Hello...thanks for help in advance. I have the 2003 Ford Ranger 2.3

Last summer towards the end my ac would stay warm.. no cold air for about 5 minutes.. did not matter if idling, driving slow or fast. Then it kicked in and it was nice and cold every time. I was told then by someone that the orifice tube may be the problem. Of course winter came and I never touched the ac.

Now, I tried kicking it on recently, multiple times, and nothing, it never kicks in at all. It does not appear that the compressor clutch is kicking on at all. So, before I evac the system, change the orifice tube, refill etc. only to find out that the tube was not the root cause, any other suggestions of what I might want to do either before I start working on it, or other things to check once I have it apart????

 

When the compressor doesn't start that usually means the low pressure switch is OPEN, so compressor won't start because it could be damaged by lack of oil circulation

There are two pressure switches, low pressure and high pressure, they are hooked up in series
In 2003:
Ground----------------high pressure switch-------------------low pressure switch-----------------------------------Computer pin 86

If either switch is open then compressor won't work
If its the low pressure switch then it won't start
If its the high pressure switch then compressor may start but would cycle off and on if there was a blockage in the system, as pressure from compressor raises the pressure too high(switch opens) then pressure drops again and switch closes so compressors starts up again.

In the engine fuse box there is an AC Clutch relay, it activates compressor's clutch
The computer GROUNDS this relay to activate it using the Ground from the 2 switches, so if a switch is OPEN then no ground for the relay

You can unplug a switch and use OHM meter to see if its 0 OHMs closed, or HIGH ohms open

If its the low pressure/cycling switch thats open then "Freon" has leaked out, so you could have a leak
I would test pressure in the system, if you have pressure then probably not a leak just low on "freon"

You need to change the drier anytime you expose an AC system to air.

An yes a clogged orifice does sound like previous issue

 

Thanks very much. I am gonna pour over that answer and may have a couple more clarifications I need haha. One question though.. so in addition to a possible relay, leak etc. Whatever that is do you think the orifice tube is also something to focus on even if now it is not the main problem

 

If you are going to "open" the AC system then you will replace drier and orifice regardless
Receiver accumulator drier is about $30
Orifice tube maybe $10

Pressure switches can be changed without "opening" the system

If you just want to recharge the system and see how it works thats OK as well, you are there so know better than anyone what should be done, but at 15 years old new orifice and drier wouldn't hurt, lol.