Technical A/C question...

[candela]

OK its 95 240. My a/c used to work and then either one day it stopped, or it just slowly stopped cause I dont really use it ever. BUt i noticed one day it stopped.

So i figure somethign bad had happened, and went into diagnostic mode and found NOTHING to be functioning wrong. So i got a bottle of freeon fron autozone and hooked the valve to my system and it said ti was full. WTF?

Took it to a shop and they told me it was empty. Completely empty and that "it must have gone somewhere" (leak) even though when pressurized the system held up fine. So they said they need to recharge it (1.5 lbs!!), and also put in a new fan clutch. Cause apprantly since mine isn't working, that that will pose a "resistance" threat to the a/c system and the compressor will turn off if the fan clutch is not engaged.

NOw I just dont know if I beleive this BS or not casue these guys were being real d!ck when I was questioning them. So is this true? Can my system be empty, yet still hold pressure and not leak when hooked up to the machine AND does teh fan clutch have to be working properly for the compressor to work properply?

Thanks!

[navysnail]

it could be a very small leak, and fan clutch, no not necissary. the 240 uses a mechanical fan that has a viscous clutch and a smaller fan to come on when the ac comes on. with out the smaller fan, the ac wont be as cold, but it isnt needed.

did they mean the compressor clutch maby

[candela]

no its exactly what they said... the fan clutch. I know how it works and i know its bad. I just dont know if it will have an effect on the compressor clutch.

They said that if the fan clutch is not provding "resistance" than the compressor clutch will not engage cause there is a pressure switch on it that knows when the fan clutch is out... which I believe to be complete BS

[s13sr20chris]

[DAEDALUS]

I'd go somewhere else on general principle. Maybe they meant that if the fan clutch isn't working the system might possibly run too hot and shut down because of the temp switch. But if they can't explain that in plain English, f-'em. No sense paying someone $70/hour so they can do the same guessing you can do.

[candela]

ya figured so, thanks for the back