Ac Problem

[S60RDUDE]

This is the problem when it is really really really hot out the AC unit will blow cold for about 20 minutes and than blow warm. Now if I turn the AC off and back on it starts blowing cold again lasts for 20 minutes than blows warm again. This is only when it is really hot 90+ outside. If it is 80 or below or if I am say in my garage or even in the shade on a 90 degree day the AC will blow cold forever until I run out of gas even moving, driving, or at idle. I had my mechanic check it out he drained checked for leaks did not find any. Said my compressor is bad... now how can it be bad if it actually works when slightly cooler out or in the shade? When hooked up to the gauge he noticed at idle the compressor was not pulling as hard.. so automatically it is bad. If anyone else has this problem please chime in!

Thanks for any help!

[Chilled man]

it just sounds you were a little low on charge ?

and a compressor either works or its dead there is no inbetween

[S60RDUDE]

it just sounds you were a little low on charge ?

and a compressor either works or its dead there is no inbetween

That is what I thought had it charged. Well the compressor must be fine than. Odd huh.

[icelandic]

This is the problem when it is really really really hot out the AC unit will blow cold for about 20 minutes and than blow warm. Now if I turn the AC off and back on it starts blowing cold again lasts for 20 minutes than blows warm again. This is only when it is really hot 90+ outside. If it is 80 or below or if I am say in my garage or even in the shade on a 90 degree day the AC will blow cold forever until I run out of gas even moving, driving, or at idle. I had my mechanic check it out he drained checked for leaks did not find any. Said my compressor is bad... now how can it be bad if it actually works when slightly cooler out or in the shade? When hooked up to the gauge he noticed at idle the compressor was not pulling as hard.. so automatically it is bad. If anyone else has this problem please chime in!

Thanks for any help!

Sure signs of a bigger than spec clutch gap. Due to wear the gap in the clutch grows andit is unable to engage when the higher temperatures weaken the magnetic field. To fix, you will need to remove the clutch pulley and take out one or two of the shims behind it to bring the gap back to spec. No need to discharge the system to do that. I think there is a topic on that on the repairs database at volvospeed.

Good Luck

Icelandic

[7 VII 7]

could it be possible that you are freezing something where you are not getting the AC after 20 mins?

just a thought?

I have a similar problem... my AC blows cold after the car warms up.. and it stays cold.. but it feels like my AC is working SOOO hard even when it is 75 to 80 degrees out... brakes are gritty and steering is a bit tougher... lol not to mention the air blows at a speed and then slows down... and then blows at the original speed (staying cold the whole time)

[S60RDUDE]

Sure signs of a bigger than spec clutch gap. Due to wear the gap in the clutch grows andit is unable to engage when the higher temperatures weaken the magnetic field. To fix, you will need to remove the clutch pulley and take out one or two of the shims behind it to bring the gap back to spec. No need to discharge the system to do that. I think there is a topic on that on the repairs database at volvospeed.

Good Luck

Icelandic

Icelandic that seems like the best solution I will look it up! I never even considered it (not that I would know anyway)! Thanks for the help!

[Chilled man]

could it be possible that you are freezing something where you are not getting the AC after 20 mins?

just a thought?

I have a similar problem... my AC blows cold after the car warms up.. and it stays cold.. but it feels like my AC is working SOOO hard even when it is 75 to 80 degrees out... brakes are gritty and steering is a bit tougher... lol not to mention the air blows at a speed and then slows down... and then blows at the original speed (staying cold the whole time)

if the evap coil was freezing , that wouldl indicate a low charge in the system.

its something you see on the inside unit during the summer and if you have heatpump( for your house) on the condensor during the winter.

[Account_Deleted_T5M]

I'd vote low on freeon. Does you compressor cycle every 20 seconds or so? If it does then you need to fill it up. We take 2lbs of freeon in the s70's

[Hilton]

Sure signs of a bigger than spec clutch gap. Due to wear the gap in the clutch grows andit is unable to engage when the higher temperatures weaken the magnetic field. To fix, you will need to remove the clutch pulley and take out one or two of the shims behind it to bring the gap back to spec. No need to discharge the system to do that. I think there is a topic on that on the repairs database at volvospeed.

