Auto Air Conditioning & Heater Repair: A/C Compressor in 95 Olds Achieva, olds achieva, thermos bottle

Question
He says the freon won't go in without the compressor turning.  How can we get it to come on in order to get the freon in it? (i'm sorry to be such a pest about this, we are on a very tight budget w/ 2 small children, this is our only vehicle and it stays about 100 hot humid degrees here in MS for 8 mos out of the year :-( ) Thank you for your help.

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Followup To
Question -
Ok, he says that there were no wires directly on the drier but there were some on the pipe (hose, whatever it is) that connects to it (he said the wires were near the red cap for the "high side").  He unplugged those and did what you said with the paper clip and said the compressor did come on.  Could that be the wires you were referring to? If it is, is this what needs to be replaced?

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Followup To
Question -
The compressor in our achieva (it has the 3.1L engine)won't kick on.  We have added 134a in hopes that would get it to come on. Still no luck. Any suggestions as to what it may be? Is there a fuse for the compressor? The owner's manual is very vague about the a/c.
Answer -
Look on the accumulator (receiver/drier) looks like an oversized aluminum thermos bottle and you will see a 2 wire electrical connector.

1. Start the engine.

2. Put the A/C to the normal ON position.

3. Disconnect this above said 2 wire electrical connector.

4. Using a paper clip jumper acroos the 2 wires that are in the electrical connector for NO MORE than 5 seconds..

5. Does the compressor engage ?.



autohelp
Answer -
Those were NOT the wires I was referring to but they will work for our purposes.

Since the compressor engaged then it is most likely that you have a leak in the A/C system and it is LOW on freon.

Get this checked FIRST.


autohelp

Answer
You FIRST need to put a set of A/C gages on the HIGH and LOW pressure fittings to see IF the sytem is in FACT low on freon BEFORE you go trying to put in MORE freon.

If you put in to MUCH FREON you can damage the A/C system or EXPLODE a hose.


You need to check the PRESSURES FIRST.


autohelp