Buick When starting new posts, please specify YEAR, MAKE, MODEL, ENGINE type, and whatever modifications you have made.

A/C clutch will not engage

Old Mar 26, 2020 | 08:22 PM
  #1  
cliff's Avatar
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
 
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 231
Likes: 25
cliff will become famous soon enough
Default A/C clutch will not engage

1999 Buick Lesabre limited 3.8 engine The A/C clutch will not engage when I turn on the AC, I checked to see if the clutch will spin free and it does, what should be my next step?
Reply
Old Mar 26, 2020 | 11:33 PM
  #2  
Soft Ride's Avatar
Senior Member


True Car Nut
 
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 4,911
Likes: 624
From: BC Canada
Soft Ride has much to be proud ofSoft Ride has much to be proud ofSoft Ride has much to be proud ofSoft Ride has much to be proud ofSoft Ride has much to be proud ofSoft Ride has much to be proud ofSoft Ride has much to be proud ofSoft Ride has much to be proud ofSoft Ride has much to be proud ofSoft Ride has much to be proud of
Default

Get a new connector or alligator clips and try applying 12V momentarily to the coil & see if spins then.
My issue was with the connector and fried wires.
Post 33 is page 4 with a built in diode, that is required.
https://www.gmforum.com/buick-172/c-...-302417/page4/.
__________________
1997 Buick Pk Ave (Soft Ride) Suspension!
Reply
Old Mar 27, 2020 | 10:46 AM
  #3  
cliff's Avatar
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
 
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 231
Likes: 25
cliff will become famous soon enough
Default

thank you
Reply
Old Mar 27, 2020 | 02:48 PM
  #4  
Mad_Coachman's Avatar
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
 
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 249
Likes: 43
From: Baldwin,New York
Mad_Coachman will become famous soon enoughMad_Coachman will become famous soon enough
Default

If you are low on Freon the clutch will not engage until there is an adequate amount in the system.
Reply
Old Mar 28, 2020 | 12:03 AM
  #5  
CathedralCub's Avatar
Senior Member


True Car Nut
 
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 6,877
Likes: 1,021
From: Earth
CathedralCub is a splendid one to beholdCathedralCub is a splendid one to beholdCathedralCub is a splendid one to beholdCathedralCub is a splendid one to beholdCathedralCub is a splendid one to beholdCathedralCub is a splendid one to beholdCathedralCub is a splendid one to behold
Default

What they said ^^^^^^^

. . . and it could also be the pressure switch.
Reply
Old Mar 28, 2020 | 08:43 AM
  #6  
cliff's Avatar
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
 
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 231
Likes: 25
cliff will become famous soon enough
Default

thank you,in my research that is one of the possibilities as to why the clutch will not engage, along with the pressure switch, another thing that i just now remember I had the car in the repair shop a month ago, I wonder if there might be the reason its not working because they had to but in a new radiator and motor mounts
Reply
Old Mar 28, 2020 | 11:05 PM
  #7  
CathedralCub's Avatar
Senior Member


True Car Nut
 
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 6,877
Likes: 1,021
From: Earth
CathedralCub is a splendid one to beholdCathedralCub is a splendid one to beholdCathedralCub is a splendid one to beholdCathedralCub is a splendid one to beholdCathedralCub is a splendid one to beholdCathedralCub is a splendid one to beholdCathedralCub is a splendid one to behold
Default

It could be. They might have accidentally broken something.
Reply
Old Jun 4, 2020 | 09:14 AM
  #8  
cliff's Avatar
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
 
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 231
Likes: 25
cliff will become famous soon enough
Default

its been awhile and had to leave off the ac problem for a bit, I am back I was able to connect a jumper wire to the 30 and 87 terminals into the harness after removing the relay and started the car to see if the ac clutch works and it does, so then i assume what i did was bypass the pcm using the battery as power, which suggests that the wiring is ok, i replaced the relay with a new one, turned on the car and it did not engage the ac clutch, i assume i need to get a set of gauges for the ac system to see if I have any freon in the system, a guy on you tube said that when i hook up the gauges and if the system is charged, without turning on the car I should get a reading on the low side that is close to the temperature outside, for example if it is 80 degrees outside the gauge should read close to 80, I assume that the pcm is not getting the necessary reading to engage the clutch to the ac compressor which also could be a bad pressure flow switch, therefore i assume i might has to replace the switch.
Reply
Old Jun 4, 2020 | 12:52 PM
  #9  
Mike's Avatar
Retired
Certified Car Nut
 
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 17,960
Likes: 1,839
From: Dark Side, AZ
Mike has a reputation beyond reputeMike has a reputation beyond reputeMike has a reputation beyond reputeMike has a reputation beyond reputeMike has a reputation beyond reputeMike has a reputation beyond reputeMike has a reputation beyond reputeMike has a reputation beyond reputeMike has a reputation beyond reputeMike has a reputation beyond reputeMike has a reputation beyond repute
Default

He'* partly wrong.


Reply
Old Jun 4, 2020 | 03:46 PM
  #10  
cliff's Avatar
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
 
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 231
Likes: 25
cliff will become famous soon enough
Default

thank you Mike, I rented some gauges and a vacuum pump from oriellys, when i put the gauges on the low and high side the low reading was 30 and the high was 7, this was without the car running, I let the gauges on for about 45 minutes and both gauges read 0, i sure i have a big leak some where,I put the vacuum pump on for the heck of it just to see what happens,I will let you know in half an hour with the results
Reply

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:26 AM.