New problem

LunaEros

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Hickory, NC
The other day I had a problem with the perimeter alarm and PATS weren't working and immobilized my 02 Sport. Our resident expert Joe helped me figure it out. Thanks again, Joe. Upon going to work the next day which it had warmed up I discovered a new problem. In addition to my driver's door lock sticking (have no idea why since it wasn't before the alarm problem) and the traction control light flashing (which it was solid before the alarm problem even though I'm not getting any codes and it is working), I now discover the AC isn't blowing cold anymore. I understand when that happens it's almost always the DCCV but I'm wondering how I would test it. Forscan isn't showing any error codes when I run it's EATC test so I'm not sure where and what to check other than the DCCV which I don't know how to check that.
Can anyone advise me?
 
First thing, check and see if the AC clutch is engaging.
 
Gettin chilly out there again. Man it's difficult to see in there. The compressor is on the driver's side on the bottom, right? It doesn't seem to be. I can see the bolts on the clutch and they don't move while it's running whether the AC's on or not.
On a side note with that connection problem that immobilized my car. It's done it a couple times since but I'm able to get it back. Today I tried pulling it off and using a metal pick to try and close the gap a little more on pin 17's female side. Hope it stays connected otherwise I have to figure some other solution to keep the connection solid.
So if the clutch isn't engaging I guess I have to check a fuse somewhere, right?
 
It's fuse 1 under the hood, but if it were blown, you would be getting codes for the DCCV from the DATC in Forscan.

Are you getting full heat all the time, or just not cooled air?

If the fuse if good, then you could have a failed or misadjusted clutch, but more likely is that you are too low on refrigerant. (Don't just add some, use high and low side gauges to see what is going on and if it is really low.)
 
It just seems to be heat but on the other hand even the heat during this winter hasn't really seemed that hot. More like warm. Though I don't drive very far most of the time for it to get much above 180° and it does seem to get warmer from cold the hotter the engine gets. Maybe it's just because it hasn't been getting hot enough when I drive it. But right now it the AC just seems to be warm-ish. Maybe from the residual heat from the short trip I took earlier today.
So check the fuse. Tomorrow. Overcast all day and it's starting to get too chilly for me. If the fuse is good, I'll also check the voltage at it (who knows what other pins might have connection problems at c270d). If both are good then I guess I'll have to find someone with gauges to check on it.
 
Oh. I also noticed the engine rpms drop both when I turn on the AC and when I turn it off. It returns to normal in both cases though. Is that normal?
 
Oh. I also noticed the engine rpms drop both when I turn on the AC and when I turn it off. It returns to normal in both cases though. Is that normal?

Are you sure your clutch isn't engaging? A slight drop due to the added load of the compressor is normal, but only if the clutch is actually engaging.

So, if your compressor actually is operating and there are no DTCs from the DATC, and you are getting more heat than you want, that suggests a mechanical failure of the DCCV, which definitely does happen.
 
If the compressor is where I asked if it is (which it seems to be judging from the shop manual) then yes, I'm 90% sure. I know what the front of an ac compressor basically looks like and that's what I see there and the bolts on the clutch aren't moving.
Decided to put a jacket on and go check the fuse before the light is completely gone and it appears that fuse is blown. I pulled it out and brought it inside to look closer at it with a magnifying glass and the top of the metal in the fuse looks kinda melted but may or may not be connected still. So I set my multimeter on continuity and I can't get it to register continuity no matter how, where or how hard I have the probes on it. So it does seem like it's blown. Do the tops of fuse metal these little red 10 amp fuses kinda look melted at the top of the curve? Don't have a spare one around right now to compare it to.
 
Hm. Maybe it's a sign of too much power going through it? It is supposed to be a mini red 10 amp fuse at fuse 1, right? My eyes aren't as good as they used to be and I don't have prescription glasses at the moment so I guess I'll have to compare a new one when I get some and if it doesn't look similar I'll have to keep an eye on it.
 
I'll be back tomorrow after I get some fuses and replace that one. Thanks, Joe.
 
Found a 15 and put it in there to test it. Yup. That's what it was. The clutch is engaging now and it blows cold again. Thanks again, Joe.
 
I'd move it back down to a ten. It blew for a reason, and the next time a wire might burn instead.
 
The electric/magnetic coil that engages the A/C clutch might be going bad and drawing higher amperage.

On most A/C compressors, the clutch can be replaced, (with special tools), without having to evac the system.

Not sure if this is true for the LS.
 
...
On most A/C compressors, the clutch can be replaced, (with special tools), without having to evac the system.

Not sure if this is true for the LS.

The clutch is changeable, just like most others, but the compressor placement in the LS makes it difficult to impossible to do on the car.

Playing the odds here, it's really rare for the AC clutch to fail in such a way as to draw excess current, but it is fairly common for the DCCV to do so (it's on the same fuse).
 

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