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Date:         Fri, 7 Aug 1998 13:27:35 PDT
Reply-To:     "Cort, Joel" <Joel.Cort@USA.XEROX.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Cort, Joel" <Joel.Cort@USA.XEROX.COM>
Subject:      AC stopped working
Comments: To: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
Comments: cc: "JLucca8410@aol.com" <JLucca8410@aol.com>
Content-type: text/plain

Joe,

Welcome fellow owner. I have not had your particular problem (yet). But here's what I would do to trace any electrical problems - which this sounds like for now. Get a valuable tool - 12 Volt probe tester at the local part store. One with an alligator clip on one end and a sharp pointy pencil like probe with a light bulb inside. When you connect this to 12 volts and the alligator clip to any metal on the van you should get a complete circuit and the light in the probe will come on.

Ok armed with this probe try and trace at which point you are not getting the 12 volt power. Turn the ignition key on and start at A/C switches (thermostat and fan) to see if you get power to the switches from the fuse box. Work the switch off and on along with the thermostat to ensure both switches are operating fine. If you do have power than go check in the engine compartment for power to the compressor.

If the switch does not have any power to it (probably your situation), trace the wiring back to the fuse box to see which fuse powers the A/C fan and the A/C thermostat and which relay is involved in the loop. Check that you have power going across the fuse(s). If not replace the fuse(s). Check with the probe that the relays have power and are switching off and on allowing voltage across. You may have to work the switch some more. Have another cool drink. You may need a new relay :-(

If all the electrical checks out with power, then check that you are getting 12 volts power to the compressor. Using the probe with the key on and the A/C thermostat on full with the fan switch on. You should get power to the electromagnet controlling the compressor clutch. There may be an additional fuse on the wiring to the compressor. Trace the wire in the engine compartment and look for a single VW fuse holder connection. Twist it open and check that fuse. If everything checks out with power. Perhaps it is a compressor clutch which may be defective. A sound of the magnet engaging on the pulley should occur when you turn the ignition on/off.

And that's it, That's all I know on this stuff. Anyone else care to add their experience and instructions?

Joel C 89 Westy Syncro

---------- From: JLucca8410@aol.com[SMTP:JLucca8410@aol.com] Sent: Friday, August 07, 1998 2:05 PM To: Joel.Cort@usa.xerox.com Cc: JLucca8410@aol.com Subject: Re: VW Parts manual software

joel,

i notice you mentioned a/c parts, so i'll ask you this question. all of a sudden my a/c won't work. i turn the knob and nothing at all happens. i checked the fuse in the back and it's fine, i even put a brand new 25 amp fuse in place of it just to be sure. there's 3 relays above that but i (being a first time vanagon owner 3 weeks now) don't know much about them. has this problem ever happened to you?

joe 1986 vanagon gl


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