A/C Will not kick in

Tiny
RSUKOVICH
  • MEMBER
  • 1995 BUICK LESABRE
Six cylinder front wheel drive automatic 140,000 miles.

3.8 L engine, R1`134a refrigerant. My A/C was not doing a good job in cooling and went to zero and before I had a chance to recharge. The clutch bearing failed so I replaced the whole unit with a re-manufactured compressor/clutch assembly. The system has a two pound capacity, so I bought three 13 oz cans of the refrigerant and plugged the filling device in to the low end valve. I started the engine and put the A/C on high with the temperature set on lowest. I put one can in and the clutch would not kick in. Thinking that I needed more, I put the other two cans and it still would not kick in. Just to see if there was anything in the system, I pushed down the valve on the high end and got nothing. Does this mean that nothing went in to the system? What next?
Sunday, August 22nd, 2010 AT 3:29 PM

12 Replies

Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
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Hi rsukovich, welcome to 2CarPros and thank you for the donation.

Check the high and low pressure with a manifold gauges if okay. Does this power the clutch from the battery and see if the clutch engages the compressor? Let me know.
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Sunday, August 22nd, 2010 AT 3:48 PM
Tiny
RSUKOVICH
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I am assuming that you mean rig a two wire hookup from the plus and ground from the battery with the engine running.
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Sunday, August 22nd, 2010 AT 7:55 PM
Tiny
RASMATAZ
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Check fuse number five 15 amp, in relay center and also the AC compressor control relay in center rear of engine compartment. If both okay jump start the clutch from the battery positive post to the dark green wire at the clutch, it should engage the compressor. Let me know.
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Sunday, August 22nd, 2010 AT 9:33 PM
Tiny
RSUKOVICH
  • MEMBER
  • 84 POSTS
I am standing in the front of the car facing the relay center. There are two banks of fuses: left and right.
The left side has six fuses include: A/C which is 30 amp. Spare/hdr sts 40a, ignition switch 60 amp, PCM/vats 20 amp, spare 60 amp, and horn, door locks, trunk rel 60 amp. Below the fuses are two relays, the right side fuse bank include: ABS pump 40 amp, ABS main relay 30 amp, elc/misc 60 amp, clg fan 40 amp, lgt 60 amp, headlamp 20 cb, ignition switch 60 amps, air defog power seats 60 amp. Below the fuses are four relays. I do not know which relay is for the A/C. I am going to make a jumper wire and connect an puncture type alligator clip to the green wire going to the compressor. I will start the engine and then make contact with the positive connection on the battery with the other end of the jumper wire and as I understand your instructions, the clutch should kick in if all relative fuses and relays are good.
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Monday, August 23rd, 2010 AT 11:48 AM
Tiny
RSUKOVICH
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Okay, test completed. I tapped into the green wire, started the engine and touched the other end of the tap wire to the positive battery and the clutch kicked in. So, I guess we determined that there are no blown fuses and, at least electrically, the clutch turns the compressor.
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Monday, August 23rd, 2010 AT 1:13 PM
Tiny
RSUKOVICH
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  • 84 POSTS
Just want to add. When I first touched the wire to the plus side of the battery, the engine was not running and I thought I heard a relay energize and I am sure I heard clicking at the clutch. So, I thought now I will know which one of the relays is for the A/C compressor. I started the engine and touched the wire to the plus side of the battery and the clutch engaged, but I did not hear that relay energize again, so I still do not know which relay belongs to the A/C.
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Monday, August 23rd, 2010 AT 3:00 PM
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
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A/C compressor control relay.


http://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/12900_ac_relay_2.jpg

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Monday, August 23rd, 2010 AT 4:29 PM
Tiny
RSUKOVICH
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Thanks for the picture. Do you think that the problem lies with that relay?
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Tuesday, August 24th, 2010 AT 7:44 PM
Tiny
RSUKOVICH
  • MEMBER
  • 84 POSTS
As I told you previously, there are two relays on the left bank below a row of fuses which includes the 30 amp for the A/C. The diagram that you sent me shows a row of eight relays in the center and the compressor control relay is identified as the first one on the left and because there are actually only two relays on the left side, I checked them both and they both checked out okay too, the 30 amp fuse is also good. Where do we go from here?
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Wednesday, August 25th, 2010 AT 2:13 PM
Tiny
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Is this relay and fuses box the same as yours?
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Tuesday, August 31st, 2010 AT 6:49 PM
Tiny
RSUKOVICH
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Not exactly. As I mentioned previously, there are two banks of fuses which are left and right. Under the left bank, there are two relays and under the right bank, there are four relays. Since the fuse (30 amp) for the A/C is on the left bank, I am assuming that the relays under those fuses are for the A/C.
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Tuesday, August 31st, 2010 AT 10:16 PM
Tiny
RASMATAZ
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I am using all my references Mit1 and Alldata on this AC relay if this do es not help I am sorry.

A/C compressor relay on engine compartment relay center, on right side of firewall. See figure one number three.


http://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/12900_relay_35.jpg

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Wednesday, September 1st, 2010 AT 3:33 PM

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