The 10 amp fuse that runs to the A/C compressor clutch coil is on the same ckt as the DCCV. The Fuse was blown. I unplugged the clutch coil from the ckt and the fuse did not not blow any more. Also I know it is not the DCCV because I replaced it with a new valve (Because I did not trouble shoot the problem and assumed it was the DCCV) .

Does anyone have info on the A/C compressor clutch unit; it come as one assembly. I did a little research and I found that the LS uses the same A/C compressor clutch. I located a replacement coil by searching the LS.

Just looking for some useful information before I purchase the parts and do the job.

 

Do you pop the fuse as soon as you plug the compressor clutch back in?

Take care,

George

 

I will tomorrow. All I know right now is with the clutch coil unpluged the fuse does not blow. I would think that it would have to be the coil shorted. but I will check in the morning to see if the fuse blows as soon as I plug in the clutch coil or if i blows when the A/C is turned on.

Following the schematic it looks like the 12VDC ckt from the 10amp fuse has 2 branches on the (3.0) 1. going thru DCCV and 2. going thru the compressor clutch relay thru a switch(not sure what kind possibly a temperature?) then tru the coil

 

The fan is triggered two ways. First whenever the AC compressor is on. (To blow air over the condenser, especially at idle), second if the ECM determines the fan is needed to cool the motor.

Can you run a continituty test, and an ohm test through the coil?

Take care,

George

 

I checked it this evening and the 10amp fuse only blows only when the A/C is turned on. It does not blow if I leave the A/C off.

I can check the resistance in the coil and I will do that tomorrow. I'm assuming that the coil resistance would be low anything greater than 1.2 ohms and I dont think the fuse would blow V/R=I

Why did you send me info on the Fan? I was going to ask you about the Fan not running. Which I'm still concerned about it but I'll get this compressor clutch problem fixed first.

BTW: When the car started blowing hot air all the time I noticed a smell of burnt electrical coming from the front right of the car. Compressor area.

 

Coils are inductors and measured in henries (usually millihenries), not resistors, but very few meters will read inductance directly, but IF it's dead shorted it will either show continuity and or a very low resistance (as you calculated). Btw, base it on 13.8v (B+ v when car is running and alternator is charging.

I'm wondering if the compressor is possibly ceased as well. A/C compressor goes to turn on, clutch engages, compressor doesn't doesn't spin, fries the clutch, or current spikes and it pops the fuse. clutch releases to not chew up the belt. That's my guess. I've never seen a coil fail unless something is impeding movement.

As far as the fan, honestly I don't know why I wrote that. For some reason it came into my head. Does the car overheat at all or is temp steady?

Take care,

George

 

man George your sharp,

How would I be able to tell if the compressor has ceased up?

 

I guess I'll remove the belt and check to see If I can turn the compressor by hand.

 

One sec!!!

That's half the equation!

You have to apply fused power to the clutch and lock it up (with the car in it), THEN try and turn it by hand. IF you just turn the pulley without locking the clutch, its just going to freewheel. You might need a breaker bar (a ratchet with a pipe over it will work too) on the pulley bolt to turn the compressor. IF you have a mechanics stethoscope try and listen to the compressor. I bet you'll hear a failed bearing in it. (It will sound like marbles).

Remember the compressor might not be completely ceased, but if the shaft doesn't turn freely, and it it exceeds the force its supposed to have, you'll still pop the fuse.

At this point, plan to replace the A/C compressor. There's no point in trying to source a clutch, the entire ford part is like $200.

I can walk you through it for the most part.

Take care,

George

 

Yep, listen to your compressor through a mechanic's stethoscope. Ours failed last May. Without the stethoscope and even with my ears right underneath it, our factory compressor sounded normal. But when I put the stethoscope on the casing, the compressor sounded like a cement mixer filled with gravel....

 

If you do not have a stethoscope, you could use a long screw driver or other long metalic tool (steel rod), placing the metal end on the compressor and your ear to the other end, works just as well!

The car will have to be jacked up and the belly pan removed, make sure it is very safe to climb under while running!!!

 

His A/C compressor wont run with the car on.

When the A/C kicks on, and the clutch goes to lock up, it pops the fuse. Either the clutch is dead shorted, or the compressor is ceased, causing the current going through the clutch to spike when it locks up and it blows the fuse.

So either the coil in the clutch is shorted, or the compressor is ceased.

