" thick or so. It sounds like this part isn't moving.

The harness I spoke of, plugs into the coil which is behind/in/under the pulley. When power is applied, it magnetizes and pulls the clutch to the pulley, turning the compressor internals.

On my 04, the harness that gets worn, is securely held out of the way by a fastner.

The very first post, above all threads, is a post that holds all the stickies. Sticky's are threads that are deemed very helpful for common issues.
 






....The very first post, above all threads, is a post that holds all the stickies. Sticky's are threads that are deemed very helpful for common issues.

I clicked on "List of Useful Threads" instead of the post itself, so now I see the stickies.

Thanks.

I'll check things out tomorrow and report back.
 






....The front of the compressor pulley is the clutch. It's pretty much the diameter of the pulley and about 1/4" thick or so. It sounds like this part isn't moving....

Yes, the front of the compressor pulley isn't rotating.

I just went out and determined that the outer part of the compressor clutch (which I assume you're calling "the front of the compressor pulley") turns by hand, while the inner part turns all the time. So when I switch to A/C, the outer part should turn (and cycle).

But it's not.

Also, I hear no audible click when I switch to A/C; however, I'm not listening under the hood. I'm sitting inside in the driver's seat when I switch to A/C.

But I do hear movement in the blend door actuator.

My blend door unit is bad, so I did the quick fix with some string as per the YouTube video(s). I have switched it from the "heat position" to the "A/C position" but perhaps there's something internal in that blend door unit (like a switch) that causes the compressor clutch to engage?

If so, that could be my problem.
 






The click noise that's mentioned is the clutch being pulled against the spinning pulley.

You either have a leak and no refrigerant or you have an electrical problem.
 






Ford has a procedure for AC as do all manufacturers.

1,500 rpm, windows shut, MAX AC, Panel only, Stabilize interior to 70*, and follow a series of charts pertaining to Low Side Pressure, High Side Pressure, Compressor On Time, Compressor Off time, and Compressor Cycles per minute.

Or the best route is to evacuate and fill to spec from 30lb jug.
 






The click noise that's mentioned is the clutch being pulled against the spinning pulley.
You either have a leak and no refrigerant or you have an electrical problem.

I would recommend getting a gauge set and checking your pressures first. It could just be something simple like a bad switch, and pumping more refrigerant in may cause bigger problems. At least see if you have enough static pressure to trip the low pressure switch. If you don't, then add some refrigerant with UV die so you can find your leak point. I would not recommend using anything with sealers in it (most of those AC Pro bottles have them).
If you do have enough pressure, check for voltage at the compressor. If you have voltage, your clutch may be bad. If not, look for a bad switch, fuse or something that would keep you from getting voltage to the compressor.

plasticseng / Number4:

I hooked up the A/C Pro bottle to my low side port and it shows <15 lbs pressure. It's above 10 but only about 1/4 of the way to the next pressure on the gauge, which is 25 lbs.

So it's maybe 11-13 lbs or so.

I assume this is not enough pressure to activate the low pressure switch, but I don't know at what pressure that would activate.

Does anyone here know?

Thanks.
 






One can (<1 can actually) is enough to activate it.

I can being 12 oz.

Not sure how that equates to pressure though.

Also, if you are low, then you have air in the system. Adding refrigerant would not be good as the air/moisture/refrigerant will cause acid.

I believe pressure should be 100 low/100 high when not having ran. It basically equalizes.
 






The switch is open at 22 psi and closes around 40~45 psi.
 



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I believe Joe is right. About 22 psi should kick it on. I would add a can with die (no sealer) so you can verify that the compressor will run and be able to find and fix the leak. You will need a UV light to see the die at the leak points.
 






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