hey guys, I just got my car back from the shop. They fixed my heater blower problem. Turned out it was just some switch that they had to replace. Anyways, I go to test drive it and now my AC compressor comes on in every position except for defrost. It used to come on for defrost and AC obviosly, but never when I had it on heater or vent. Is this normal for my car to do this? Its been so long since my fan has worked that I can't remember what its supposed to do. Any responce is greatly appreciated. thanks

 

No its not normal. I have an 86 ROC and the only time the A/C Compressor is supposed to come on is MAX, NORM, BI-LEVEL, and DEFROST. On Vent, Heat, and obvisously in Off Position, compressor shouldnt be running. Hope that helps some.

 

hummmmmmmmmm... yea that helps. I wonder what is wrong with my car now?

 

Sounds like it has the wrong switch in it, or something. I can't think of any electrical function that exists in one of these cars in every position except defrost.... that's just not right. You might want to take the control head out and look at it, see what they did, tell us what you see, maybe we can figure it out.

 

I installed A/C in my car (didn't come with it) so I'm fairly familiar with it.

The electrical connection to engage the compressor is in the control panel itself. Sounds like they switched it with the wrong one OR took it out and put it back together incorrectly.

When you slide the lever between Defrost, Bi, Max, etc. it's just a circular wheel that makes contact between different wires coming out the back of the controls. Kind of like a roundhouse for a train station (best analogy I can think of).

You can remove your trim panel, pull out the controls a little ways, disconnect everything on the back, and take apart that circular wheel. I had to dissasemble mine when it had a bad connection. Perhaps the shop ripped it apart and put the wheel in wrong.

If you can't tell, get a used "wheel" from a junkyard from any 80's GM car. Then replace yours with the junkyard one.