Re: A/C guys, I need some suggestions**UPDATED w/ New Info**

[lunchboxx]

Well its starting to get to be A/C weather here in Florida. A few weeks ago I turned on the A/C for the first time(this year) and got nothing but warm air blowing. I was annoyed but quickly forgot about the issue as the weather got cool again and I didnt need it. The other day, when it was warm out again, I turned on the air and got nice cold air. Next day, back to warm air again. HMMM..that doesnt seem right. Consulted my FSM for somewhere to start looking and got one of those cheepo bottles of 134 with the gauge on top and popped the hood. Here is what I found this morning:

First of all ambient temp is around 85 degrees with humidity over 40%.
Checked Low side port with engine off had 88psi (by the way i checked this over a few days time and it has not changed in a week or so..therefore I am ruling out a leak in the system)
Had the wife start the car and command A/C to max cool. Waited a few minutes. Checked pressure. Still 88 PSI and compressor NOT turning.
Car off.
Popped open fuse and relay box. Pulled A/C COMP fuse and inspected. Its fine. I hit it with a wire brush just cuz and Replaced.
Car on to check if that made a difference...nope
Had the wife shut of the car (hey i like my fingers, ok) and pulled the electrical connection from the compressor. Restart the car and check with A/C on and got more than 12V ( 13 or something i dont remember). So i figure the A/C COMP relay is good.
Shut the car back off.
Added some dielectric grease to the connection and put it back on the compressor.
Started car and the compressor spins. GRrrrr.
Checked pressure at low side after 5 minutes and read 45 psi (FSM states normal for this temp and humidity is 43 to 47).

So, just wanted to query the brain trust as to anything else to check before assuming that I have an A/C compressor clutch that is starting to fail...
Intermittent problems are the worst to try and troubleshoot.

Thanks in advance guys!

[Jrs3800]

That is odd.. If you have 12v at the connector that means the relay is commanded on, so the clutch should be on... It may have stuck... Keep an eye on it and see what transpires...

[gmman]

could be just about anything but if it happens again, pull plug to compressor clutch as you just did, measure for 12 v again and if present, use ohmmeter to check for continuity in clutch coil. don't know exactly what it should read but if you read infinity or extremely high resistance (megohms) coil wiring is not continuous and will require clutch coil replacement. i know i know it is a reach as these coils are not high failure points but have to start somewhere if the problem persists and since you had 12 v the obvious is something to do with the clutch assy.

[lunchboxx]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. It ran great all day today. I really hate onagain/off again problems. It tends to drag solution times way out. I will keep an eye on it this week and we'll see if it quits again. It seems as though it's just a lazy a/c clutch. Think the service dept would know what that is if I call them? LOL

[In_da_boondocks]

you may want to check the ground side of the clutch circuit also.

[torero500]

I had this exact problem happening to me on a Jeep Grand Cherokee I had, intermittent working. What the problem for me turned out to be is that the factory electrical plug that plugs into the regulator on the compressor was bad. I cleaned it, sprayed it, nothing looked wrong either, nothing would fix it. Took me 2 years to figure that simple problem out. Went to a junkyard, got a new plug, and cut the old one off and connected the wires with 2 inline wire connectors. Never had the problem ever again.

[lunchboxx]

Ok so about a week later its crapped out again. Maybe this weekend I will have time to get to more troubleshooting. I hate this AC quirk right now. Its starting to get Florida hot again...

[lunchboxx]

Ok so last night I reviewed my FSM's again and went through the service routine line by line. I then came upon a section that said to review bad/intermittent connections (torero500 did already mention this) and I decided to check that out. With the car running and AC commanded on the compressor was not turning. i reached in (carefully) with a long screwdriver and nudged the wires just behind the connection to the compressor...and the *dang* clutch engaged...so it seems i do have either a bad connector, bad wire, or bad ground. Any have any suggestions on how to fix this? WHere to cut the old? where to get a new connector that is the right one? Should this now be a topic for the electrical section? Any help is always appreciated!