Hey, wondering if anyone might have any ideas on solutions. My compressor doesn't kick in unless jumped, I have checked all the relays check out. Bought the car a while back and recently decided to work on it. Hasn't worked on my possession.

 

First you should take it to a reputable shop and have the Freon checked, you might be low or empty. If that checks good then possibly a bad pressure switch.

 

prob. a bad clutch had isssues with mine replaced with a used one and has been working since

 

The refrigerant cools and lubricates the compressor. If the refrigerant is low, the pressure switch shuts off the compressor clutch.

 

easy test to see if its the freon level:just go get a can of the refrigirant from the auto parts store and add it to the car

 

OK, this is a BAD idea... While low frigerant levels will cause it to not work, high levels will break things.... EXPENSIVE THINGS... at AC shops, they call those "fill it yourself" kits "future compressor work in a can"

If you want to do it yourself, then first check your pressure levels with a guage kit... they are cheap.

It could be a number of things...

1) Low frigerant levels (it's not freon)
2) Bad relays
3) work clutch surface (there is a thread on checking the air gap)
4) Bad Hi/low switch.

It will be cheaper to take it to a shop and have them vacuum/fill your system than it will be for you to throw parts at it and see if it fixes it.

Most will do a diagnosis for free.

 

Oh, side note...

I just went through a host of AC problems....

My frigerant levels were low... I had them vacuum the system down to nothing, and hold a vacuum there for 30 min. Then fill it to recomended capacity.

My AC would work for 5-15 min depending on the outside temp, then stop working... Turns out my clutch was so worn that even when the clutch would "click" and engage, there would not be enough clamping force (due to the wear), for it to fully engage and turn when the compressor got hot.

There is a shim kit to help with a worn clutch (there is a thread on this site)... but mine was so worn that I will eventually need a new assembly. I just pulled the shim out entirely to reduce the air gap, and will replace my clutch assembly when I have the money... With my temporary fix, my AC is blowing cold.