01 Caravan clutch will not engage

[CzNutz]

Hi everyone. The ac is blowing hot. Manifold gauge shows 40 on both high and low. Compressor will not cycle, so I haven’t added any refrigerant. I jumped the relay at the fuse box, slot 30 and 87, and clutch will not engage. Also noticed that the radiator fan isn’t on. I jumped that relay and it started. Installed new fan relay but the fan still won’t go, yet spins freely. What should I try next?

Thanks for your help

[Tom Greenleaf]

Hi and Welcome to you too. First know that when pressures are below about 50 and ambient temps are roughly about 80 maybe less and you want A/C at all consider that empty so there's a leak to find and fix first or nothing is going to behave it's not supposed to try to engage when out of refrigerant and is marginal now when it thinks it has enough to try? Mopars are very computer controlled go easy jumping anything or risk blowing very costly engine control computer!

Here's a chart of what pressures you have at given temps handy for reference NOT any indication that is properly charged but below these #s at certain temps it's essentially OUT of refrigerant. Chart here...........

By rights if below it's empty. Need to know real temps I choose touchless infrared thermos on lines you are also including engine heat if it's been run reflects what "static" pressure to expect.

Now is probably a good time to go looking for the leak while there's still refrigerant in it. Look for oily spots at connections, condenser and find drain for condensate put a Q-Tip in that and see if it come out oily as these are evaporator weak vehicles historically oil shouldn't be in that drain at all is bad news.

What do you have for leak finding? My choice is an electronic sniffer if there's no wind and you haven't cleaned anything with some other spray anything can usually find them or I do. Look hard behind clutch for a shaft seal leak also - anywhere refrigerant is can leak start with the most likely,