AC Compressor cycling????

[tfifeco]

Ok guys, i have an '02 250 7.3L the AC works and blows cold air but seems to be cutting out beyond the normal cycle that these units do. Here's what's happening. when driving and the AC is on at a certain point whether cruising or sitting idle the compressor clutch will disengage, will start blowing warm, then hot air but will never re-engage on its own. If i get on the gas and cause the transmission to downshift (whether it's out of overdriver, or anyother gear) MOST of the time but ... not all of the time ... the compressor clutch will re-engage and start blowing cold air again. Even if i turn off the AC then turn it back on this will not cause the compressor to re-engage again. IF i stop shut off the engine, turn off the ac controls then restart, it will re-engage and blow cold air again. But if i am driving either in town in stop and go traffic or on the highway and the compressor clutch disengages, it will never re-engage on its own.

This has been ongoing for about a year now. I have put gauges on the system multiple times and had others put gauges on and the system shows to be properly charged so there is not leak. I have changes the Low Pressure switch located on the Filter dryer.

i have not changed the high pressure switch yet mainly becuase of the price of the switch and logic tells me it's probably not the high pressure switch - because it re-engages after i get on the gas (essentially increasing the pressure)

But i am not sure and don't really know a whole lot about AC systems. Any ideas on what might be causing this? The only thing i can think of is either the High pressure switch, low pressure switch(already changed) and the Clutch itself.

thanks and i would appreciate anyone's thoughts to this

[ttyR2]

I'd suspect the clutch spacing needs to be adjusted, and the clutch won't lock up properly. You should be able to disconnect the power wire going to the clutch and rig up a jumper wire to the battery to see if the vehicle electrical system is at fault, or if the clutch itself is the problem.

[tfifeco]

Thanks tty, i tried a similar test with the low pressure switch ... Everytime i disconnected/Reconnected the switch the clutch would disengage/re-engage properly. Like when i am testing these things everything seems to work as it is supposed to ... But when i get to driving down the road ... It will just drop out.... it does it whether its hot or colder outside, however seems to do it more frequently the hotter it gets outside, don't know if that's just a coincidence or not

[srob817]

Im having the exact same issue. I have not replaced anything yet. Its frustrating when is 107 outside and your Ice cold AC just drops out. Mine seems to take about 20 min of driving before it quits on me.

[mfd620]

Mine was doing the same thing about 3 months ago and i pulled the clutch of and removed the washer/ spacer and my problem was fixed. It takes about 3 minutes to do this.

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[codyryan07]

http://springerpop.net/F350/air_gap.html



I've done it on 2 trucks and now both work great.

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[Johnny7.3 pw]

Originally Posted by codyryan07

SpringerPop's Compressor Clutch Air Gap



I've done it on 2 trucks and now both work great.

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What is the part called? And do you have to recharge the system and pull vacume ect. or is it just simply replace the rings?

[codyryan07]

Its on your a/c clutch. You don't mess with any of the charged system. Your basically just pulling the front plate off, pulling out a small washer, the bolting it back together. Super simple.

Shouldn't take longer than 5 minutes. And that's with a beer break

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[Johnny7.3 pw]

Originally Posted by codyryan07

Its on your a/c clutch. You don't mess with any of the charged system. Your basically just pulling the front plate off, pulling out a small washer, the bolting it back together. Super simple.

Shouldn't take longer than 5 minutes. And that's with a beer break

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Thanks alot! Ill let you know how it goes!

[Johnny7.3 pw]

Wait do you have to buy new shims or just take thd one out?