AC Compressor Not Kicking On-Is Charged with Refrigerant
#1
05-15-2018, 07:12 PM
AC Compressor Not Kicking On-Is Charged with Refrigerant
Everything I learned about a car AC system, I learned here, so I need some very basic help.
I have a 96 XJS with the Sanden Compressor. It won’t come on when I turn the AC on. Here’s all I know:
1. Fans inside the car blow warm/hot air, and all the right lights come on with the AC Panel. Pressing the Manual button changes nothing.
2. While car is running and AC is on, I try spinning the compressor with a long screwdriver, and it turns. Has resistance, and will turn.
3. I swapped relays with horn, and no change. (Horn works)
4. Put a gauge manifold on and I am charged.
BONUS- I did the mod where the auxiliary fan is supposed to come in whenever there is a call for AC, but it’s not coming on either. That has to be a clue.
What do I test now? I don’t know what a Trinary switch is, or if I even have one to test. I don’t know where I’m supposed to jump anything to test the compressor. If anyone can use a visual aid, that would be great.
thanks in advance
I have a 96 XJS with the Sanden Compressor. It won’t come on when I turn the AC on. Here’s all I know:
1. Fans inside the car blow warm/hot air, and all the right lights come on with the AC Panel. Pressing the Manual button changes nothing.
2. While car is running and AC is on, I try spinning the compressor with a long screwdriver, and it turns. Has resistance, and will turn.
3. I swapped relays with horn, and no change. (Horn works)
4. Put a gauge manifold on and I am charged.
BONUS- I did the mod where the auxiliary fan is supposed to come in whenever there is a call for AC, but it’s not coming on either. That has to be a clue.
What do I test now? I don’t know what a Trinary switch is, or if I even have one to test. I don’t know where I’m supposed to jump anything to test the compressor. If anyone can use a visual aid, that would be great.
thanks in advance
#2
05-15-2018, 10:09 PM
Veteran Member
#3
05-16-2018, 12:18 AM
Veteran Member
And if it does, you have a problem with the signal (12v) wire to the compressor. That is, when you switch on the aircon, the current is not getting to the compressor, so the fault is in that part of the system.
#4
05-16-2018, 04:01 AM
Veteran Member
#5
05-16-2018, 07:56 AM
OK, here's what I did in a very limited window of time.
1. Unplugged compressor plug (as per DAIM) and put 12v on it...click! Compressor worked.
2. Checked relays by powering 85 and 86. Click. Good.
3. Jumped compressor relay (30 and 87) and compressor sprung into life. Compressor works. Good.
4. Unplugged trinary switch (found it!) and jumped it, while car was on and call for AC. No change. I'm not really sure if it was supposed to do anything.
BONUS- The added relay for the previously mentioned aux fan mod was also tested and jumped successfully. Fan runs whenever compressor ran.
What's next?
Thanks for the help.
PS- I'm adding a pic of the manifold readings I took yesterday. This is before I did any jumping today to make the compressor run.
1. Unplugged compressor plug (as per DAIM) and put 12v on it...click! Compressor worked.
2. Checked relays by powering 85 and 86. Click. Good.
3. Jumped compressor relay (30 and 87) and compressor sprung into life. Compressor works. Good.
4. Unplugged trinary switch (found it!) and jumped it, while car was on and call for AC. No change. I'm not really sure if it was supposed to do anything.
BONUS- The added relay for the previously mentioned aux fan mod was also tested and jumped successfully. Fan runs whenever compressor ran.
What's next?
Thanks for the help.
PS- I'm adding a pic of the manifold readings I took yesterday. This is before I did any jumping today to make the compressor run.
Last edited by Vee; 05-16-2018 at 08:01 AM.
#6
05-16-2018, 10:59 AM
I spent some more time diggging into the electrical diagrams, instead of just looking for the obvious smoking gun.
The Compressor Clutch Relay is tied back to a 15A fuse in the Left Fuse Panel (#15) which also powers the washer jet heaters (who knows if thats been working) and the Ambient Temp Sensor, which has been acting up recently. I've placed my system into manual for a while, so that might be the issue worth looking into.
Furthermore, there is a 5A fuse in the Right Fuse Panel (#4) that powers that same relay.
I think once I sort through those two points, I can double back and recheck that trinary switch.
The Compressor Clutch Relay is tied back to a 15A fuse in the Left Fuse Panel (#15) which also powers the washer jet heaters (who knows if thats been working) and the Ambient Temp Sensor, which has been acting up recently. I've placed my system into manual for a while, so that might be the issue worth looking into.
Furthermore, there is a 5A fuse in the Right Fuse Panel (#4) that powers that same relay.
I think once I sort through those two points, I can double back and recheck that trinary switch.
#7
05-16-2018, 05:29 PM
Veteran Member
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05-16-2018, 08:34 PM
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