Second thread on my first day, woo hoo!
I have a 2002, S60, not a turbo, 118K miles. The AC has been acting a little screwy lately, and I'm nervous as to what could possibly be wrong with it. I will be driving it, and the AC stops blowing cold, but the fan still works. Living in Florida, I NEED my AC to work, consistently. When it stops blowing cold, I turn it off, fan and all, wait a few minutes and turn it back on again. That's worked most of the times this has happened, though yesterday it really tried my patience. My husband and I were running errands, and it stopped blowing cold, I turned it off, waiting a while, and it came back on. We did some shopping, and got back in the car and it happened again. This happened at least 3 times yesterday (we had a lot of stops around town). The cold air would stop, I would turn it off and it would start blowing cold again. But after our last stop, we headed home, it acted up again, we turned it off, turned it back on after a few minutes, it blew cold for a few minutes and went out AGAIN! I've taken it to a shop and they tell me there isn't anything noticeably wrong with it. Freon is fine, compressor is fine, and that it could possibly be an electrical problem. I've had enough cars to know that ANY electrical problem makes me want to scream.
Has ANYONE had this happen? What am I in for? Frankly, I'm terrified...
Crazy AC problem
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jimmy57
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The compressor on that car will cycle on and off frequently to prevent the cooling unit inside from freezing up, yes even in HOT weather. The clutch parts on front of compressor wear from the usage. When the clearance between the parts gets too big the magnetic part can't pull it in to engage the clutch as the electric part is weaker when it is hot from use.
The solution that usually works when this is the first time the clutch clearance has gotten too large is to remove a shim from behind the driven plate to reduce the clutch clearance ("clutch gap").
If you search on here using "clutch gap" you will see many articles describing this. You can see if it is something you want to attempt or have done by a garage. Many garages want to replace the whole clutch or the compressor but I have been removing shims for years on cars and trucks when the compressor is quiet and functioning perfectly without leakage and I have never had one return for the same issue within a couple of years. I would estimate that the shim removal fix is good for 60-75% of the original problem mileage. In your case, 118K plus 72K to90K miles means your car might go to 190K or more before the gap becomes an issue again.
The solution that usually works when this is the first time the clutch clearance has gotten too large is to remove a shim from behind the driven plate to reduce the clutch clearance ("clutch gap").
If you search on here using "clutch gap" you will see many articles describing this. You can see if it is something you want to attempt or have done by a garage. Many garages want to replace the whole clutch or the compressor but I have been removing shims for years on cars and trucks when the compressor is quiet and functioning perfectly without leakage and I have never had one return for the same issue within a couple of years. I would estimate that the shim removal fix is good for 60-75% of the original problem mileage. In your case, 118K plus 72K to90K miles means your car might go to 190K or more before the gap becomes an issue again.
You may have a situation where the compressor isn't cycling. If it stays engaged the evaporator will freeze up and not allow air to past through. There is a cycling switch and a relay that controls the compressor. Usually the relay will stick and keep the compressor engaged all of the time.
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jimmy57
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on P2 there is no cycling switch. There is a temp probe stuck into evaporator case providing temp info to climate control unit and it cycles the compressor. I discounted frozen evaporator since she listed a fairly short time it worked before it stopped.
If the compressor check proves to not be it then the temp probes do give some problems, one of which is just getting covered with fuzz that isolates it from getting an actual true reading.
If the compressor check proves to not be it then the temp probes do give some problems, one of which is just getting covered with fuzz that isolates it from getting an actual true reading.
OK, so how in the heck can a husband and wife do this clutch shimming? I've read a ton about it today, and it makes sense. But getting at the compressor sounds like a real pain. My brother in law has a portable car lift which should help, but I don't want to entertain something that isn't possible for us to do.
I hate that I am starting to really hate this car. I know with any high mileage car, the problems pop up like mushrooms after a storm. But for something that is, seemingly, easy to fix, it doesn't sound easy to get to. I don't want to put money into a car that we're going to get rid of in less than a year. Ugh, maybe I should have married a mechanic...
)
I hate that I am starting to really hate this car. I know with any high mileage car, the problems pop up like mushrooms after a storm. But for something that is, seemingly, easy to fix, it doesn't sound easy to get to. I don't want to put money into a car that we're going to get rid of in less than a year. Ugh, maybe I should have married a mechanic...
)Any good indy shop should be able to gap the clutch in less than an hour. It took my mechanic about 45 min, and that is because it is tight quarters. Fixed it the correct way with pulling off the clutch, tossing some of the shims and putting it back on. Hasn't done it since then, last summer. But it did fix my 2001 S60 that was doing the exact same thing yours was.
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JRL
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The bread clip fix is easy
However, getting to the compressor can be a bit of a PIA
However, getting to the compressor can be a bit of a PIA
Mod note. Jim passed away in early 2022, his contributions to this forum are immortal, and he is missed. RIP
2000 V70R Black, 144,000 miles Wife's R.
2007 V70 2.5T White/Oak 111,000 MILES. Polestar tune, IPD bars, rear spoiler, dark grey Thors, DWS 06, HU850, sub.
2000 V70R Black, 144,000 miles Wife's R.
2007 V70 2.5T White/Oak 111,000 MILES. Polestar tune, IPD bars, rear spoiler, dark grey Thors, DWS 06, HU850, sub.
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igel513
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Jimmy, if you remove a shim from behind the plate, won't the gap become biggger. All the while I thought we are to add a shimjimmy57 wrote:The solution that usually works when this is the first time the clutch clearance has gotten too large is to remove a shim from behind the driven plate to reduce the clutch clearance ("clutch gap").
If you search on here using "clutch gap" you will see many articles describing this. You can see if it is something you want to attempt or have done by a garage. Many garages want to replace the whole clutch or the compressor but I have been removing shims for years on cars and trucks when the compressor is quiet and functioning perfectly without leakage and I have never had one return for the same issue within a couple of years. I would estimate that the shim removal fix is good for 60-75% of the original problem mileage. In your case, 118K plus 72K to90K miles means your car might go to 190K or more before the gap becomes an issue again.
as JRL is suggesting, w/a plastic bread clip to make the gap closer. Pls. enlighten me as I have a problem on my AC>
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