[Vwdiesel] off topic: air conditioning

[lbaird119 at aol.com]

W go OT all the time especillay when it's slow...
Not working is one of those terms like bring a car in and saying it "doesn;t run."  Doesn't start, starts but won't run, dies when you put it in gear and so on...
  If it's a low charge then the compressor will run but only briefly, then the clutch will cycle as the pressure pulls down too low, shuts off, equalizes then starts over again.  It's possible to blow the safety "fuse" and discharge the whole system.  Had that happen once.
  If the compressor won't run at all then it's either no power to the clutch or a bad clutch.  Again, there are things in between the power source and the clutch itself.  
  It could also be running and just doing squat, which could even be a vacuum leak causing the proper flaps not to,  well, flap.  :-)
 
  It's probably relatively simple so don't give up so easily.  I found that the "best" A/C shop in town did nothing other than cost me about $500 and NOT fix my system!   It took me about 1 1/2 hours and $125 to do it myself and it lasted for years.  Still have another to fix or my wife will kill me!
      Loren


-----Original Message-----
From: peter blake <pila47 at yahoo.com>
To: Val Christian <val at valchristian.com>
Cc: diesel <vwdiesel at vwfans.com>
Sent: Sat, Sep 1, 2012 6:35 pm
Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] off topic: air conditioning



Val,
  I don't consider AC stuff too much off topic either, I did
use the off topic label so that the guys who r just interested
in diesel stuff can dump the email if they like.
  So I went out and the only electrical connection I could easily
access was a three pin connector on one of the hard lines. It did not
have any voltage.
  I have noticed that the AC might not have been blowing as cold
as I would like. Getting the charge checked was on my list of stuff
to do.  If I understand this system correctly, insufficient 
refrigerant will activate a pressure switch that then won't allow 
the system to operate.  I am not going to pursue this further as
everything on this engine is buried under covers and hoses etc.
I think I would just rather spend the money this time.
Peter
--- On Sat, 9/1/12, Val Christian <val at mongo.mongobird.com> wrote:

> From: Val Christian <val at mongo.mongobird.com>
> Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] off topic: air conditioning
> To: "peter blake" <pila47 at yahoo.com>, vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> Date: Saturday, September 1, 2012, 5:27 PM
> Was the AC anemic in the morning?
> 
> Wondering if there is a marginal charge.
> 
> A frequent failure, for me, is that the AC clutch goes as
> the 
> compressor gets more hours on it.  
> 
> I would pull the cable to the clutch, and see if it gets
> 12V
> when you think the AC should come on.
> 
> 
> Report back. And we can discuss the next step alternatives.
> 
> 
> Also, I don't consider AC off topic.
> 
> > 
> >   I'd like to call on the collective
> wisdom of my fellow
> > listers to help me solve an air con problem.
> >   Yesterday morning I drove my 01 Jetta
> and I had air con.
> > In the afternoon I drove the car and no air!  I'm
> pretty
> > sure it died either at start up or shortly thereafter.
> >   I've checked every single fuse in the
> panel on the side of
> > the dashboard; they were all good. Is there someplace
> else I
> > can look and make an easy repair before I bring it to
> someone?
> > This is one of those areas of automobile operation that
> I don't
> > really feel comfortable trying to do my own repairs.
> > Peter
> > _______________________________________________
> > Vwdiesel mailing list
> > Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> > http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
> > 
> 
> 
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