2001V70T5: need some suggestions for AC

carboncow · Post by **carboncow** » 29 Jul 2014, 15:15

our 3rd car doesn't get driven much (once a week maybe) but we need to start driving it more and the AC is funky. It's been itermittant. It seems to start fine but the more stop and go driving around town it starts to not engage.

I threw my gauges on the high/low ports can came up with 35-40lbs (low) and 200-210lbs (high) with AC on high. This seems pretty acceptable to me. I then shut AC system off (off switch) turn it back on and get nothing. Let car sit for 10 minutes and run to store, AC is great...come out of store no AC.

What is most likely to fail on a OLD car at this point...are we talking high/low pressure switches or the HVAC control (which I would assume when set on 100% cool it doesn't matter if the controls are acting up it should be ON) or are we talking issues with the electromagnetic clutch not engaging when it gets it's signal todo so...and since it seems intermittent how would one really check this.

As you can see I know enough about AC work to be dangerous but I'm looking for experience and trends with Volvos of they make/model/year and what to expect first...and how to test.

Post by **abscate** » 29 Jul 2014, 18:17

Classic 'bread clip fix' which is searchable on this site.

AC works for a bit, then stops. When it works, blows nice and cold.

Whats happening is the clutch is getting hot and quitting...if you look at the clutch when it stops working you will see the clutch not spinning.

the fix is.... the 'bread clip"

carboncow · Post by **carboncow** » 30 Jul 2014, 11:56

Damn...how did I miss this doctor obvious one! It's all over the freak'n net! Thx.

Post by **abscate** » 30 Jul 2014, 19:08

Because the freakin net is full of bad recipes and Volvo porn...so sites like this which separate the wheat from the chaff are valuable.