1997 Ghia Aircon Mystery

[Amarok]

Hello everyone, it has been some time since I first posted and since then I have managed to offload my troublesome MK1 2.8 Auto and I now have a really nice 1997 Ghia 2.3 manual :-)

I am extremly pleased with this one as it starts and stops and hasn't missed a beat. When I got her the previous owner said the Aircon worked occasionally. So with the nice hot weather we have I gave it a try and yes nothing ! off I went to work and yesterday afternoon after work with the interior like a blast furnace I pressed the aircon button (Non Climate) and like magic ice cold air was wafting around the cabin. To be honest this was super cold and ran all the way home (25 miles).

Today out this morning same issue no aircon but again in the evening Blast furnace again and again like magic Ice cold air con!. Can one of you kind people give me a run through on the electrics on a MK1 Galaxy air con system please ?, am I right in thinking there is a temp sensor somewhere ?

Kind regards

Mike

[alan_131]

You're right, there is a temp sensor which locks out the a/c if outside temp falls too low, as you'e worked out. It lives somewhere (haynes manual says clipped to) the front lhs bumper. On mine the sensor is dangling below the bumper - I suspect the bumper was swapped before the car was sold - but in any case I think the manual is probably wrong and it clips near the bumper. SilverBeast was kind enough to post some pics in this topic http://www.fordgalax...r-conditioning/ showing where it lives on a mk2 - I haven't had time to explore yet. Edited July 25, 2012 by alan_131

[SilverBeast]

As it is intermittent I would suspect wiring or low refrigerant levels.

 

I know the Climate system has Hi/Lo pressure switch, on the Manual Aircon it looks like it just has a High Pressure switch (but this may be a Hi/Lo switch) under the front bumper Drivers side (RHD models for international visitors!). In the thread linked above, which is for a 2001 MKII but also with Manual Aircon, the poster found the external temperature switch near this also. I would suggest checking the wiring around this area also.

 

If there is a Hi/Lo switch then if the refrigerant level in the system is marginal then in hot weather it may heat up enough any way for the system presuure to increase marginally and just go above that required or the Lo to kick in and allow the system to run.

[Amarok]

Thank you for the replies, I will check the sensor tonight and report back

Kind Regards

Mike

[alan_131]

The Mk1 haynes manual shows a "typical" air-con having thermo-switch connected between pressure switch and ecu.

 

For anybody with climatronic reading this topic later

On my (late 99 built climatronic) the sensor provides info to the display. At 8 this morning display showed 25C, my IR temp gun agreed (nice day). Sensor resistance was about 2.5Kohm, socket had 5v across it. I've only fumbled around the receiver/drier and don't know if my mk1 also has the same cutout as above, (but for a protective device simple go/nogo has a lot going for it so it) or if it relies on the bumper sensor.