Hello, I have a 2001 Corvette base and am having issues with the A/C. When I push the A/C button on the dash the light will come on for a few seconds and turn off. I've checked the fuse and also watched the compressor to see if the clutch engages. The clutch does not engage when the A/C button is pressed as far as I can see (front center of the compressor does not spin). What is the high and low operating pressures for this A/C system?

Any ideas?

Thanks

 

Sounds like you might be low on Freon. Have you run a diagnostic yet? There is a section on HVAC that should give you the fault codes

 

As bill said, the system does this when it cannot start the AC, almost always because of low refrigerant (I will mention that R134A is not Freon, that's R12 in cars).

Low refrigerant usually comes from either a leak (in a valve, in the condenser, etc), or just gross failure (like your line melted ... like mine did on track.)

There are multiple ways to diagnose low refrigerant but the thing is that most of them are not available to normal folk unless you spend money on tools that are only useful for diagnosing and working with automotive refrigerant. To be specific: the right tool for the job is a set of manifold gauges which, with the engine running, will tell you hot and cold side pressures. They will also allow you to recharge the system properly, not like those crappy cans-with-a-hose you buy at a store. What they will not let you do is, first of all, draw vacuum to make sure the system is properly empty (versus full of air), nor will they let you diagnose _where_ the refrigerant is leaking. Some refrigerant is sold with UV-impregnated dye, which is dope, because then you can detect leaks by shining a UV light at the system, but to do that you would need to actually draw vacuum, and if it seems to hold (some leaks are small enough to hold decently), recharge, then let it escape out ... which, I might add, means you're putting toxic (to us humans) and environmentally-horrendous refrigerant out into the atmosphere on purpose ... and then find where it's leaking from. Fixing it requires more tools, naturally.

In summary, you almost certainly have low or no refrigerant, so bring it to a shop that specializes in AC and give them some money. If you're lucky it's just a $5 valve, plus evac and recharge - parts and labor, and you're out the door for $135. If you're unlucky your compressor has a gaping hole in it and your hardline is melted through. It's usually the first one.

 

Ha! i come on here and the first thing I se is this. My a/c and heat are doin the dance back and forth. First it can't figure out what it wants to be in. I can hear the doors opening and closing. Pull #27. Put it back in. All good!

But, then today when it's 97, the driver's side decides it wants to blow heat instead of a/c like the pass side. I came out of the store and it's all working perfectly. What?! Next thing it will do is anyone's guess.

These cars are so cool because you can fix them! They're a tweener. In between total computer and non computer.

 

Now that, my friend, sounds more like a haywire blend door, right?

 

Moved to C5 Tech.

 

On some vehicles it will flash 3 times and turn off if the temperature is below 36 degrees, if the ambient is not below this it may be a bad sensor so it thinks the temp is below 36