98 A/C clutch would not engage :-(

Hello:

Recently, The car(98 WS 3.8L, AUTO) have noise when start. This morning, The drive belt broken when I tried to start the car.

I reinstalled new one. And found the A/C clutch would not engage.

This let me think that more friction from A/C pulley cause the drive belt broken.

My question is how to check and find what cause the A/C clutch would not engage?

Do I need change a new A/C clutch or I need replace the whole A/C compressor?

Never work on A/C compressor before.
Thanks for any input.

See my post to http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=909647
I'm a little leary heading you down this road, but I'd recommend you study the Autozone.com repair section for your van and then decide you want to try this.

You suspect a problem with the ac clutch as your belt broke. Was your ac on when you started your van? I assume you put a new belt on the ac and it turned ok? The clutch pulley turns easily and smoothly? Have you tried engaging the ac clutch/turned on the ac since the breakage? Have someone engage it while you watch to see what it does and to turn it off immediately. I had a clutch go bad where the coil cooked, exanded and no longer was strong enough to turn the compressor. It stank, smelled hot and flung parts of the clutch as it got worse. I'm not sure that the clutch can be changed without removing the compressor from the van. Maybe Wiswind, 12 ounce or others can chime in here as to the complexity of the removal, but I'd say it's invovled due to it's location and it's ac. Another possibility with your frozen clutch is the compressor is locked. Either way, it will need removal. The proper way to handle this repair is to pump out the refrigerant before opening it up and then pumping the air out to a certain vacuum when reassembled so to eliminate air and moisture before recharging it.

Thank you.
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You suspect a problem with the ac clutch as your belt broke.

Was your ac on when you started your van? -->NO, I turn my car when A/C off.

I assume you put a new belt on the ac and it turned ok? -->The new belt work ok. But it suffer more friction as the old belt and the cold start noise still there.

The clutch pulley turns easily and smoothly? -->I did not check it when I replace the drive belt because in that monent I did not notice the A/C clutch have problem.

Have you tried engaging the ac clutch/turned on the ac since the breakage? -->Yes. After I replace the new belt, I notice the new belt syfferd more friction , then I troed turn on the A/C and found the AC clutch woult not engage

Have someone engage it while you watch to see what it does and to turn it off immediately. -->Yes, may be NO. I let wife turn on the AC and I watch the AC clutch. The AC was turn on/off several times during 5 minutes peroid . After that, Wife drive the car with the AC on almost half hours until the airbag warning light on. Then I found fuse 21 keep blow(I replace new on and it bow after 5 minute drive)

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Just in 15,July, The AC work perfict.

Later, we found there is noise when start it. After I replaced new belt, I found noise still there when start. I checked the new belt and found there are more friction there and cause the start noise.

I dig down and found the A/C stop working and clutch would not engage when I turn on the A/C switch.

So, I doubt the A/C clutch and the A/C puller cause too much friction and cause the old belt broken.
Now the new drive belt suffer more friction and the cold start noise still there.

ALso, I found the fuse 21 under the dashboard keep blow after the drive belt was changed from yesterday.


My plan is :

1: check the circuit (but I even do not know the circuit diagram and where thay located and how thay fuction in my 98 WS.)

2: How to check if the circuit is bad or the A/C clutch is bad?
Other word, how to by pass the A/C control circuit and to check if the clutch engage or not by directly connecting 12V battery ?

3: IF the control circuit is ok and the clutch is ok, how to check the compressor bear is ok or not?

4: IF need chnage the clutch or compressor, .....

Sorry, too much questions and to-do list. It is not funny :-(

by the way, Does my 98 WS GL 3.8 have ccrm? what is it?

And below works for my car?

So, with the new ccrm, your ac clutch is still not engaging? It is the main relay that engages the clutch. You could too low refrigerant level, pressure. A bad low pressure sensor/clutch cycling switch which is connected to the accumulator/drier (black little cylindrical tank) or a line very close to it and has two purple wires to it. You could use a jumper wire across the connector momentarily to activate the clutch to see if the sensor is bad. There is another screw in type sensor that switches the fan via a black/white and tan/ light green wire. It also is the high pressure clutch cutout switch wire purple and black/yellow wires. You could try jumping that too with the connector removed. The cycling switch is normally open(poweroff) and the cutout switch is normally closed(power on). If you try to hot wire the clutch, you will also provide a separate ground at the two wire connector. Do not put power to the clutch without removing the connector to it to not damage your $100 ccrm or the ECU/PCM!?! Since this is all from a Hanyes diagram, no gaurantees on wire colors and exact component arrangements, but I do believe to be of a common and reasonable setup..

How did this turn out? What was the cause?

How did this turn out? What was the cause?

Just saw the notice Email and here is what I did:

After checking the compressor, I found the clutch was broken.

<a href="http://s138.photobucket.com/albums/q261/xuewencity/AC_pump/?action=view&current=ac8.jpg"; target="_blank"><img src="http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q261/xuewencity/AC_pump/ac8.jpg"; border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>


Fortunately, there is no leakage. So, the only thing I need to do is to replace the compressor.

You can buy one rebuild kit to rebuilt the broken compressor OR buy new/remanu compressor. I found one used in locall JY and it only cost 30 bucks.

After checking/reflushing the used compressor, making sure it can engage properly, I refill correctly PAG46 oil into it.Then I removed the broken one quickly and replace with the used one.

<a href="http://s138.photobucket.com/albums/q261/xuewencity/AC_pump/?action=view&current=ac3.jpg"; target="_blank"><img src="http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q261/xuewencity/AC_pump/ac3.jpg"; border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

The last step is pull a deep vacuum and check leakage.
Then, re-charged correctly amount R134a into the AC system.

It blow ICE COLD AGAIn and so far so COOL :-). :rofl:

<a href="http://s138.photobucket.com/albums/q261/xuewencity/AC_pump/?action=view&current=ac17.jpg"; target="_blank"><img src="http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q261/xuewencity/AC_pump/ac17.jpg"; border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Hope this help.