a/c troubles
 

I had a belt go on the A/C a while ago and I have been too busy to change it until a few weeks ago. The A/C doesnt work anymore even with the new belt. The clutch doesnt energize. I thought it might be a pressure switch or something. I went to charge the system, it is converted to 134 and I assumed the fitting on the top is low pressure. Upon putting on my recharge kit guage i see a pressure around 150 psi. this is in the red on the guage. my questions are:

1. how can I defeat whatever is keeping the clutch from engaging, is this wise?
2. is there a simple explaination for 150 psi on the low side, or is this the high side and there is another fitting somewhere?


Thanx

Scott

The top is the low side. What caused the belt failure? Try cleaning around the clutch with some brake cleaner.

I am not sure what caused the belt failure, I smelled rubber burning and found it tangled around the crank pulley rubbing on the side of the pulley. If I had to guess I would say it was age since all of the belts were pretty frazzled

i tried to turn the compressor by hand but couldnt get a good grip, I am not sure if it is locked but I figured if I could engage the clutch I would find out quickly.

i reached from underneath and I was able to turn the inside of the compressor pully so the compressor is not locked.

i jumped the wires on the valve on the lower passenger side, the pressure switch on the tube turned on the fan when I jumped them, the switch on the valve did nothing at all.

I checked the AC fuse #8 and it was hot but seemed to be good.

is there something upstream I need to check to get power to the A/C clutch?

If the compressor clutch was not engaged, the fact that the pulley spins says nothing about the condition of the compressor.

i turned the inside portion, the belt is installed so the outside would not turn anyway

Are you getting 12 volts at the compressor clutch?

i couldnt find my meter, I found it later but it was already dark. I will check at the pressure switch tomorrow, then if it has 12v I will check at the clutch. If the pressure switch does not have 12v, whats upstream from that?

fixed, looks like the belt knocked of the clutch connector when it flew off, but of course it also jammed it in there so when i pulled it on my first round of quick check it was tight. when I went from getting 12V at the pressure switch to see if I got 12v at the clutch I could see it was off. Plugged it in.....ICE COLD AIR like I had before.. woohooo