1991 Lincoln Town Car AC Clutch not running continuous

Tiny
DAVIDDLW
  • MEMBER
  • 1991 LINCOLN TOWN CAR
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 180,000 MILES
Hi,
I will explain to you exactly what is going on and what I have did to try to fix problem. First I am not a mechanic but I have knowledge of some things that I try to fix on my car when it breaks or need repairing.
I bought a 1991 lincoln town car and I am fixing it up to my satisfaction to drive. When I bought car the person told me that the ac did not work and he was told it was the compressor. Well I took car home and I thought I would try to put freon in car to see if the ac compressor was messed up. I put the freeze 12 freon in it because I wanted to do it myself. Well I got the freon in the compressor and the clutch started working great but the inside of the car was not cooling, come to find out that the blend door actuator was nor working. I park car and started to fix other stuff on car when I heard a hissing sound coming from under hood, when I open hood I saw that the compressor had blew the rubber O ring and the gas was leaking out. And I also come to find out that the car had been retro fitted to the R-134a and I did not know that before I put the freeze 12 in the compressor. I do not know if this had a effect on the O ring blew out or not. I put a new blend door actuator in car( that was ha heck of a job, had to drop dash down to get to it) and I went to junk yard to get another compressor for car I put compressor on car but clutch would not kick on so I filled it with R-134a refrigerant EZ chill plus oil and safe leak sealer. Clutch would come on for about 2 seconds and stop for about 2 seconds it would do this continuously and the inside of car would not cool. I took this compressor off a 1994 lincoln town car from junk yard, everything was exact on compressor but the electrical connector for clutch. The original compressor clutch electrical connector was on top of unit, the 1994 connector was down toward the bottom of unit, I do not know if this had a effect on the workings or not. So what I did was to take the 1994 compressor apart and I took out the O ring and I installed it on the original 1991 compressor. I also cleaned out all the old oil and refrigerant from the original compressor and I put it back together. I insalled it on car and filled it with about 1 and a half cans of the EZ chill R-134a refrigearnt plus oil. The can was 12 oz plus a half a can. Clutch on car started working but again would only work for about 2 seconds and stopp for about 2 seconds and it would do this continuosly, but the air on the inside of car was cooler than it was. I figure if the compressor would stay running the air would get cold. My problem is what is wrong with compressor clutch to stay running continuosly? Do I need more refrigerant or is it something else?
I know this was long but wanted to let you know everything that I observed and whar ac was doing.
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Monday, July 6th, 2009 AT 4:50 PM

7 Replies

Tiny
BUDDYCRAIGG
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,262 POSTS
Do you have automatic or manual AC controls?

And we are going to need to know what the high and low side pressure readings are.

It would also be helpful to know what the outside temperature is, and what the temperature is coming out of the vent.
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Monday, July 6th, 2009 AT 10:19 PM
Tiny
DAVIDDLW
  • MEMBER
  • 39 POSTS
Hello again,
my system is the automatic climate control, and here is what I done and maybe should not have but I will let you tell me if it was good or bad.
Before I took pressures I ran ac and let billed up and I released some pressure from the high side inlet but no refrigerant came out. I done this because I had tried this befor with another car I owned to get the cold air coming out of vents when it stopped in the middle of operating. So I tried this and the clutch stopped working altogether. I took the low side pressure with clutch not working and system said pressure was 25 psi. So I put in a little more refrigerant in system (but the regular r-134a not the cool burst). The clutch started working again but just like before about 2 seconds on and 2 seconds off, and now the air coming out the vents regular air no cool to it at all, but it is not super hot like before I installed a blend door actuator.
I took pressure reading with clutch engaged and the psi was 45 and going up. With the clutch not engaged the pressure would drop to about 24 psi, that is the highest the psi would get because the clutch would start and stop. I only am able to get the psi from the low side of the system because my dispense hose will not fit the high side. My dispense hose has a psi gauge on it. What do you think about my situation and can you recommend procedures on fixing system.
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Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 AT 5:43 PM
Tiny
BUDDYCRAIGG
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,262 POSTS
When the clutch is engaged is when the pressure drops down to 25.

When the compressor is off, is when it climbs back up to 45.

And with it cycling every couple of seconds, and by the pressure readings, I would say it's low on freon.
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Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 AT 5:55 PM
Tiny
DAVIDDLW
  • MEMBER
  • 39 POSTS
Ok, but how many ounces does the system hold. I have put 18 onces of the cool busrt with oil and leak sealer mix together yesterday. And today I pu a half can of the regular r-134a refrigerant. I will add more if you think this is the problem, just let me know. Thanks. David
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Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 AT 7:21 PM
Tiny
BUDDYCRAIGG
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,262 POSTS
I've only worked with R12, r22, r134, r404 and r502.

And I don't know what "cool burst" is made out of.

I've seen refrigeration systems that worked on propane and even ammonia. While they work, they shouldn't be used in a car.

If your "cool burst" product is not able to work with r134. It would be like trying to mix water with oil.

*******************************
to answer your other question, the system probably should have about 28 30oz of r134
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Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 AT 10:19 PM
Tiny
DAVIDDLW
  • MEMBER
  • 39 POSTS
I appreciate the help you gave with my problem. You were dead on about the ac needing more refridgarent. The unit now blows icy cold. Thanks again.
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Saturday, July 11th, 2009 AT 7:15 AM
Tiny
BUDDYCRAIGG
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,262 POSTS
Glad to help.
Come back anytime.
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Thursday, July 16th, 2009 AT 12:48 PM

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