Please help, is my 1999 Z28 A/C clutch broken?
06-20-2010, 09:25 AM
#1
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: UK, England
Posts: 86
Please help, is my 1999 Z28 A/C clutch broken?
I live in the UK so there are not many places I can get it fixed without being charged an arm and a leg so any advice would be very helpful.
A month ago I noticed the A/C was not working anymore, the clutch didn't turn and the engine revs didn't go up so I bought a can of R134a plus oil with a pressure gauge and charged the system from 15psi to about 35 psi (temperature here is 14'C and humidity is 63%).
Still nothing until I jumped the relay then the clutch worked but the air still felt warm so I gave up for 3 weeks , turns out I had some fault codes I needed to reset, now everything works but the air is still warm.
Today as a test I connected my AutoTap OBD II to monitor the pressure switch and this was what it said:
Ignition on and engine off = 0.6 volt
Engine and A/C on = 0.9 volt then after a few seconds went to 0.8v then stayed at 0.7v.
The clutch makes a clack and I can see it spinning and the engine rev do go up a little but not as much as I remember.
Do you think it's a major problem, if so the cost to repair it at a garage in the UK may be worth more than the car?
A month ago I noticed the A/C was not working anymore, the clutch didn't turn and the engine revs didn't go up so I bought a can of R134a plus oil with a pressure gauge and charged the system from 15psi to about 35 psi (temperature here is 14'C and humidity is 63%).
Still nothing until I jumped the relay then the clutch worked but the air still felt warm so I gave up for 3 weeks , turns out I had some fault codes I needed to reset, now everything works but the air is still warm.
Today as a test I connected my AutoTap OBD II to monitor the pressure switch and this was what it said:
Ignition on and engine off = 0.6 volt
Engine and A/C on = 0.9 volt then after a few seconds went to 0.8v then stayed at 0.7v.
The clutch makes a clack and I can see it spinning and the engine rev do go up a little but not as much as I remember.
Do you think it's a major problem, if so the cost to repair it at a garage in the UK may be worth more than the car?
06-22-2010, 01:52 PM
#2
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: UK, England
Posts: 86
Hi, looks like I just needed it put more R134a in, although the gauge was reading 35 psi I guess there was not enough in there for the compressor to work so I added more, I thought it was a bit odd, reading the forums other people said it could take up to 3 12 oz cans to fill the system but the gauge was reading 35 psi with only 1/4 can.
As I emptied more R134a in the system started working and I could feel the air getting a bit colder, the other difference was when the engine was not running the pressure was higher, I guess thats the high and low pressure sides ballancing out.
I will get another 12 oz can tomorrow but I am not sure how much more to put in because the gause is still reading about 35 psi, I guess I will keep filling until the air gets cold and the pressure starts to go up, maybe to 40 psi, outside temperature today is 24' C.
Thanks to all that read my post and if you have any good advice please reply.
As I emptied more R134a in the system started working and I could feel the air getting a bit colder, the other difference was when the engine was not running the pressure was higher, I guess thats the high and low pressure sides ballancing out.
I will get another 12 oz can tomorrow but I am not sure how much more to put in because the gause is still reading about 35 psi, I guess I will keep filling until the air gets cold and the pressure starts to go up, maybe to 40 psi, outside temperature today is 24' C.
Thanks to all that read my post and if you have any good advice please reply.
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