94 Camry AC Problems

Hey guys. About 2 months ago, my 94 Toyota Camry's compressor and clutch blew (fuse blew, shot melted plastic all over, etc). Replaced that with a remanufactured compressor on my own, and had a good month and a half of fairly reliable AC (every once and a while the AC light would flash, but turning it off and on would fix that). About a week and a half ago, the AC light started flashing, and that was the end of that, no matter what I did, the AC would not turn on, just a flashing AC light. I took it to a shop, and they said the clutch wasn't engaging, so they replaced the clutch. I pick it up the next day, pay 300 dollars, drive 2 miles down the road, and it blows like it did 2 months ago (fuse blow, melted plastic shards). I drive it back there after getting it to flywheel, and they replace the clutch again for free, chalking it up to a bad part. So the next day I pick it up, make it a good few hours, and it blows AGAIN. I take it back, they say we're going to have to overhaul the AC (which i wanted to do originally to get everything under warranty). 925 dollars later on that, I pick the car up yesterday. Everything seems fine, a few hours later the AC light starts flashing. Starts flashing just like when I first brought it in a week and a half ago, AC wont come on. They are checking relays and everything now, (they said I won't pay another cent, which makes me feel better), and when I called a little bit ago, they said they thought that the compressor they put on could be bad, so they are swapping it out anyways since its under warranty. Somehow I doubt that this will fix the problem, or I have the most amazing string of bad luck in the world. Any ideas guys? This is what their "overhaul" consisted of:

1955w5b AC Compressor ($513) ed875 Air Drier ($17.40) Freon Recharge ($44.66) Labor - Remove and replace AC system, flush ac system, pressure test and recharge freon ($280)

They missing anything? Any ideas?

Reply to
Jim Weinhart
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The AC clutch is basically a solenoid or an electro-magnet which has its current limited by the resistance of the wire wound to make the coil for the clutch. If you are blowing fuses there *must* be something else in the electrical system using that fuse for +12v supply OR there is a partial short to ground getting onto the fuse-line. The fuses get white hot and melt the plastic holder. The current to do this would be in excess of the fuse rating (so it blows), so it also may help to make sure the fuses you are using are the correct amperage rating. Most clutches draw 3-4 A, so a 10 A fuse would be about right.

The mechies doing the job should put a current meter in series or across the empty fuse holder to measure the clutch current.

Jason

Reply to
Jason James

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