Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums

Ok, after evacuating the air conditioning system on the car, I proceeded to purchase a R-134 conversion kit. Now, I don't want to hear any "That stuff doesn't work" etc, comments. I used this same kit on my V6 LX and it worked fine.

Anyway, I hooked up the valves and turned the car on, and set the Climate Control to A/C, 60 degrees, fan on Hi. I hooked up one of the R-134 cans and proceeded to let the stuff flow into the system. However, I cannot get the clutch on the Compressor to engage. Therefore, the R-134 isn't being sucked into the system. I unhooked the Clutch Cycling Switch above the A/C dryer as I was told to do, but it had no effect.

Now, keep in mind, I have seen from time to time the Clutch engage, but for only split second. Also, the belt running over the compressor runs just fine. Not loose, slipping, etc. The clutch just won't kick in. What can I do? Again, I tried bypassing the pressure switch over the Dryer but that didn't work. I'm sure the compressor isn't bad, bacause I've seen the clutch move. And the belt runs just fine over it.

What do I do? It's going to be hotter than hell here in Tucson in mere weeks, and I want to do this myself.

Is there voltage on the green/pink wire(plug on the pressure s/w)? If jumping the G/P wire to the pink/blue wire dosn't start the compressor, there is possibly a problem in the IRCM... If there is voltage on the g/p wire you can jump it to the black/yellow wire on the compressor... It will have to run(asuming the compressor ground circuit is OK) Be careful and DO NOT jump to the ground side of the compressor(grey/white)...

at that point has the car been run up too temprature? just a thought....not sure if it would make a differance or not...grasping at straws realy...

Run up too temperature????


I haven't tried connecting the Green/Pink wire to the Yellow/Black wire on the Compressor yet. It's dark now, so I'm going to have to get a flash light and a can of pesticide to take care of this problem.

I should mention that when I jumped the wires on the Pressure Switch located above the dryer, it turned one of the fans on.

Doesn't something seem wrong about that?

They're called "death kits" for good reason.

No. The fan comes on to provide airflow over the condenser so the high pressure doesn't spike up and blow the compressor. The fan coming on is a good sign.

I would first supply 12V directly to the clutch to test it. If it comes on, you know you have a shorted/open circuit or a bad relay somewhere.

you should take it to the shop that did your tranny work:flame: sorry i had to

Hey, I hate to tell you, but there are two seperate wires coming out of the Switch above the dryer. One is Pink and the other is Green. What am I supposed to do, merge both wires together and to the Black/Yellow one????

Bud if you re-read Toms post you will understand that he is saying to not jumper the cycling switch but jumper from the Hot wire (mine is a different color than what both of you are stating) on the cycling switch STRAIT to the compressors black /yellow wire.  This will bypass the A/C WOT Cutout relay.

Oh and when I first repaired my A/C system, Both the cycling switch and the WOT Relay were bad.

Ok guys, here are the pictures to show you what I am seeing. Now, I am NOT an idiot, but i'm just having a real hard time understanding what you guys are telling me to do.

(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e363/DMC24guy/000_1067.jpg)

I'm ASSUMING this is the Cycling Pressure Switch above the dryer correct? If that is the case, as you can see, there is a Pink wire, with a Blue Stripe, and a Green Wire with a Black Stripe. This is part one of my confusion. You guys keep saying Green/Pink wire, yet there is none. There is a Green wire and a Pink wire, but not both combined into one.

(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e363/DMC24guy/000_1070.jpg)
This is a view of the Compressor. The only thing I understand is I'm supposed to connect some wire to the yellow one on the left side. Right?

Ok, with that explained, someone please visually help me. What goes to what!?

The way I read this is that your car is equipped with Auto Temp. Control.  Are you getting any fault codes if you run a self test?

Connect that pink/blue to that black/yellow

BUT Don't run it long if the system is not taking any freon.  You risk burning up the compressor.  You may need a new orrifice (sp?) tube.

Ok well now what? I ran the Pink/Blue wire to the Black/Yellow and the clutch didn't engage. Heck, I even ran a line from the Battery to that Black/Yellow wire and it still didn't come on!

There's no way your going to get me to take it into some place and get laughed at, so I'm stuck fixing this problem myself. What's the next thing I should do? I've heard something about the ICRM, something about an orifice tube, possibly a Bad Cycling Switch or "wot", where do I start????

Have you applied 12V and ground to your clutch yet? That should have been step #1.

How do I do that? Which wire is 12v and which is ground?

My '85 Manual shows the BK/Y wire to be 12V. The other must be ground.

I use a motorcycle battery and use wires terminated with alligator clips to apply 12V and ground to the terminals.

I already ran a line from the battery to the Black/Yellow wire without any difference. Are you saying I have to run a line from the battery to that grey wire as well?

Not to the wire, but to the clutch terminals themselves. Doing so rules out any shorted/open wiring issues.

Mr DMC you have two male spade terminals on your clutch.  One is power (black/yellow) and the other ground (black i believe)  Run power and ground bypassing all other wires, this is just testing the clutch.  You have said that you had the clutch engage before.  But it would only stay on for a few seconds?  Correct?

You probably don't have a problem with your clutch if it has engaged.  I'm guessing that your WOT relay is the problem.

