The Nissan Club banner

Another AC not working thread

3K views 25 replies 4 participants last post by  idntknw 
#1 · (Edited)
I read jm88's thread about the AC not working and it sounds pretty much what I have going on with my 09 2.5.

I drove the car the other day and the air was working fine. Went in the store and came out the ac would not work. The clutch is not engaging and isn't locked up. I did the test and hear the 5 clicks in the IPDM but the clutch doesn't engage. I did the test again checking to see if there was any voltage going to the coil and there isn't none during the 5 clicks. I did notice that there is some constant voltage on the circuit at all times even with the key off, around 0.04-0.07V. I started a thread awhile back about the battery draining when sitting for a few days. With that voltage at all times on that circuit be causing some of the drain?

So does that narrow it down to the IPDM possibly?
 
#2 · (Edited)
If the fuse is good, then yes, probably just the relay or circuit board/solder inside the IPDM. I will pay a nominal fee plus shipping costs for an IPDM in this condition just to take it apart and do a root cause on it if anyone replaces theirs.
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the reply. The fuse is good. I guess the IPDM you linked to ebay would be the best deal on the IPDM? Probably a bad idea to get one from a salvage yard I guess. How much trouble am I looking at to switch it out?

Sure, I can send it to you. I'm curious what's going on with it also.
 
#4 · (Edited)
#5 · (Edited)
I checked the voltage again while the car was running and it was 13.83V. I guess I didn't have good connection the last time I checked it. So That leave the coil possibly?

I don't have any gauges to check the pressure but before this happened the air was cold. If it was low wouldn't it blow somewhat cold air?

Ok I'll check the ohm.
 
#6 ·
Yeah, that's definitely good voltage for driving the coil.

Since you have a meter, set it for resistance (200 ohm scale) and measure across the coil side connector pins, if the coil is bad, it will read 0L (overload/infinite) or similar. If you get a number in the 2 to 5 ohm range then it's good.
 
#7 ·
Here's an even better/faster method and less dirty!

Remove the 10A AC fuse (#41) in the IPDM. Use your volt meter and probe both sides of the fuse socket in the IPDM...one will be at battery voltage, the other will be essentially 0. On the side that has 0V reading, switch your meter to measure resistance, connect the red probe to the 0V fuse contact and the black probe to battery negative terminal or any handy piece of bare metal. You should then be measuring the resistance of the harness plus coil whenever the AC is 'ON'. You may need to force the IPDM test mode again, and get the reading during one of the 5 'pulse on' of the AC relay. You will measure 'open' or 'infinite' resistance until that AC relay closes...and may still read infinite if the coil is burnt or the harness is damaged--at that point you will want to go direct to the compressor to figure out if it is the wiring or the coil
 
#8 ·
I tried the method and if I did it correctly the meter never changed during the pulses. I just read "1". If hold the meter terminals together it's 0.00. I may be doing something wrong. The 0V contact was on the left. I touched that contact with the red meter terminal and the black to the negative battery terminal.
 
#9 ·
Your meter's '1' may be the same as '0L' or other indications that the reading is 'infinte' ie open circuit. If it is the same as with the probes not touching each other in mid air, then it's confirmed.

Ok, you've now confirmed that the IPDM can drive power, and you confirmed power reaches the connector at the compressor...I think you've pretty much isolated the coil as the culprit.

Now you have to decide....how or what am I going to fix.
 
#12 ·
Sounds like this is going to be a common problem as our Gen4's reach this age. Any pics you can take along the way would be appreciated! Interested to hear how the 'middle bolt' goes too!
 
#14 · (Edited)
I finally was able to remove the bolt. It wasn't too bad and didn't seem to have Loctite on the bolt as I was expecting. I did heat the bolt for a couple of minutes with a propane torch. Whether that helped I'm not sure but was trying everything to have the edge on getting the bolt out. A friend also recommended using valve grinding compound on the bolt after I cut the slit to get some extra grip for the screw socket.


Here's the tools I used. Someone may have a better idea but this is what worked for me.
[url=https://postimg.org/image/pihvb8fct/]
[/URL]


[url=https://postimg.org/image/94xvs2z7h/][/URL]

I used this setup to hold the clutch. The wiper fluid tank gave leverage to keep the clutch from spinning. It's a bit close trying to hold the screwdriver and the impact gun. I put a great deal of pressure on the gun pushing in on the bolt to make sure the screw socket wouldn't slip out of the slit. I also went very slow with the gun. Very small bursts so not to strip out the slit in the bolt.
[url=https://postimg.org/image/7eeuqlhod/][/URL]

The screw socket.
[url=https://postimg.org/image/edxi3p70d/][/URL]

[url=https://postimg.org/image/l0k5wvoot/][/URL]
 
#15 ·
Took the old bolt to the hardware store and matched the threads and length. I didn't put any Loctite on the bolt but instead used a lock washer.
[url=https://postimg.org/image/nvx93qsot/][/URL]

This is the setup I used to hold the clutch when putting the new bolt in. The vise grips gave leverage on the frame.
[url=https://postimg.org/image/iyjoimqpp/][/URL]

The coil is supposed to be in Monday. I can post some more pics of installing it then.
 
#17 · (Edited)
I didn't remove it entirely. There were 2 poppers and 3 screws to get the wheel well liner out of the way enough to get to the compressor. One popper was up in the wheel well and the other was under the bottom corner of the car as were 3 screws. After removing the poppers and screws I just folded the plastic back and caught it on the brake caliper. When I take it apart again to install the coil I'll take some pics.
 
#18 ·
Sorry for the not posting sooner but things got a little hectic so I couldn't get back to this thread. And I apologize about not taking pics of the install of the coil it completely slipped my mind. But can share what happened.

I did get the coil installed and that was the problem. The AC works fine now. The thing is, when I was putting everything back together I noticed that the clutch pulley had quite a bit of play on the compressor shaft. The bearing seemed ok meaning I could spin it in my hand and there wasn't any play or grinding but like I said when on the compressor shaft it had play even when I had everything back together. So probably the best thing to have done in my case was to buy the whole clutch pulley and coil. So my advice would be when you get the clutch plate bolt out, check and see if the pulley is in good shape then buy what's needed. Just the coil or the pulley and coil together.

Again, I apologize for not remembering to take pics of the install but can answer any questions anyone may have.
 
#19 ·
Very nice job and thanks for the pics! Do you think the air impact tool was a "must have" or would a hammer drill suffice? BTW those threads are awfully shiny for something that didn't have some kind of threadlocker on.

Lastly, I hope you replace your v-belt soon, the second pic in post #15 shows a lot of cracking in the v-grooves.
 
#21 ·
I figured out what you meant about the wheel well liner, so no worries about extra pics. Ironically, I helped out a friend with a Corolla this weekend. One of the fog lamps came partially unclipped from the bumper cover. In order to get to it, it was the front part of the wheel well liner that had to be peeled back to get a bit of room. A few screws and poppers and I was in.

That drag link socket looks like it came in handy!
 
#22 ·
^^ drag link socket !? Had to Google that :)
 
#26 ·
A little update. Like I said, the pulley was loose on the compressor shaft after I got it all apart. I searched for the whole clutch and the cheapest I could find was $116. There may have been one cheaper but I just went ahead and bought the whole compressor on eBay for $91. Had a local reputable mechanic install it for $75.

Like I said, if the issue comes up for anyone else and it was tracked down to the coil, I would defiantly get the clutch bolt out and make sure the pulley is in good shape before any parts bought.

Thanks again for everyones replies and help.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top