Good Luck

Icelandic

That's what was wrong with mine. I had the same symptoms, plus when I accelerated quickly the ac would cut out and wouldn't come back on. I didn't remove the pulley. I used a pry bar and pushed the piece in a little. 5 minutes work, no more ac problems.

[S60RDUDE]

I'd vote low on freeon. Does you compressor cycle every 20 seconds or so? If it does then you need to fill it up. We take 2lbs of freeon in the s70's

He charged it full I can try again with him. 2lbs of freeon check! Thanks for the help.

[7 VII 7]

anyone help my post out? (not to thread jack)

**** I have a similar problem... my AC blows cold after the car warms up.. and it stays cold.. but it feels like my AC is working SOOO hard even when it is 75 to 80 degrees out... brakes are gritty and steering is a bit tougher... lol not to mention the air blows at a speed and then slows down... and then blows at the original speed (staying cold the whole time) ********

[icelandic]

This is the problem when it is really really really hot out the AC unit will blow cold for about 20 minutes and than blow warm. Now if I turn the AC off and back on it starts blowing cold again lasts for 20 minutes than blows warm again. This is only when it is really hot 90+ outside. If it is 80 or below or if I am say in my garage or even in the shade on a 90 degree day the AC will blow cold forever until I run out of gas even moving, driving, or at idle. I had my mechanic check it out he drained checked for leaks did not find any. Said my compressor is bad... now how can it be bad if it actually works when slightly cooler out or in the shade? When hooked up to the gauge he noticed at idle the compressor was not pulling as hard.. so automatically it is bad. If anyone else has this problem please chime in!

Thanks for any help!

I found this when I was trying to figure out the problem. It is for SAABs but the principle is the same.

HOME Articles Servicing Procedures Gallery Info/utilities Links SHOP Feedback Forums

GeneralJacking and axle-stand points Suspension and steeringReplacing the front lower control arm bushes

Tightening the steering column adjuster

Flushing the power steering system by Ian Buckley

Replacing the steering rack bushes

Replacing the front lower ball joints

Replacing the track rod ends

Replacing the rear anti-roll bar bushes BrakingReplacing the front brake pads and discs

Replacing the rear brake pads and discs

Bleeding and/or flushing the braking system Engine and transmissionInstalling the Abbott Racing poly transmission mount by Jeff Malin

Replacing the hydraulic engine mounts

Performing a Trionic boost adaptation run

Installing a new gearknob by Mark Green ElectricalRepairing the headlamp wiper motors Repairing the Trionic ECU by Saabben Fuel systemReplacing the fuel filter

Cleaning the IAC valve (specific to turbos fitted with Trionic) Exhaust system and turboRemoving and replacing the turbocharger

Adjusting the basic boost pressure

Replacing the standard exhaust system with a JT 3" performance system Heating, ventilation, airconAdjusting the air gap on the air conditioning compressor clutch Replacing the blower motor by SwingBopper PerformanceInstalling the Aquamist 1S water injection system by Mark Edgar Adjusting the clutch air gap on the Saab 9000 air conditioning compressor

Introduction

On Saab 9000s equipped with air conditioning (and/or climate control) the air conditioning compressor is driven by an electromagnetic clutch. In normal operation, the clutch cycles on and off regularly. Over time, however, the clutch wears and the air gap between the clutch and the driven plate increases to the point where, under certain circumstances, the magnetic coil can no longer pull the plate against the clutch. The first sign of failure is that the air conditioning stops blowing cold when the under-bonnet temperature rises significantly. This is because the high temperature causes the coil resistance to rise, reducing the available current and consequently the strength of the magnetic field.

