2000 Jeep Cherokee A/C ?

[marcar1993]

I'm trying to get the air in my gf's fairly new to us cherokee working. It hasn't worked since we bought it in November. I threw a charge in it and nothing. The fan cycles correctly but nothing from the compressor. I jumped the plug for the clutch and it still did not turn on. The compressor spins free by hand when spinning the inner part of the clutch. Just that the clutch is not engaging. So anyone have any ideas? Am I right that its just the clutch that failed? Anyone know where to get just a clutch for it? I can't find one separate, only complete compressors.


Thanks.

 

[t01blaze]

Is there 12v and ground supplied to the clutch when the clutch is supposed to be on?
It could be more than just a bad clutch. I have seen the diode fail once on a Chevy pickup and the HVAC control head fried (twice) because of it.

EDIT
I missed the part about jumping the plug, assuming it was jumping the low pressure cut out switch, trying to force the compressor on to either test or get it to start taking refrigerant.

 

[Fox80]

If you are sure you are jumping the clutch correctly the next thing to look at is the air gap, they all usually have some shims behind the front plate so you can remove some/all to get the gap tighter. I always set it so a .015 feeler gauge would just slide all the way around, the mag in the clutch is not very strong so if it wears in to much of an air gap it can't close the gap

 

[marcar1993]

Ok thanks. To pull the clutch its just the center bolt right?
Also, the clutch is grounded to the compressor. Theres only one wire coming off, the hot trigger wire. I powered it and nothing happened. I believe thats the correct way to jump it. Same thing I've done on anything else.

 

[Fox80]

Yes the center bolt will allow you to take off the actual compressor drive plate off, them little shims can be a pain they are tiny and sit behind the splined portion of it. The actual clutch stays mounted to the housing for the compressor. And yess most all Nipo compressors are body grounded with only one wire

 

[marcar1993]

I pulled it apart, removed the one shim, cleaned up the plates and it worked. Filled up the charge and the air was ICE COLD. For a few hours, then the compressor stopped cycling again. Gotta get a gauge on it and see if its still full and the clutch kicked out or if its leaking that bad.
Thanks for all the help guys!

 

[Fox80]

Boy that sucks, sounds like a major leak, good luck

 

[86 Grand prix]

If you break open the system I would get an O-ring kit and replace all of the nitrile O-rings while it is open. Pull a vacuum and make sure it holds that before the Freon.