Volvo AWD 850 Forum

INDEX FOR 1/2026(CURRENT) INDEX FOR 1/2005 850 INDEX

[<<]  [>>]


 VIEW    REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

Let's help a friend! 850 1997

Sorry everyone, hope this won't bother anyone, but I need some advice on a Beemer. My friend has a '93 525i with no A/C. After having completed a succesful charge to my '97 850, I told him we should look at it and see if possibly if it was low on 134. After doing a little research on some BMW sites, I figured out where everything is located (ie. low/high side connections, drier with pressure switch, sight glass, etc). With the set AC and button on dash lit (getting power I assume), I watched the compressor. even though obviously the belt was driving I think the clutch was disengaged. I never saw it move in or out and there was really no working noise from the compressor itself just the belt/pulley. I decided to go and connect the gauge (from refill kit)on the low side to see what pressure was and it registered 110 (red). I've read that the pressure would be high like that if the compressor is not running, just as if you checked a proper system without the engine running. Also, the high pressure reading like that would not necessarily mean the system didn't still need refrigerant. I'm thinking maybe the 134 is so low the low pressure switch will not let the compressor run and therefore I am getting the high reading. I figured I would try and jump out the low-pressure switch, but I think I was unsuccesfull. I disconnected the switch and tried jumping both the pin-side of the switch itself with no results and then tried the wire connection. No change in the clutch/compressor doing it either way, but when I stuck the wire down into the holes on the connector the engine did show sign of current being pulled slightly, but the compressor still did'nt change. BTW, the same thing with the engine happend when I first disconnected the switch, so I didn't consider that I had successfully jump it. I really think that if I could get jump the switch to run the compressor enough to slip in about a half a can it may come back on line by itself and then I could recheck the pressure and do the recharge. Can someone help me exactly with the in/outs of this jumping the switch exactly. I don't know if I am to jump across the pins/prongs of the switch that is mounted on the top of the drier or jump the wired connector. Should I just try and put 1/2 a can in to see if the system will take it and see if the pressure switch will close back or does the compressor have to run to draw in the refrig.? Sorry so long, but I was hoping to help my friend and to be able to give props' to the BRICKBOARD!






THREADED THREADED EXPANDED FLAT PRINT ALL
MESSAGES IN THIS THREAD

New Let's help a friend! [850][1997]
posted by  djm850  on Fri Jul 25 03:45 CST 2003 >


<< < > >>



©Jarrod Stenberg 1997-2022. All material except where indicated.


All participants agree to these terms.

Brickboard.com is not affiliated with nor sponsored by AB Volvo, Volvo Car Corporation, Volvo Cars of North America, Inc. or Ford Motor Company. Brickboard.com is a Volvo owner/enthusiast site, similar to a club, and does not intend to pose as an official Volvo site. The official Volvo site can be found here.