I was trying to hookup my fans to come on manually with a switch when I noticed my AC clutch is acting strange. It will click and stay engaged for a few seconds then disengage for a few seconds, etc.. It doesn't stay on.

How hard is it to replace the AC clutch? Or is it something else that could be causing it to act sporadically?

Thanks

Mike

 

more than likely you are just low on freon. when low, it will cycle like that.

 

Since it's working part of the time (pretty cold too) should I just have it topped off with R-12?

 

if that is what's in it yes. make sure it hasn't been converted. it will have larger fittings put on top of the little fittings if it has. looks like a push on type instead of threaded type. should be a sticker also. sometimes forgotten to be put on.

 

Bring it to a pro. Just adding freon isn't going to help anything if that's not your problem. Most likely that is the problem, but if it leaked out once, it'll leak out again, and if it turns out to be something else like a blockage or a cycling switch, adding freon can cause bigger problems.

 

Sounds like low freon to me. You don't want to leave it like that and run your AC all the time. You could eventually burn up your compressor. Your clutch is doing exactly what it is supposed to do. Also, turn your AC to full blast as cold as it will go and see if it does it then. If it's going to cost you more than $75 to have your freon topped off, go ahead and convert it to R-134. All you have to do is replace the accumulator and drain the R-12 and replace it with R-134 and an orifice tube. I can do this job in half an hour. A can of R-134 costs less than $4, and you'll need three cans and a can of oil. A can of R-12 costs around $75 a can! Ouch! Just a thought. Matt

 

Mike, check your FAN fuse in the fusebox first. One time, I was messing around with my fans and the relays and stuff and the A/C (which worked PERFECTLY before) started acting weird. The compressor would kick on and off over and over. It would NOT blow cold air. I noticed that my Aux. Fan wouldn't come one either. So, I checked the fuse... it was blown. I replaced it, then my A/C system and Aux. Fan were back to normal

 

Cool, I'll check that.