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A/C Compressor

4K views 11 replies 2 participants last post by  Bert 
#1 ·
Murphy's law, replace something just so something new can break. I drove my 04 CVPI to Wyoming only to have the A/C cut out half-way to my destination. When I finally got to my house, I popped the hood and noticed a small piece of the serp belt split off and wound itself around my A/C compressor :mad:, the clutch part of it. Naturally I was amazed at how this little belt got itself into that kind of position so I started to unwind it from the pulley.

This did not fix the problem, clutch still will not spin when A/C is engaged. I can hand spin the clutch, but nothing is turning it on anymore. Is my compressor hosed? Do I need to replace the clutch maybe? Any help is much appreciated!
 
#2 ·
tinkering around with a LOT of things, the front part of the compressor does spin by hand. Turn on car, turn control to vent and blower starts, turn control to norm A/C and blower power does not change and temp def. does not change. Going to front of car, front part is not spinning but all pulleys spin fine (belt is not being dragged across compressors pulley). I can only assume that something was damaged when that belt wrapped around the front part of the compressor, but is it the compressor that is damaged? Checked all fuses, everything is in the norm there.
 
#4 ·
there is a power clip that attaches to the accumulator, the wire jacket got beat through while that belt flipped around. The pvc coating got beat through a little as well and there is some copper showing. I dont see a break in the copper strand but I dont know how to test for power on that clip. I shoved the two prongs into the clip that seats onto the top of the accumulator and fired up the car and turned on the A/C. But there was no signs of power going through the Ohmmeter. Should there be, or does power only cycle through this AFTER the clutch gets power?

I can see that on the wire harness this "clip" forms a T, right side of the T goes to the accumulator and attaches there while the left side of the T attaches to the Compressor itself. The clip going into the compressor shows no damage from said whipping belt.
 
#6 ·
Made a jumper to jump the power on the switch attached to the accumulator, jumper failed to carry power to the clutch. Going to open up the wire harness to test for continuity between the lead from harness to wire to switch. Im thinking that there is a break somewhere in the line. Like you said that would be the most logical since that belt would have given the wire a good beating until the wire submitted. "high hopes" that all I have to do is replace a section of wire with some butt splices.
 
#8 ·
Stumped, no voltage is going to the drier/accumulator switch. Im not sure which one is the supply wire, but neither of them yield voltage when probed. Continuity is fine, probed both wires. Wires are Pink w/blue line and Pink w/black line. Can't find the break yet :(. I hate electrical!

Anyone know WHICH wire is the supply wire going into the drier? Would it be safe to carry a 12v current straight to the switch just to see if the clutch will even work?
 
#10 ·
Bwahahaha, I have found the problem! When the belt snapped it must have wrapped around the wires like Indiana Jones and the force exerted on the line pulled the copper INSIDE the jacket at a sharp fast 90 degree angle breaking BOTH the lines going to the drier switch and FROM the drier switch. repairing the switch, pulling it apart and putting it back together :D. Please let this be the ONLY problem!
 
#11 ·
Excellent, project over. Just a quick debrief that way if anyone else has the same problem they can refer to this forum on this site.

The 2004-2005 Crown Victoria moved the A/C Drier/Accumulator to the front of the vehicle behind the right headlight assembly. This has placed the wires going to the switch in the direct path of your serpentine belt. Should the serpentine belt fray and even let a little piece of the belt slap around inside the engine bay it can damage the wiring harness going to the A/C components.

After a long drive with no a/c and being very grumpy I popped the hood and found a small portion of the belt wrapped itself around the wires. I took a Digital Multimeter to test for continuity and found both lines could carry no load. Obviously I tested the switch going to the compressor and had no load either.

I finally pulled the switch going to the drier/accumulator and saw that the wire jacket was really lose at the ends. Problem found, copper had split inside the jacket from force exerted from belt shard/shred. Pulled out the terminals from the switch and soldered the good pieces of wire back together. Placed back in the switch and plugged her back into the drier. VIOLA! Clutch fired up, cold air blasted out, and car is now waiting for a new Serp. Belt.

I could definitely foresee this happening to other 04-05 crown vics. from the placement of the drier and the wires connecting to it.
 
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