Air conditioner stops working

BJ740 · Post by **BJ740** » 24 Jun 2011, 07:11

I have a 2000 S70 that seems to have similar problems with air conditioner working and cooling and then going to warm after a few minutes, as I've seen on some other posts. It has become annoying. I took it to have it serviced last spring after it quit on a trip. They recharged it and said it was fine. I got home and it did the same thing again. Took it back several times to the local area of this same service and it was hard to explain that yes it worked fine now but when I got half way home it was hot again. They replaced something, valve, I don't recall, and thought it would work. Husband drove it and thought it was fine, only to find out later that it wasn't when I drove it again. So it's doing this thing again this year now that the weather is hot. From some forums I've tried to read it seems that there might be a clutch on the compressor that is the problem, gap too big or something, I think I'll have my husband look into the redneck solution with bread clips I saw on here. I'd like a reasonable cost of fixing it bec of budget restraints right now, We're going out of town next weekend though and husband wants this fixed before he drives in the heat. Any help would be great. Car cools, then goes to hot air after a little while. Seems sometimes it works better if you can put it on air and on recirculate. Just don't like this hot air and if there's a way to fix it for less than thousands and a major overhaul bec they saw a woman coming in the door I'd appreciate it. thanks.

Post by **jblackburn** » 24 Jun 2011, 07:15

Welcome to the forum.

It does sound like the clutch gap issue to me. Once it warms up, the clutch stops making contact with the compressor wheel and your AC stops working.

The 2000 models have a slightly different compressor setup than the bread clip fix you have probably seen, but there is a way to shim those too. I'll see if I can dig that up.

Post by **jblackburn** » 24 Jun 2011, 07:21

Well, I can't find a picture of it.

But this guy did basically the same thing that we did with a friend's 1999 model with the same compressor. You've just got to find different places to wedge the things in:

I just performed this repair on my 2000 v70, and it worked like a charm! The gap measured out at 0.8mm, so I went to the grocery store for my parts (the bread clips). My clutch plate was a little different from the one in your photos - I wasn't able to get the shims in the same locations, and I had to cut them into much smaller pieces. They were also a bit too thick, so I beat them down with a hammer...it took several tries but I managed to get 3 shims in at the correct thickness to give me a gap of 0.35mm all around the interface.

It's now been a week, and the a/c has been perfect under some very heavy use! I'll try to post some pics when I get a chance.

Thanks for the great advice!!

http://volvospeed.com/vs_forum/topic/80 ... h-gap-fix/

Dan Hanvey · Post by **Dan Hanvey** » 06 Jul 2011, 17:38

How can you tell if the compressor is working?? My clutch will engage for 3seconds and stop for 5 seconds and re-engage again? Does this mean my compressor is out?

Post by **holler1** » 06 Jul 2011, 17:55

Dan Hanvey wrote:How can you tell if the compressor is working?? My clutch will engage for 3seconds and stop for 5 seconds and re-engage again? Does this mean my compressor is out?

With "short cycling", the problem is more likely to be low AC fluid (R134a). The compressor clutch is working, or the compressor wouldn't cycle at all. It's hard to tell if the compressor itself is OK without hooking up pressure gauges to the AC, unless it's making a lot of noise. If it were me, I would just try adding some fluid and see if that helps. Get a can with a hose, turn the engine on idle and AC on high, hook the can up to the low pressure connector, and open the valve. If that is the problem, the compressor "on" cycle will gradually get longer, up to a minute or more. It may take 20 minutes or 1/2 hr to add. If that doesn't work, all you've paid for is a can of fluid.

Dan Hanvey · Post by **Dan Hanvey** » 06 Jul 2011, 18:03

I have a can of fluid, and the clutch wasn't coming on at all. Then I added some of the can, and the clutch began to engage. The PSI on the can would raise to 45 then back down to below 15 when the clutch would engage. I don't want to add to much and I fear it is not cycling through.

Any more thoughts??

Post by **jblackburn** » 06 Jul 2011, 18:12

Add until it stops cycling. Then rev up the engine and suck in the R134 until it stops cycling and holds a steady pressure based on the chart on the back of the can and your outside temperature.

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 06 Jul 2011, 18:13

With those pressures keep adding R-134A. What you want to see is something in the 30 to 40 PSI range with the compressor running - depending on the ambient temperature.

45 PSI is way low for compressor off and 15 PSI is way low with the compressor on. You should never need to use more than a couple of cans of refrigerant.

...Lee

Dan Hanvey · Post by **Dan Hanvey** » 06 Jul 2011, 19:16

OK - So I burned through a 22oz can of refrigerant and the PSI is still about 30 - so thinking I need another can. On the plus side - the clutch is staying engaged and the car is blowing cold - WoooHooo since I live in the high desert it has been 100 degrees plus lately.

Thanks for the help ya'll

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 06 Jul 2011, 20:14

Since you have a pressure gauge don't be afraid to use an additional 1/2 of a can or even 1/4 can, it may not take another full can.

At altitude, things change as much as they do with the temperature and all of my experience is at 1,000' AMSL. You are on the right track (at least for now) by adding enough R-134A that the compressor quits cycling and you have cold air.

...Lee