96 Windstar A/C clutch not engaging

The title says it all. Also, I just replaced the dropping resistor for the radiator fan since that wasn't working (thanks to the help of you nice folks!). Any reccomendations regarding where to start diagnosing would be much appreciated. Thanks.

first step is to detemine the high and low sides pressures by using a manifold gauge set.

There are several posts on this very subject that I and others have done recently. I highly encourage you to use the search feature at the near top of the Windstar main page. I have posted also on the Escort and Taurus forums on this. It might make the most sense to do an advanced search cross referencing ac related terms with my username.

I know mundy5 recommended you use a gauge set on it, but most of use don't have one. So, I'd recommend you aproach this from an electrical angle first. Unfortunately, at some point, the refrigerant pressure does need to be to some extent evaluated. You can get away with a cheap dial gauge to do this that will only work at the low pressure port, which is also where you add refrigerant. At the very least, if you can measure the pressure of the low side to be 45 psi or higher, you know you have enough refrigerant and pressure to at the very least to start the clutch cycling. It also sholud turn off at 25 psi. If it does both, then you know your clutch cyling switch, which is at the accumulator and has only two wires to it, is working properly. You also know your clutch is working. On the Windstar, the high pressure switch/hi speed fan switch, which has four wires to it, is located also near the accumulator, but is on a smaller line, assuming it is like my 95. This line loops from the front to the sensor and high pressure port and then back to the front making connections to the compressor and condensor coil in front of the radiator. This switch normally is on for the clutch, and the switch for the high fan won't be turned on until high enough pressure is reached.

I would also recommend visiting Autozone.com's repair section for your specific vehicle. Hopefully they will have something helpful. At the very least, visit the electrical section to look at the wiring diagram for the ac and fan circuits. That should help make some of what I said make sense. Maybe someone will have mercy on you and send you the sections you need from their digital repair manual.

I have a couple of pictures posted in the pictures that the link in my signature takes you to that show the location of several of the A/C pressure switches.

The electrical power to the clutch comes from a relay inside the CCRM (Constant Control Relay Module), which is also shown in my pictures.
The relay inside the CCRM is energized by the PCM.....which as mentioned above will require that the pressure switches be a certain way.

The search function will get you more information as well as the information above.

please by all means explore all the potential electrical issues that can lead to your a/c clutch not engaging.

i have heard that a/c manifold gauges can be "borrowed" for free at a lot of autoparts stores. Give autozone, oreilly's, autoadvance a call and see if they load this very useful tool.

a/c clutches sometimes do not engage when there is insufficient refrigerant.

I didn't have any luck finding wiring diagrams for the A/C on the Autozone website. I did find a bunch of other wiring diagrams though. Also, if anyone has pictures of the switches and their location etc, that would be helpful. Unfortunately, I don't know my engine compartment like the back of my hand :) Thanks!

Who has seen the movie "Groundhog Day"?
I clearly remember posting in a number of threads Saturday morning....and they were all gone Saturday evening.......so this morning, I feel like I am in that movie.

This is a link to a picture that I took of the A/C cycling Switch and the High Pressure Switch on my '96 3.8L
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2077761460011220610tpjsMq

How did this turn out? What was the cause?