Hey guys,
My friend just bought a 1989 Dodge Shadow. I went over his house after school to check it out, and he told me the air conditioner works, but no cold air comes out. Pretty much what was happening was the fan was working, but no compressor. So I said, hmm, pop the hood. I popped it, and I looked at the A/C pulley on the belt, and I said push the a/c button on and off (to see if the pulley clutch would engage), no clutch engaging going on here. So I said okay, close it up. Then I looked at my car and saw how my clutch would engage with the A/C. I opened his hood and saw some kind of string wrapped around the inner part of his A/C belt pulley clutch. I guess this got stuck up there when somebody was driving, or is it supposed to be there? If it isn't maybe I can tell him that I can fix it by pullin it out. Because whatever it is it seems be preventing the clutch from engaging. Thanks guys. I know this is a stupid question, but Chrysler......well you just never know.

 

thx?

 

I've never seen string as part of the friction material on a Denso compressor in a Chrysler, but you never know just how cheap they might be over there in Nopar land. Take it out and try it with no strings attached. It's probably a nylon cord left over from a shredded accessory belt - not some poor kid's kite that got sucked in there.

If the clutch still doesn't engage, test for voltage at the clutch connector when the AC is turned on. If there is voltage, the clutch should engage. If there is no voltage, start tracing. Look at the fuses first. If there is no refrigerant, the low pressure cutout will prevent the compressor from running. A high pressure cutout is also used, and could be faulty. Some Nippon compressors also had an oil level sensor that would kill the compressor.

And, if this guy is really a friend, why did you let him get a Dodge Shadow?

 

Why'd I let em get one? It was 600 bux and he is one of those "boring bare essentials" kind of friends. THe ones who dont know how to have fun with their money. He'll learn his lesson when his tranny breaks ( I know cuz I felt the D((* thing rattling). I told him to buy an F body for 600, its cheap and crappy but you'll know its dependable, and you'll probably be able to get something out of it if you restore it. GM, ford, but NEVER CHRYSLER!!!!