But DO check the clutch directly.

Let us know how it turns out this is getting kinda fun.

Kinda Fun!!??? For you maybe, but here in Tucson, Arizona, having a properly functioing Air Conditioning unit is very serious. Law Mandates it in the summer.  I know it has probably confused a lot of you guys in other areas of the country why I'm so concerned about my Air Conditioning in the middle of winter, but you have to understand where I live, there hasn't really been a winter. I hasn't rained measurably since August 2005, and for a majority of this "Winter", temps have been in the mid to upper 70's. Not only that, but there is no real "Spring" time around here. When winter ends (Seeming over night around these parts) sometime in March, temps shoot straight into the upper nineties. I've got to be prepared.

If I do ever get this problem solved, I'm really worried about the effects the air is going to have on the performance of this car. The air bogged down the V6 somewhat, and I can only imagine what it's going to do on this 4 banger.

Ok Guys. I'm going to lose it soon and I need some help. I cannot for the life of me get the wire harness off of the Compressor. I have yanked, pulled, used Plyers, etc, and I'm afraid if I continue this I'm going to break something. Obviously I can't run the 12v to the Terminal itself unless I get this harness off. What in gods name do I do??

I'm just about to the point where I'd be willing to take it in somewhere to have the compressor tested....

I don't want to do that, but I don't know what to do anymore.

And for god's sake, what is the "WOT", where is it, and how would I replace it????

The connector looks like this...
(http://www.dormanproducts.com/images/items/hwrap1/85152.jpg)
Just push the tab outward and pull back to release. (Always sounds easier than it actually is)

Wide Open Throttle = WOT

According to Probst, your WOT A/C relay is located in your IRCM.

Ok, let me try to explain this in the simplest terms possible.

Ok, I did finally get the Connector on the compressor to come off. After hooking the battery up to the compressor directly, the clutch DID engage. At that point I was overwhelmed with joy that the compressor was NOT fried. So, quickly I hooked up an R-134 can to the Low side port and began to attempt to recharge the system. HOWEVER, after a while, it became apparent that the system was not sucking in the R-134. The cans were not getting cold, and the air was blowing hot. Turns out that the Adapter on the low side port was too big and no Gas was being sucked in.

After buying the correct adapter, and hooking up the R-134 can again, it did start sucking the stuff up. The air was getting colder. After one can, I could tell the difference. However, this is where it gets weird. After finishing the first can, we un-did all the Bypassing stuff and tried hooking up the Connector to see if maybe the pressure was preventing the Clutch from engaging. No go. The Clutch still wasn't engaging. But even stranger was that we attempted to Bypass the system again, but this time by using the Cycling Switch Wires (what I did in the beginning, but didn't work...) and guess what.....it worked! For whatever reason, when we connected the wires, it engaged the Clutch. It didn't do that before remember?? The only thing that was different from the first time I tried that was I hadn't added any R-134, and this time I had put in 1 can. Never the less, I have arrived at this point in time

I added two more cans, and the air is Very cold. However, the clutch still will not engage on it's own. I have to bypass the system using the two wires on the Clutch Cycling Switch over the Dryer. Now, obviously I have a problem, and no, I don't intend on bypassing the system every Summer day, so what now? What could the problem be? The Clutch WORKS, but it won't engage without bypassing the system. What next?

Looks like you need a low pressure cycling switch. They run ~$15.

It is as simple and unscrewing the old and and screwing in the new one.

Ok, explain to me how you have come to that conclusion?

Um I would just trust him,  thats what I say you need too.

Ok, I just don't want to be throwing money at a problem when I'm not certain it will be the fix. Where would I find one of these Cycling Switches? Local parts store? *Gulp*....ebay?

The Low Pressure Cycling Switch is an on/off switch that is open below ~25 psig.  (~25 deg F with R12 / ~29 deg F with R134a)

To engage the clutch, the circuit runs as follows - power goes through the A/C Demand switch ...then to the cycling switch...then to the WOT A/C relay...then to the power terminal of the clutch and to ground.

A faulty (open) cycling switch will break the circuit and not allow your clutch to engage.

You can pick up a cycling switch at any parts house.

Well, thankyou very much guys. In particular, Mr.JeremyB. I changed out the Clutch Cycling Switch, and sure enough, the Clutch engaged. I now have Air Conditioning. Although I must say, whenever the Clutch does engage, it makes a rather unsettling rattling noise, but other than that, everything seems fine. I was amazed that how even with the A/C on, the engine didn't seemed bogged down. My V6 seemed to struggle with it on, but I couldn't tell the difference this time around!

Sounds like you need to get a pressurized can of ESTER oil and add that to your system.  Make sure you get the can that hooks up to your a/c hose and not the one that is just a bottle.
 
R/12 was a natural lubricant but R/134A is not.

Yeah definitely get some oil in that thing or you'll be facing a possible compressor replacement.  I'm glad to hear you got it working.  JeremyB knows his stuff when it comes to AC systems.  He answered my questions when I was having my system repaired as well.

Actually Jeremey knows his stuff period.  Great guy he is!

Here is your prize for solving DMC24guy's problem!

(http://www.sonicswirlrecords.com/_images/sonic_babe/september/raine5.jpg)