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pneely
New User
Jun 29, 2005, 10:30 PM
Post #1 of 9
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A/C for 98 Ford Escort
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Ok, so my a/c is full of stuff, the blower works, the compressor turns easily.....but still I have no air....so we are thinking relay? Where the heck IS the relay?
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jun 30, 2005, 4:43 AM
Post #2 of 9
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Re: A/C for 98 Ford Escort
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Are you saying compressor turns with your hands (engine off please!) but not by request for A/C? If it's engaging with A/C request it's NOT a relay. Locations are listed in owner's manual. Frequently a relay will work again (if that's the problem) by tapping on it.
If no luck with that or a new one we will need lots more info like static pressure, temp, and if compressor is engaged but not cooling the high and low pressures.
Your system holds 28oz of 134a from factory.
Come back with more info and and pertinent history and we can help you,
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pneely
New User
Jun 30, 2005, 8:19 PM
Post #3 of 9
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Re: A/C for 98 Ford Escort
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Are you saying compressor turns with your hands (engine off please!) but not by request for A/C?
yes, that is exactly right.
If it's engaging with A/C request it's NOT a relay.
It is not engaging. It does not come on at all.
Locations are listed in owner's manual.
Cannot find the relay location in owners manual.
Frequently a relay will work again (if that's the problem) by tapping on it.
If I can ever find it....help?
If no luck with that or a new one we will need lots more info like static pressure, temp, and if compressor is engaged but not cooling the high and low pressures.
Your system holds 28oz of 134a from factory.
It has been checked with a guage and is full.
Come back with more info and and pertinent history and we can help you,
Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest Boston - USA
What else do you need to know?
Thanks for you help.
pneely
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jul 1, 2005, 1:57 PM
Post #4 of 9
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Re: A/C for 98 Ford Escort
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Ok - let's see what we can do.
First see if there's power to the low side out out on accumulator. It's just an on/offswitch and will shut down compressor when pressures drop too low for any reason - like cold weather. If you have a static pressure in system over 35 or so the switch will let power in one side and out the other to the compressor. You can put a paperclip in the connector and jump it if a two wire switch. Don't mess with it if it has three wires.
If no power there the relay is suspect. It should be under the hood in some protective black box and be and inch square thing. I believe even in Escorts by 98 they are just push in boxes and should be with others for fuel pump and electronic engine control relays and may be marked inside of box which is which. They probably all have the same part #. These parts are cheap even from Ford and they should be nice enough to show you a screen with a diagram of its location. I think the last ones I bought were only 5 bucks or so and a spare never hurts to have with you. There is probably a regular fuse before power even gets to the relay. If you don't have the regular 12V test light with alligator clip and wire of the handle get one. They a wicked handy and cheap ones are at Wal-Mart for under 5 bucks. Always test the light each time you use it. Great for testing fuses without even removing them - if power on both sides that fuse is working.
If power checks out a common problem is a "too" large gap in the compressor's clutch. You can test this with system on (should work with engine off and key in run with A/C on) or with engine on but be careful and tap the head of the clutch - if it clicks in that's your trouble and most are simple to fix. If so hit back and I'll explain how to fix that. Again careful with that test as if clutch engages it could throw your tapping device (wood or rubber best) at you or something!!
Sorry for being slow today. My own car needs a water pump and worked on another all day. My pump is fairly hard to do so it will take up some time and I'm doing all the hoses and more at the same time.
I'm with you! We'll get this fixed, Try to have a good 4th weekend, Tom
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rustyEscort94
Novice
Jun 9, 2007, 10:53 AM
Post #5 of 9
(12299 views)
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Re: A/C for 98 Ford Escort
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Dear Tom, I was browsing Internet to see what's wrong with my A/C and got to this forum. I tried to tip the A/C compressor head and started working. So I guess I have
two options here - to buy a small hammer for the car so I can engage the clutch
whenever I need it, or try to fix the gap. I'm wondering how difficult is to do that -
I found this manual for http://autorepair.about.com/library/faqs/bl817h.htm for Dodge.
Does it look like that for Ford Escort as well? E.g. is it enough just to remove the
clutch plate and add one or two shims to get it work again without removing
snap rings and stuff like that (I see if I go past shims, it will require lots of special
tools) ? Thanks for your help!
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jun 9, 2007, 1:08 PM
Post #6 of 9
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Re: A/C for 98 Ford Escort
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Hi,
You've hit on a thread that's almost 2 years old. By your user name you have a 94 Escort I take it and it's rusty! Welcome to New England and many places for that!
Seems like the tap on the compressor worked which is a pretty clear sign that clutch gap is too wide. So YES -- bring a hammer along (wrong) -- and use rubber or wood to try that if you do.
I don't have a clue what compressor this is but that's ok. Escorts were once made by Mazda I thought which is ok too. It probably uses shims and to lessen the gap you take one out. Some don't require a puller to get the outer plate off some might but I think not. So take it off (just that outer plate) and remove a shim. There could be more than one but just one should do. Don't lose them as they are near impossible to come by. Plate should just slide back on in position by key or splines which may only slide on in one spot so index it before removing it with a marker so you don't fuss with that.
It should have a gap about the size of a folded business card but not so close that it rubs when disengaged.
This does not involve messing with refrigerant and should be fairly easy but sometimes getting at it is the whole job.
Hit back if you need more help and maybe start a new thread as now this is lost in the archives and others may not see it.
Watch out for reverse threaded nuts and bolts on things that spin but I don't think this one is,
T
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rustyEscort94
Novice
Jun 11, 2007, 9:11 AM
Post #7 of 9
(12282 views)
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Re: A/C for 98 Ford Escort
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Thanks Tom, I'll try that and write here on the outcome! In fact, the Escort is not that rusty and still runs greate (made 40k miles during the last year),
but the major problem is the old bolts - some brake when you try to loosen them, some - when tighten them, even with the torque wrench :)
Anyway, thanks for helping guys like me :)
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jun 11, 2007, 9:40 AM
Post #8 of 9
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Re: A/C for 98 Ford Escort
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For rusty bolts and nuts put a product called PB (Power Blaster) on anything you think you may need to get at some day. Not for A/C but oxy/acet gets stuff off like exhaust and I think Mapp/Oxy would too. Check if you can get at the clutch thru the wheel well if access is trouble. Last ones were Tempo and Taurus and several 90s Lincolns that are a cake walk for this,
T
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rustyEscort94
Novice
Jun 11, 2007, 6:41 PM
Post #9 of 9
(12269 views)
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Re: A/C for 98 Ford Escort
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Everything worked just fine! The bolt came off easily after some WD-40, and I made a tool out of a piece of plywood to hold the clutch (just drilled couple holes in it). The major problem was that I initially didn't find any metal shims in the compressor's shuft as shown on most A/C pictures in the Internet. The only thing that was there was the one big shim made of felt. Tried to cut it in half but got no luck. Finally I have noticed that there are those 4 metal shims, but they are really tiny and they are inside of the clutch's plate shuft (not the compressor itself), and are virtually unnoticable (they have the same shiny appearance as the shuft itself). Then I just took one of them out and the A/C is back to life. That was really simple and ther was no need to align anything - just put it back and tighten the bolt.
Thanks a lot for the help, that saved me quite a bit of money (really important for a student like myself) and gave an interesting car project! 
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