A/C - No error codes & little cold air

[fatak]

On my 95 ATX my A/C is blowing cold air - sometimes. Everything will be working fine and then the cold air gradually becomes warmer. I have read the posts about the blend door problem and was hoping that was it but I do not get immediate hot air after I hear a noise. I ran the diagnostic test and at the end the entire display lit every light possible. I assume this means the 888 message and that doesn't indicate a problem. I did not get a code 6 which is what I expected.

It sounds to me like the compressor stops working after awhile and that is why the air gradually gets warm. BTW the air blowing in never gets hotter than outside ambient air. Has anyone had problems with an intermittent compressor? Or know how to determine if I'm headed in the right direction? Right now windows down are working but that won't last long in an Oklahoma summer!

 

[projectSHO89]

There has been a number of recent posts about the clutch and the shims there-in. SEARCH using keywords of "clutch gap shim" or several combinations of those keywords for several posts that describe the problem and the fixes.
There is also writeup in the FAQ at www.shotimes.com that describes this problem.

To see if your's is due to this problem, tap the clutch with a broomstick and see if the clutch engages. If it does, you likely have a gap problem.

BTW, you DON'T want it to be the blend door actuator. Five hour job....


Steve

<small>[ June 14, 2003, 10:57 AM: Message edited by: projectSHO89 ]</small>

 

[fatak]

Steve,

Thanks I will go check and see if the 'broomstick' works. The procedure on SHOTimes sounds like my problem.

 

[fatak]

Wow. Drove it until the A/C stopped blowing cold air (45 minutes) and then came home to check. The clutch had become disengaged. I tapped with a broom handle and waalaa the clutch engaged and blew cold again. Thanks much, I have dreaded this job for months knowing I couldn't live through the summer with the problem.

 

[fatak]

The broomstick worked. I will add the following for anyone else who has this problem. My gap was ~.040 before I removed the clutch. The Ford dealer told me they do not sell the clutch seperately I would have to buy the entire compressor (which they did not have and would cost $453). The two shims I had were ~.015 and ~.032. I removed the .015 and will see if the problem is fixed during the upcoming week. My gap is now ~.027.

The hardest part of the job was removing the nut from the clutch. I ended up building a "tool" to hold the pulley while I removed the nut. I drilled two holes in a 1" stiff putty knife and put a 1/4" bolt through each hole. The bolts will fit into the holes in the clutch. In between the two bolts I drilled a 11/16" hole for my socket to go through. I can now keep the clutch from turning by holding the putty knife handle and loosen (or tighten) the nut with a socket. This made working with the nut a breeze.