I took the car to an air conditioning technician, thinking there was a problem with the refrigerant. After an unsuccessful attempt, he finally verified that there was voltage to the clutch and proved the cause of the problem by tapping the clutch driven plate with a hammer with the engine running, whereupon the clutch engaged and the compressor started running. I watched him fix it using the following procedure. Since I have seen a number of reports of this problem, I felt it worthwhile to dismantle the clutch again in order to document the procedure for other Saab owners.

This procedure was performed on the Seiko compressor on my '96 Aero. Some other models are fitted with a Sanden compressor. While the same principles apply to the Sanden compressor, certain details may vary. However, after lengthy discussion with other 9000 owners, it appears that this problem is almost exclusively confined to the Seiko compressor.

Time required

Around 10 minutes.

Tools required

5mm Allen key or hexagon bit.

Feeler gauge

Screwdriver to lock the driven plate.

Thread locking compound.

Procedure

Locate the compressor clutch as shown below.

Using a feeler gauge, measure the air gap. It should be between 0.4mm and 0.8mm (0.016" and 0.031") for the Sanden compressor and between 0.3mm and 0.6mm (0.012" and 0.024") for the Seiko compressor. If it is too large, adjust it by following the procedure below.

Using a 5mm Allen key or hexagon bit, unscrew the central retaining screw. Use a screwdriver to stop the driven plate (and compressor shaft) from turning. Remove the screw and its washer.

Carefully remove the clutch driven plate, taking great care not to lose the shims underneath - on my car, the shim was stuck to the plate and fell into the engine bay as I withdrew the plate. There was only one shim, but since the gap on my clutch had already been reduced, I know that at least one shim had already been removed. The driven plate and shim can be seen below. The wear on the plate after almost 150,000 miles is quite apparent.

Remove one or more shims to achieve the required gap. Refit the remaining shim(s) onto the compressor shaft. On the Seiko compressor, each shim is approximately 0.5mm thick.

Refit the driven plate. I found that the retaining screw had had thread locking compound applied, so I applied fresh threadlock. Refit the screw and washer and, using the screwdriver to stop the driven plate from turning, tighten the screw. I don't have a torque figure.

Re-check that the air gap is now within specification.

saab9000.com is an enthusiast's web site and is not in any way affiliated with Saab Automobile. A big "thank you" to Saab for producing the 9000.

All information is presented in good faith. However, I am not a trained mechanic, just an enthusiast.Therefore, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are competent to carry out any procedures presented here and that they are correct. No responsibility can be accepted for any inaccuracies or consequential loss, injury or damage. Copyright © 2005 Bill Jones

[Rower]

T5Terror.. get the a/c running till it stops blowing cold.. see if the clutch dissengages. If it does, take a wooden broomstick and push the clutch in and see if it clicks back on. If it does click back on for a while before clicking off then you know its the clutch. I did a write up on a way to fix this using bread clips before the server crash. Let me know if the above is the case and if it is I'll do the write up again.

[7 VII 7]

what about my problem :)

[Katron]

This is the problem when it is really really really hot out the AC unit will blow cold for about 20 minutes and than blow warm. Now if I turn the AC off and back on it starts blowing cold again lasts for 20 minutes than blows warm again. This is only when it is really hot 90+ outside. If it is 80 or below or if I am say in my garage or even in the shade on a 90 degree day the AC will blow cold forever until I run out of gas even moving, driving, or at idle. I had my mechanic check it out he drained checked for leaks did not find any. Said my compressor is bad... now how can it be bad if it actually works when slightly cooler out or in the shade? When hooked up to the gauge he noticed at idle the compressor was not pulling as hard.. so automatically it is bad. If anyone else has this problem please chime in!

Thanks for any help!

Try looking at this. I had the very same problem, and this repair fixed it.

http://volvospeed.com/vs_forum/index.php?a...ost&id=2323

I did my repair with the compressor still on. If your ferm with tools, it would take about an hour and a half. Its easiest if you can get your car on a lift. Make sure to have some extra shims, just in case. It's different from car to car how many shims is installed. Mine had 2 at 0.5 mm, and I needed some extra shims, thinner than that to get the gap right.