A/C question

I have a 01 Taurus with a dohc duratec, A/C is not cold. I got a recharge kit with gauge. Static pressure shows 45psi and then drops almost to 0 when the clutch engages then goes right back up again. The clutch engages and disengages like every 5 to 8 seconds, I was wondering if this was normal or not? Also what should the static psi be for this vehicle. The gauge that i have shows that over 45 psi it will be overcharged but this is just a universal gauge and not for fords specifically. Ambient air temp is around 72 F.

You really should be using a manifold gauge set so you can monitor the high and low pressure sides at the same time. Doing so will help you identify an issue before it becomes a safety concern.

The compressor clutch cycling every 5-8 seconds is definitely not normal. This would indicate that either the clutch system has issues or the pressures are either too high or too low. If you're lucky, the system is undercharged due to a very small leak. You could confirm the clutch is not the issue by monitoring the voltage to the clutch field coil to determine if it is cycling at the same rate that it is getting power. If that's the case, then you're down to determining why the pressures are not correct, and that's where the manifold gauge set and a good leak detector come in to the picture.

As for the pressures, the concept upon which the A/C system works is pretty universal, so universal gauges are pretty much acceptable.

-Rod