QuestionMy wife and I bought an 01 Chrysler voyager(3.3L)with 85K on it and we didnt check if the AC was working. A month later once we tried the AC,the compresser pulley was intermittently locking up and causing the engine to stall.We took it to our garage and they put a new compresser kit and serp belt on it. $1000 Bill.Everything worked fine and a few days later we had a new stereo installed and remote starter.The day after we got it back from the stereo place, the day temps were near 90 and the AC would not blow cold. We took it back to the garage that installed the compresser and they said the compresser is not getting power sometimes,but most of the time,its working fine and they couldint duplicate the problem of it stopping randomly. They mentioned that it could only be the ECM(the main vehicle computer) or the climate control switches on the dash.My question is could daytime temps be throwing us off since they didnt test it on a hotter day?Thank you for any help you could provide.
AnswerHi Dale,
The ambient temp is involved in the control of the ac but how to factor that into their testing is uncertain. Only time will tell as weather changes.
I wonder about the stereo installation or remote starter as possibly being involved. But if so, there should either be an issue with one or the other simultaneously with the intermittency of the compressor, so see if that might be the case when you can't get a compressor action when requested.
Along that line, the ATC temp control unit (if that is what you mean by 'climate control', if that is what you have) shares fuse 14 with the audio system. So take a look at fuse 14 (15 amp) next to the 'name brand speaker' relay, to look for the presence of a subtle crack in the internal wire which could open and close spontaneously. Similarly take a look at fuse 18 also in the box in the engine compartment (located next to the fuel pump relay, 15 amp) for the presence of a subtle crack in the internal wire which could open and close spontaneously as it is called to deliver current to the compressor clutch.
Of course the 'charge' of refrigerant in the system can also be involved but presumably the ac shop would check that. I doubt the ecm or the control head itself is the problem, more likely something to do with the power supply through the fuses or the re-wiring if any that was done.
Please let me know if you find something interesting.
Roland
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