Air conditioning woes '94 850

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Ron /Champ 6 - 08 May 2004 20:55 GMT

Manual A/C system on a '94 850

During early spring, the A/C in this car worked OK, maybe not as cool
as I would expect, but reasonably satisfactory. I assumed it was the
R134 refrigerant that made it less than ideal cooling.

Today it was 88 degrees F, and the A/C does not function at all. When
you first start the car the compressor indicator light comes on for
2-3 seconds, and goes out. I can 'hot wire' the compressor to the
battery, and it comes on, and the system cools. The rad fan also comes
on as expected.

I bought one of the $20 gauge and recharge kits, figuring I had a slow
leak, and that the low pressure switch had kicked in. Much to my
surprise, the gauge shows a full charge!

Before I go to the A/C shop, are there any quick checks I can make,
including the pressure switch? I have a four wire switch, 2 brown and
two black, but no idea of voltage and/or resistance to expect on it.

Any help is appreciated!

Ron
Ron/Champ 6

1963 8E5 Champ (Champ 6)
1962 Lark Daytona Convertible (Boomerang)
1995 VW Passat (Vanilla..yuk)
1994 Volvo 850 (Tilley)

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John in NH - 09 May 2004 03:01 GMT

>Today it was 88 degrees F, and the A/C does not function at all. When
>you first start the car the compressor indicator light comes on for
>2-3 seconds, and goes out. I can 'hot wire' the compressor to the
>battery, and it comes on, and the system cools.

Are you familliar with the "superheat" switch? I just bypassed mine and the AC
is now fine.

Google it and you should come up with plenty of info.

BTW, the white plug that runs from the compressor IS THE SWITCH! Just remove
the two ends of the plug to bare wire, connect and you're done.

John in NH
~~~

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It deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt
tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae.

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Doug Warner - 10 May 2004 06:59 GMT

>>Today it was 88 degrees F, and the A/C does not function at all. When
>>you first start the car the compressor indicator light comes on for
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>Are you familliar with the "superheat" switch? I just bypassed mine and the AC
>is now fine.

Same thing on mine. There's a pressure/temperature switch on the rear
of the compressor, wired in series with the compressor clutch. I
disconnected mine and plugged the harness and clutch wires together.
I did this about 2 years ago, and there have been no problems since.
(Skinny arms required for this job..)

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Ron /Champ 6 - 12 May 2004 00:18 GMT

I was able to check the car today, as I drove my Studebaker today, and
the Volvo was cold. Jumped the thermal link for the superheat like you
said, and voila! I have AC again!

Thanks!

>>Today it was 88 degrees F, and the A/C does not function at all. When
>>you first start the car the compressor indicator light comes on for
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
>My eBay stuff:
>http://tinyurl.com/u0fi

Ron/Champ 6

1963 8E5 Champ (Champ 6)
1962 Lark Daytona Convertible (Boomerang)
1995 VW Passat (Vanilla..yuk)
1994 Volvo 850 (Tilley)

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John in NH - 12 May 2004 01:07 GMT

>I was able to check the car today, as I drove my Studebaker today, and
>the Volvo was cold. Jumped the thermal link for the superheat like you
>said, and voila! I have AC again!
>
>Thanks!

Glad to help. That gave me FITS figuring out exactly where/what the switch
was.
~~~
"I've traded love for pennies, sold my soul for less,
Lost my ideals in that long tunnel of time;
I've turned inside out and around about and back and then,
Found myself right back where I started again." - 'Age' - The Great Jim Croce

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