Air Conditioning problem

aperry62 · #1 07-15-2006, 11:14 PM

I just got done changing the starter in my wifes regal, what a PITA that was. You have to loosen the a/c compressor and move it out of the way to get the starter out or so it said in every manual I consulted. To make a long story short the a/c was frigid before the project. While reinstalling the compressor in the bracket I cracked a tab off so I finished bolting it in place and then ran a shorter belt bypassing the compressor so she could drive it until the part came in. Part came in and I put it on with much cursing and scrapping of knuckles. In the process of tightening one of the bolts a wire got caught behind it and stripped it bare. Started the car up and no a/c just hot air. Found the stripped wire and repaired it and still no a/c. I've checked the fuses in the glove box and they seem to be fine. Are there anymore fuses anywhere else in the car for the a/c, like in the engine bay? My truck doesn't have air so it's nice to have at least one vehicle with air especially now that the Heat Index is well passed 100 degrees. Please give me any ideas that you may have I fear the compressor is gone but really don't think that the limited movement would have done anything that bad.

Thanks

jd-autotech · #2 07-16-2006, 12:12 AM

if you pull the connector off the ac cycle switch with is on the accumulator and jumpper the wires together the compressor should run continuously with car runnung and ac on if not you got wiring issue or maybe a blown fuse

Vandy 1 · #3 07-16-2006, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aperry62

I just got done changing the starter in my wifes regal, what a PITA that was. You have to loosen the a/c compressor and move it out of the way to get the starter out or so it said in every manual I consulted. To make a long story short the a/c was frigid before the project. While reinstalling the compressor in the bracket I cracked a tab off so I finished bolting it in place and then ran a shorter belt bypassing the compressor so she could drive it until the part came in. Part came in and I put it on with much cursing and scrapping of knuckles. In the process of tightening one of the bolts a wire got caught behind it and stripped it bare. Started the car up and no a/c just hot air. Found the stripped wire and repaired it and still no a/c. I've checked the fuses in the glove box and they seem to be fine. Are there anymore fuses anywhere else in the car for the a/c, like in the engine bay? My truck doesn't have air so it's nice to have at least one vehicle with air especially now that the Heat Index is well passed 100 degrees. Please give me any ideas that you may have I fear the compressor is gone but really don't think that the limited movement would have done anything that bad.

Thanks

Yes you should have another fuse/link box in the engine compartment.
The owners manual or repair book for the car should tell you where it is located. It might be along the inner fender walls or close to the battery.
If your electric door locks, radio, headlights are dead then you probably
blew the main link {batt} but if all of these are working check in the same
fuse box for a fuse labeled a/c. A replacement fuse should only cost a few
bucks.
Hope this helps.

aperry62 · #4 07-16-2006, 09:43 AM

I found that one of the big 30A fuses in the engine bay fuse box was blown. I happened to have an inline fuse setup sitting around so I jerry rigged it in and I still had the same result...no air. I'm really not familiar with the a/c system. Where is the accumulator located at in reference to the cycle switch.

BNaylor · #5 07-16-2006, 10:14 AM

It won't do any good to bypass the pressure switch at this time. The 30A maxifuse is probably the A/C clutch fuse. The wiring problem may have shorted out the A/C clutch relay or the clutch coil. Also, there may be a clutch diode in the circuit. Double check the wiring to the A/C clutch and make sure it is not causing the short or problems.

aperry62 · #6 07-16-2006, 12:13 PM

There are twp seperate wiring connectors on the compressor. One has two wires and is at the pulley end of the compressor. The other has three wires and is at the back of the compressor. I'm assuming that the two wire connector is the control for the a/c clutch. I have switched around the relays in the control center and verified that I didn't fry the relay. How can you tell if the compressor clutch is engaging? Is there a noise or some visual movement? I know it's a bunch of questions but I'm trying to learn and understand what I'm working on.

Thanks

BNaylor · #7 07-16-2006, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aperry62

There are twp seperate wiring connectors on the compressor. One has two wires and is at the pulley end of the compressor. The other has three wires and is at the back of the compressor. I'm assuming that the two wire connector is the control for the a/c clutch. I have switched around the relays in the control center and verified that I didn't fry the relay. How can you tell if the compressor clutch is engaging? Is there a noise or some visual movement? I know it's a bunch of questions but I'm trying to learn and understand what I'm working on.

Thanks

The pulley end should be the connector going the the clutch coil. Try disconnecting it with the new fuse in. The clutch relay is between the fuse and clutch coil so you will be able to rule that out.

Right now you are in a dialema. The electrical probem (fuse blowing) must be resolved first because until that the compressor clutch is probably not engaging. After that is fixed then you can check operation or whether you are low on freon charge. When the clutch enagages or cycles it makes a distinctive click or clunking sound providing you are not too low on freon.

aperry62 · #8 07-16-2006, 11:03 PM

Thanks for the great info! It'll be a couple days before I can get in there and really look around for a problem. I'm thinking that maybe there was another wire that got stripped that I didn't see. So I'll check that out.

aperry62 · #9 07-20-2006, 10:06 AM

Ok so I really dug into the wiring around the compressor and besides the one wire that I stripped I couldn't find anything else that was bared of messed up. I did notice that the plug going into the compressor cluth had been strained. I checked voltage all over. I replaced the blown maxi fuse so I'm getting juice from the fuse and I know that the relay is good because I switched it around with the fan relays and the fans still worked. Does anyone know where else to look? The wires on the backside of the compressor are getting juice but I'm not getting anything to the wire that I repaired or the clutch switch. Any ideas?

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