A/c compressor not coming on.

[Tommy E]

I have a buick century and the compressor not coming on. if i give the compressor power it does come on and blows cold air. can I leave the compressor this way? could it be the pressor switch? checked fuse and relays all good. checked feeon checked good.

Topic

[Tim Schuy]

Sounds like the low pressure switch or my be a thermo sensor?

[Its me]

Are you certain that the pressure level is correct? The compressor will not work if it is below a certain pressure level. Yes you can jump it but it will damage the compressor over time.

[Tom]

No, you can not leave it that way. There is a very good chance you will damage your compressor that way. Usually, if the compressor isn’t getting a signal to engage, it is because of the low pressure cutoff switch.

The compressor relies on the freon in the system to move the lubricating oil around, and keep the compressor lubed and happy. If there isn’t enough freon, not enough oil gets moved, and the end result is generally a tragic failure of the compressor. Get some gauges on that thing, see what your pressure is. If the pressure isn’t the problem, then you will need to get a copy of the shop manual so you can trouble shoot the control system. It could be a faulty switch, or sensor as well.

[Author]

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