Factory A/C Not working - SoCal (1 Viewer)

[dukface]

The factory AC isn't working in my HJ47. Nothing on it seems to work - knobs etc (no power - some wires not hooked up, probably, etc etc). Anybody in the Southern California area taken their 40's to a AC specialist and had it recharged with R-12 and brought back to life?

I was going to leave the AC till the end of all my other items were taken care of - but it's getting hot.

Suggestions on people you've used and trusted or some basic troubleshooting?

Electrical work is my arch enemy.

Thanks

 

[Pin_Head]

Sounds like an electrical problem first, so it isn't clear that it needs a recharge.
First thing to do is to hot wire the compressor clutch and run it to see if it gets cold. With the engine running run a wire from the battery + to the clutch wire and see if the compessor spins. If so, then the evaporator should get cold in a few minutes.


The electrical system on early ACs isn't that complex. There is typically an on switch, a temperature knob (that is always on MAX), a thermal switch on the evaporator to cut out the compressor before the evaporator freezes up and a wire to the compressor clutch. There is also a blower; often with a speed switch and a wire that ups the idle when the compressor is running.

I live about a mile from NB if you want to consult about it, but chances are that if it was in NB, you won't worry about it.

 

[dukface]

I'll buy dinner and beer!

This helps, I'll try and trace wires around and see what I can find. But i'm very electrically challenged.

 

[Pin_Head]

Do you have a schematic diagram? The one I have for an '81 FJ40 does not show AC and the one for an 81 FJ60 is very vague about the AC details. It only shows it as a block in the diagram and how it gets power from the heater control. PM me if it is in NB and you want me to take a look at it.

 

[Folkert]

if someone has an AC system diagram for a 1981 BJ i'm interested as well, need to get some life in mine too...

 

[Pin_Head]

if someone has an AC system diagram for a 1981 BJ i'm interested as well, need to get some life in mine too...

Here you go. I had to crop it because the entire image is too large to upload. Don't want to violate copyright either, so this tiny piece is consistent with the "fair use" provisions of the US code. The AC power comes from the non-switched side of the fuse block buss bar.