Hey gang finally joined... 2001 ford ranger 4.0l 198k miles. SO now I'm having a problem with the ac. the clutch wont engage so the compressor wont start. but before I take it to some greedy *** mechanic I wanted to see if the whole compressor was bad or just the clutch coil... Can't figure out how to get the damn connector off. can always just cut the wires and reconnect the wires after checking it out but would rather get down to the connector on the compressor. so I was going to check for a ground connection and see if I'm getting 12v to the coil with the ac turned on.
Either way he'll probably try to sell me a new compressor and a full AC service. Can't believe these guys dont try and repair anything any more. they just grab something new off the shelf and charge you up the *** for it. weather it it's brand new or some knock off from china.
thanks gang, Randy Baker

 

Welcome to the forum

I guess you need to find a reliable mechanic, lol.

Most shops HAVE TO replace parts because people are forgetful, and don't really understand how things work
So they fix your AC Clutch and compressor burns up 6 months later, like they said it might if they didn't replace it, you, of course, forget that part and insist they fix it all since they worked on it last so its obviously "their fault"!
So to get a good reputation they HAVE TO replace parts, and with OEM which costs more

Been there done that with friends and families cars and trucks, I explain to them what can happen if I don't replace some of the parts with new, but they want cheap, so cheap they get, they have that option
And there is no DIY mechanic that hasn't wished they had replaced a marginal part "when they were in there" after it breaks and they have to go back in, lol
Shop can not afford to do that, and stay in business


There is an AC Relay in engine fuse box
Thats what activates the 12volts to AC Clutch
It should click closed with AC on
If its "clicking" closed but clutch is not engaging then clutch is the issue

If its not "clicking" closed then either one of the two pressure switches is "OPEN" or relay is bad, or fuse #10 in cab fuse box is bad


If AC was "really" cold or icing up last time it worked then its probably low on fluid, system works by compressing and the allowing compressed fluid to expand, faster it expands the colder it gets, when fluid is low it can expand more so gets too cold which causes icing, on the evaporator and on the tubes by blower motor

 

yeah your probably right about the shop having to replace pars... if we all lived in Cuba then we'd be taking that thing apart and getting to the core issue cause there ain't no replacement parts. LOL