i have a problem with my a/c. when i switch it on, the clutch engages for only a couple of seconds and stop then start up again in a couple of seconds. this continues until i switch it off. what seems to be the problem. i read from other post that it may be the superheat switch and that i can bypass this without a problem.
should i bypass the switch, if so, where the heck is is. if not, then what else should i do or what else is wrong?
Sounds like that. The switch itself is the white connector coming from the clutch of the compres. to the car's wiring harness. REMOVE THAT CONNECTOR and reconnect the wires (with a weathertight connection, of course). Should do it.
You can see the wires for this job from above when looking down; near the radiator on the pass. side. ~~~ Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt on the Iraqi "wedding" that was attacked - 'There may have been some kind of celebration. Bad people have celebrations, too.'
If the a/c clutch is cycling from cold straight away thenit is NOT the overheat switch on the compressor- you are short of gas and the low pressure switch is cutting the compressor out. You need a recharge.
If however the a/c runs normally for several minutes, then cuts out and needs 10or so mins before it comes back to life then definately suspect the overheat switch.
What do you mean by same problem? If the A/C is cool but not cold, compressor is cycling with the period measured in seconds, then the problem is most likely low refrigerant. If the A/C works fine for a few minutes, then not at all for 10 minutes or so, then the problem could be the superheat switch on the compressor.
The superheat switch is on the back side of the compressor. You need to join the 2 wires going into it together. The best way is to follow both wire to a connection about 6" (15 cm) away, disconnect the superheat switch wires and connect the 2 other wires together. (The connectors will just plug into each other.) Do not remove the superheat switch, as the refrigerant will come blasting out. Note that the design idea of the superheat switch was to save the compressor from overheating, it's setting is too low, causing the compressor to turn off when there's really no problem.
Another problem is that the A/C works fine for a while - typically 30 minutes or more - then cuts out and doesn't work until the car has cooled off. This is usually caused by the gap in the compressor clutch being too large, and the magnetic force is not enough to engage the clutch. (Removing the superheat switch from the circuit as described above will help this problem, as it will increase the voltage available to the clutch a small amount.) Others have used the wire going to the clutch to engage a relay that is fed power directly from the battery.
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