I have an 2003 with an issue.

We were driving last night and the air conditioning stopped working. So we shut it off and opened the windows.

After we arrived at home and were idle for a few minutes I turned it back on and it was working again. But as soon as I hit the accelerator it stopped working.

I backed in and popped the hood and I could see the compressor wasn't turning.

This morning I started it and tried and popped the hood and the compressor WAS turning and the air was working. Again, I hit the accelerator and it stopped working.

So I'm thinking the AC clutch is going bad but knowing these things can be more than meets the eye so I wanted to ask around before I spend $300 on a new compressor and $100000000 labor to put it in.

Thanks!!

 

Not likely the compressor clutch, most likely something computer related. Has any codes been set yet? If the clutch was going bad, it would not engage at all or would slip under acceleration. Probably a bad engine sensor, which one though is the $1000 question! A scanner would probably answer that question.

 

No, no codes yet. And everything seems to be working properly except for the AC.

Do you know of any particular sensor that might cause that? So I know which one to look at?

Thanks!

 

Might be as simple as low refrigerant, I think they use an actual pressure sensor now, instead of just an on/off pressure switch, so the computer see's the pressure abnormality, and shuts the compressor off. I would get that checked first.

 

When I had an AC clutch go out on my 2000, like yours, the clutch would engage intermittently. Hillbilly 1 is right that low refrigerant will make the AC not engage.
The way I tested is with the AC on at idle and the clutch not engaging I took a big prybar and with the flat steel end pop the face of the clutch mechanism to give it a jar, if it engages you have a bad clutch.
FWIW It was cheaper to get a complete pump w clutch than to replace just the clutch.

 

Actually, the next day the truck started slow.. Odd but it still started.

Then I got to my destination and after I shut it off it wouldn't start again.

SOO, long story short, it turned out my alternator was bad. Replaced that and everything is working again. YAYYYY!!

 

My 2002 F-250 diesel had a similar issue. After lifting the hood I was tapping the housing bracket for the evaporator coil, but later changed out the blower motor. After 356K, it was needed. My A/C lines were still "frosty" so I was sure that the compressor was doing the job. However, no cold air coming from the vents. I see you changed your alternator and that seems to have taken care of the problem, hope that was all you had.