AC Compressor Not Kicking On

[Danger Ranger 4.0]

Hey Guys...im pretty new with air conditioning.....i have a 1998 ford ranger 4.0 4x4 and the ac compressor wont engage....i checked the fuse...good....but theres an ac relay too...how do u test that and what else should i check to get the punp to kick on?

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

If the system is low on refrigerant the compressor will not cycle.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

You can trace it with a test light with the engine running turn the a/c on and see if your getting power to the clutch, If so the clutch is bad. then work your way back to the computer. To check if the system is dead carefully depress one of the schrader valves lightly to see if refrigerant comes out. put a rag over the service valve and depress the schrader quickly. If it has pressure you can try adding refrigerant if it is dead you need to pressure test it to find the leak before adding refrigerant. Look the system over good anything with wires attached to the refrigerand lines and components is either a pressure or temp switch. Either open or closed pretty simple if a switch is open you need to figure out why.

 

[timaugie]

Same issue

Hey Guys...im pretty new with air conditioning.....i have a 1998 ford ranger 4.0 4x4 and the ac compressor wont engage....i checked the fuse...good....but theres an ac relay too...how do u test that and what else should i check to get the punp to kick on?

I'm having the same issue. I have a 93 2.3L 2WD. I saw the A/C relay in the fuse box. Are you able to pull that out just like a fuse? I didn't want to go yanking it out if it wasn't meant to be pulled out.

 

[snake]

You can pull the relays out, sometimes it takes some wiggling to work them out. Try swapping the a/c relay with another one like it in the relay box- if that fixes it then replace it. Check for burnt connections at the connectors where the relay plugged in before pushing another one in its place.

 

[ltlvt]

Does anyone have a link that shows which fuses and which relays control what? I have a 96 Ranger 2.3 and don't have the owners manual. I can get the clutch to work if i jump power and ground from the battery to it. It is full of freon and cools. I have also jumped the pressure switch but cannot get power to the clutch. Thanks for any links or pictures.

Terry

 

[armadillon]

ltvt, I had the same issue recently. Theres a couple of threads. Check out the search box and look for "fuse diagram"

IIRC you'll need to check the Wide Open Throttle (WOT) relay as well. It's next to the fuel pump relay

 

[press 1 for english]

Hey Guys...im pretty new with air conditioning.....i have a 1998 ford ranger 4.0 4x4 and the ac compressor wont engage....i checked the fuse...good....but theres an ac relay too...how do u test that and what else should i check to get the punp to kick on?

When in doubt, read the information already on the forum. I know this should have been the first thing to check but is there 14V at the compressor power plug? Until you check that, checking all the relays is a waste. 14V at the plug indicates a bad clutch solenoid.

http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/June04/tech.htm

 

[MasonCampbell18]

You can trace it with a test light with the engine running turn the a/c on and see if your getting power to the clutch, If so the clutch is bad. then work your way back to the computer. To check if the system is dead carefully depress one of the schrader valves lightly to see if refrigerant comes out. put a rag over the service valve and depress the schrader quickly. If it has pressure you can try adding refrigerant if it is dead you need to pressure test it to find the leak before adding refrigerant. Look the system over good anything with wires attached to the refrigerand lines and components is either a pressure or temp switch. Either open or closed pretty simple if a switch is open you need to figure out why.

I did what you said with a light tester and I’m not getting power to the Compressor at all I checked the fuses and their good. Do you know what could the problem be?