95 a/c elec failure vents/clutch

[t_har]

My 95 front vents stuck on defrost position, further insp showed ac clutch not engaging, nor is rear ac unit changing from floor to ac vent. book sez fuse 21, which is good. wrong fuse? or other places to check?

[busboy4]

Hi,
regarding your vents, stuck in defrost is the default position for no vacuum - my experience is with '96 but I think it follows for yours too. It takes vaccuum to move the actuators to vent, floor etc. It you look above the accelerator you should see a vacuum "block" where several different colored tubes come together. You can unplug that and check there for vacuum. If it is the same as '96, the black tube comes from the engine and provides vacuum. It should be around 13 in/hg at that block with the engine running. If not, the leak is between there and the engine. If so, the leak is inside between there and or at the selector on the instrument panel.
Let me know if I can offer more help.

[t_har]

Thanks, I will look at that tonite.

[t_har]

Well-thank you for the info--I guess I have two problems, well-its a windstar aint it-more than 2, but anyway, found the main vaccuum line off at the engine. Plugged it back in and my vents work, my abs lite went out-life is grand--for a moment anyways!

uh oh-guess the ac clutch is another problem, it doesnt engage, and fuse 21 is good. I remember the AC would cycle off even when the car was still hot inside last summer. Any other place to check for an AC compressor clutch not turning on?

After reading a lot of these posts, i feel lucky my problems beside this one seem to be only the elec rear windowvents work now and then, and the speedometer is wacked.

[RBeach]

Got a 96 Windstar myself that the AC clutch would not cycle on, but knew that I had plenty of refrigerant in the system (it just stopped working going down the road one day).

If you have plenty of refrigerant in your system, it is more than likely your low side pressure cut-off switch. It is located on the reciver drier and has 2 wires connected to it. The one with the 3 (or 4) wires is your high side switch. The low side switch can be removed by hand (you may need a pair of pliers possibly). Be careful when removing it. You do not need to discharge your system becaus the eswitch is screwed into a schrader valve (check with you dealer first to verify, I know the 96 is). When installing new switch, tighten only as tight as you can get it by hand (any tighter and you risk damaging switch or receiver dryer).

The replacement part at dealer was about $50, but I found it at NAPA for $13. I replaced it, and AC was working again.

Rusty