Either way, I think a compressor is in his future.

Take care,

George

 

You guys really had me puzzled until I figured "ceased" = "seized". Unless this compressor is a parrot and has "ceased to be".

 

See what happens when you get on the internet before you have your morning coffee LOL!

Take care,

George

 

Ok, I removed the serpentine belt and I put an 11mm sockect on the nut which holds the clutch in place and I turned the compressor. The compressor is not locked up. I dropped the compressor (lines still attached). I supported the compressor with a floor jack so I would not stess the A/C lines. I removed the nut, clutch, and shim. I stopped there it was dinner time plus I needed to get a pair of snapring pliers for the circlip (snap ring).

George, Im up for the walk thru on replacing the compressor. although the compressor is not locked up It will cost a little over 100 to replace clutch pulley and coil and 215 for a refurbished unit from parts direct.

I was under the impression that I would have to evacuate the system and have it recharged it If I replaced it. Not sure how much that would cost. Give me all the info you can on the replacement.

 

Well, Something has to be causing that coil to pop the fuse. Just cause you can turn the compressor shaft by hand doesn't mean it can turn at 1500+rpm smoothly.

Can u start the car and connect the coil w/out having it attached to the a/c compressor and hit the a/c and see if the fuse pops??

Have you tested the coil electrically? I'd hate for you to do a new coil only to find out you have to buy a compressor anyway. Besides this is what a 9 year old A/C compressor.

Now, do you want the environmentally correct response or the ger-r-done response?? (I'm afraid of the responses im gonna get on this one).

The environmentally correct response would be yes, you would have to have the system evacuated, then disconnect the hard lines, replace the compressor, and then have it boiled down to a vacuum and then recharged.

The get-r-done response (and this is totally up to you), is with a gloved hand press the LOW side pressure schrader valve and purge the refrigerant.
(You're going to open the system to air anyway when you replace the compressor).

Then put it all together, and have it boiled down and recharged by a shop.

OR recharge it yourself with 3 cans of r134a and a can of oil. (you kind of have to know what you're doing here). But that's the cheapest way.

A compromise of the two, would be explaining to an A/C shop you're diy'ing the compressor, and have them evacuate the system, then take the car, do your work, then have them boil it and charge it.

It all depends on how much of a budget you're working with, and how confident you are doing this stuff.

Btw do you have a set of A/C gauges? I'm curious as to how much pressure there is in the system.

All that's left is disconnecting the hard lines and dropping the compressor at this point. NOTE: You have to purge the system first.

Let me know what you want to do and we'll go from there.

Take care,

George

 

Slight update and more info

Because George is one of those people who is probably right a whole lot more than he is wrong and I'm just the opposite. I ordered a compressor like he said. But it is refurbished. I got to quit being so cheap.

More infor about when the problem occured which I left out of the begining of the thread. Normal driving conditions. No surge in RPMs which I would expect if the A/C compressor locked up. I did hear a sudden whistling type noise which I thought was weird ( I'm assuming problem stated when I heard the noise) and when I parked the car I smelled that awful burnt electrical smell from the front left area of the car.

I went underneath the car the next day to inspect; and I seen A thick black (now harden) goo that sprayed on everything around the compressor pulley area. If anyone is interested I'll take some pictures of the goo.

 

LOL. Compressors are just pumps. All that fails is the bearings. Refurbs are fine.

Your goo was either the hard insulation of the coil casing as the coil melted because the compressor locked up. OR you melting some belt, and spraying it.

Whistling screams bearing failure. Either that or belt slippage as the locked up compressor caused the belt to slip, as drag on the pulley grew before it seized. A pic might help. Does the clutch / coil look at all burnt / melted? Is the belt intact??

Was the A/C ON when this went on? I'm wondering if the bearing on the pulley shaft going into the coil failed, and didn't let the pulley freewheel.

Take care,

George

 

The coil sounds like #1 suspect. If it's the coil, it'll need changing. The compressor may be fine.

As George says, did you test the coil yet?

 

The A/C was on when the the whistling started. btw: no longer whilstling now sounds like metal rubing (probably bearing; the clutch hub and drive pulley look pretty bad: The drive pull bearing feels ruff) The black goo is not from the belt the belt is fine (goo most likely coil insulation). Picture of goo coming tonight getting ready for work right now. Shouls have pulley and coil off tonight.