Must Fix A/C ASAP

[FordForLife1996]

Hello everyone. I'm brand new to the forum, and I have a problem. The a/c went out on my 96 Explorer 10 days ago. Had been blowing cold until then. So far, we have replaced the clutch and the high and low pressure sensors. The compressor is spinning, but not engaging. Freon has been added, removed and added again and I don't know what to do next. It just blows hot air. My husband says the truck need to go away, but I'm not ready to part with it...any suggestions? This is my daily driver and I work out of it 5-6 hours a day, every day. It's too hot to not have a/c, but too expensive to take to the shop. any help would be appreciated.

 

[koda2000]

check the WOT relay. try switching it with another similar relay. the purpose of this relay is to turn off the compressor during wide open throttle.

 

[snoranger]

Of coarse he wants it to go away... It sounds like he's just throwing parts at it and that gets expensive quick.

You need to follow the power through the circuit and find where it stops. ( It could be a bad component, broken wire, etc.) Get a wiring diagram and start testing.

Sorry I don't have time to go into detail right now.

 

[Bobmbx]

Hello everyone. I'm brand new to the forum, and I have a problem. The a/c went out on my 96 Explorer 10 days ago. Had been blowing cold until then. So far, we have replaced the clutch and the high and low pressure sensors. The compressor is spinning, but not engaging. Freon has been added, removed and added again and I don't know what to do next. It just blows hot air. My husband says the truck need to go away, but I'm not ready to part with it...any suggestions? This is my daily driver and I work out of it 5-6 hours a day, every day. It's too hot to not have a/c, but too expensive to take to the shop. any help would be appreciated.

Do the a/c lines get covered with condensate?

Does the compressor cycle on and off?

When it broke the first time, what were the symptoms? Anything different than what you're experiencing now?

 

[FordForLife1996]

Relays and fuses have been checked. The lines never get cold and the compressor does not cycle. When the problem started, the a/c just stopped working one day, then seemed to work the next...did this for a few days before completely dying. It's been totally out for 10 days now...

 

[tlutz211]

hey there, one suggestion, with the engine running and the ac turned on you say the compressor does not engage, mine had the same symptoms at one time, try hitting the front of the clutch plate with something such as a tire tool or the handle of a long screwdriver while running and ac switched on. PLEASE BE CAREFUL!!! A false move could get your tool wound up in the serpentine belt and really mess up the truck or even worse injure yourself. does not require an extremely hard hit just tap on it a few times to see if it will engage. If it does, remove the clutch and you will see a few shims/ washers remove the one shim and re install clutch and check for normal operation, if one shim removed was not enough, repeat as necessary. If you dont feel comfortable with performong the test with the motor running, at least turn the key to on and ac switch to on then touch the face of the clutch with something metallic to see if it sticks (clutch is an electromagnet) then proceed with removal,

 

[koda2000]

also try hot wiring the compressor straight from the battery. if it kicks in (i think it probably will) sounds you've got a wiring problem. when checking relays/fuses were the sockets also checked for corrosion?

 

[BubbaFL]

The first thing to do is get a set of gauges.

Take pressure readings on both the high and low sides, with the engine running, controls at max a/c.

Hot-wiring the a/c clutch before you do this is a BAD idea - without enough refrigerant in the system, oil won't circulate and you can damage the compressor. If pressure is high enough where the clutch should be engaging and it doesn't, then you will know it is an electrical problem and can troubleshoot accordingly.

 

[snoranger]

also try hot wiring the compressor straight from the battery (for safety reasons...without the engine running). if it kicks in (i think it probably will) sounds you've got a wiring problem. when checking relays/fuses were the sockets also checked for corrosion?

Is that better Bubba?

 

[koda2000]

Is that better Bubba?

yeah, i never said to have the engine running, but it's gotta be safer than poking the spinning clutch hub with a screwdriver... lol.

 

[FordForLife1996]

Thanks for all of the tips...we had already tried tapping the clutch with the engine on, and that didn't help. Pressure readings also taken and everything good there. Will do some wiring troubleshooting tonight...

 

[BubbaFL]

Pressure readings also taken and everything good there.

What are the pressure readings, and what was the ambient temperature when they were taken?

 

[bobflood]

Thanks for all of the tips...we had already tried tapping the clutch with the engine on, and that didn't help. Pressure readings also taken and everything good there. Will do some wiring troubleshooting tonight...

Is this a manual AC or the EATC head unit?? If it's an EATC, there is a small relay on the circuit board in the head unit that controls the compressor and ends up with solder joints going bad. I disassemble the head unit and resoldered mine; however, the EATC head units are also readily available as aftermarket units for about $100. Testing the circuit from beginning to end with a test light will help pinpoint where the problem lies. Good luck.