oh hell yes, this is going to be a challenge for sure.
Wire strippers and cable testers unite!

 

Still think you're chasing your tail. Guessing it's a mechanical problem masquerading as electrical.

Is the AC compressor clutch engaging at all with AC on?

When the temp control knob hangs what happens is the blend door closes the AC evaporator off. With airflow shut off it will then stay so cold the thermo sensor at the evap. will keep the compressor shut off electrically.

The clue will be that the compressor runs at first but then shuts off real soon. You do know how to tell if the clutch is engaging right?

When they jump tested your AC did they just look at the rad fans and compressor clutch turn on or were they getting fully cold air out of the vents also as verification?

If you jump test the AC and it turns on the rad fans and comp clutch but the air isn't cold out of the vents (and you're sure the AC is fully charged) then it's the blend door.

You need to get under the dash with a flashlight and see how far the blend door is moving when you turn the temp dial.

Be careful probing wires, you need a digital volt meter better than just jumper wires, you can fry the AC controller and even the main ECU easy.

 

I'll be honest.
You ask some great questions that I have few answers for. And even more questions to.

I do not know if the clutch is engaging. How do I check that?
I hope they verified cold air from the vents. If not, what's. Y best course of action?
What's the best way to check the blend door?

I'm a spirited mechanic though an average tech at best.
Just don't ask me to do your valve lash. There's a great story to my avatar, ask otter.

Thank you for the help. I really do appreciate it as I am a broke recent college grad with no real job yet. Still have the same one from junior year.

 

You can visually verify it by looking down at the AC compressor pulley with the car on. If the center of the pulley is spinning, then it's engaged. You can usually hear it engage, too.

 

The rpms on the car when idle will drop as well, just as if you turn on the rear window defrost.

 

Took the bike to work today, and I have court at 5 for my accident.
Ill check it out then.
Thanks for the info guys.

 

look at the front of the AC compressor pulley by the belt. There is a round flat plate about 1/8" thick with rivets, on the outside of the pulley. It does not turn when AC is off (engine running). It turns with the belt when the AC compressor clutch engages. During normal AC operation it will click on and off at between a 15 sec and 3 minute interval (about). If it clicks on and off then the problem is not electrical.


call them back? otherwise figure how to hot wire the comp at the main AC relay

get under dash with flashlight and compare with a known good EVO. Even then it may not show if the problem is inside the case.

 

Hello I am also having an issue with my ac. My car had rolled before I bought it; the ac was still charged but not working. The ac pump is engaging but won’t build pressure. I thought it was low on fluid so I took it to a garage. The garage owner put more juice to her but made no difference. Then he completely drained the system and tried again but it still would not build pressure. He said there was a check valve in there that could be stuck. I can’t find the check valve. Does anyone know where it’s at or is he just full of it and something bigger is wrong.

 

we did one of these today.

the linkage that binds is on the Driver side up above the gas pedal. There's a cable that comes in to a white plastic cam looking mechanism. There's 2 cables that come from the controls. Upper and lower, it's the lower one. Turn the temp control knob and push the cam mech with your hand and feel if it binds. You can even take off the cable and turn the cam mech without it and feel for binding.

It's a 6 hr job under customer pay, at $95 per hr. Entire dash has to come out.

the dash out, the heater/ac box is the white square case in the center, the binding parts are on it's left side. The case has to come out to replace the parts




the parts that get replaced, the part that binds is the black one, it's inside the white case. The white parts are the cam mech, the ones you check for binding

 

check valve sounds like it's internal in the compressor

AC compressors are usually not a serviceable item. they're sold as an assembly, you can't get individual parts for them except for the clutch.

 

just a little FYI on the knob, I believe i have this issue, but my warranty on the car is up, since i have a 2004. I actually broke the cold/hot knob off my controls about a week ago when i was home on leave. I had to go to a salvage yard, found one out of a outlander and put it in, still getting the binding. NWM Tech is right, its ither there is no heat or no AC while i drive, the controls seem to not be as fluid as they use to be. Just my two cents. Might want to check it out.

 

I have heat but my AC isn't blowing cold. I definitely hear something kicking in and a hissing sound so it looks like I'm having the cable binding issue. I wonder how much the parts cost... I'd really hate to pull the whole dash though haha.

 

here's the part #'s

Heater blend door kit
7801A360

Heater link and lever kit
7801A110

(cabin filter if you don't already have one)
Blower motor housing filter
MN185231
Screws (2 required)
MF453032

If you pull the dash you have to recover and re-charge the R-134 refrigerant cuz you have to disconnect the AC and heater coolant lines to get the case out.

Organization is key, there's so many different fasteners you have to separate and label them so you know where everything goes back.

You can leave the round steel tube cross bar in the car, just disconnect one end and swing it out to get the case out.

Disconnect the battery first, otherwise you pop SRS codes, which usually only the dealer can clear. Watch the air bag clock spring if you take the wheel off, it can get torn if it's not in the proper clock position. Not sure, you may not need to remove the wheel.

 

what a pain in the **** job this is to get some plastic piece replaced. cant wait till it happens to me...