My friends 96 had a problem with the relay located on the firewall, actually the socket that the relay plugs into was the problem. You can try to tap on the relay or jiggle it and see if the clutch kicks on then.

Jeff

Ok..weather was warm enough for me to be irritated with my AC yesterday. Broke out the book.

Under diagnosing in section 1B it states if the temperature coming out is not adequate, and freon is under 50psi to add a pound as the system is low. Seems like mighty high pressure.

My system was around 30-35 and was cycling at that pressure.

You're correct, if the compressor isn't coming on jump the 2 wire switch on the receiver drier, then the compressor if any good should come right on.

I would also like to say, please get a real set of Guages, the walmart special guages are junk. You should get a reading on the low side and the high side, this will give everyone a better feel for your A/C.

Good luck,
Sellncars

Boy, I am not doing to good here! I can not find a pressure switch with only 2 wires. Does anyone else have a 97 SSE? Where is the switch? Can I run 12V right into the plug on the compressor to see if it will kick in? Does it matter which terminal gets + and which gets - ?

I'll look at the 97 fsm'* tonight. you don't have to get 12v to the compressor though, you could just ground the compressor relay to do the same thing. it'* in the relay center on the firewall.

Why do you say the Walmart gauges are junk?

firewall relay center, left most relay, pin 85 on relay (drk grn/ white) to ground will put 12v through relay to compressor. if you want to know where 12v goes on the compressor it is the drk green wire. If you put the drk green/white wire to ground and don't trigger the compressor clutch, see if 12v is at the drk green wire on compressor. If you don't have 12v, switch relays with the one next to it (horn). of horn works when you switch them, the relay is good and you are missing 12v to the relay. the pink wire on the first relay is 12v hot all the time (fuse 7E, 10 amp)

Thank you for the tip Sonoma! I have been on vacation and not had time to deal with this thing. OK, last night I tried your procedure to ground out the compressor relay. I found the wires you described and followed your instructions. Still nothing. I did not see 12V at the compressor. I looked for it across the green and pink wires and from the green wire to ground....nothing. I switched relays......they are all good. Does that check by pass everything on the system? (ie cycle switches etc) I still can not find a cycling switch with 2 wires around the accumulator also. Any other ideas before I just bite it and take it somewhere?

sounds like you don't have 12v at the relay, or you could have a bad ground. you didn't say if you checked the fuse. this check has nothing to do with the cycle switches, it just tests if the compressor clutch will kick in if called for.

if you got 35psi on the low side with compresser off that should start it off,
if nothing else put a nother half can in and bump the pressure up see if that
helps,,

you may have a bad clutch too,,that just won't engage,,when was the last
known time it worked???