New to the Forum

Hey guys I'm new to the forum - I have a 1999 Crown Victoria with some air conditioning issues. I'll try to keep you all informed as it gets fixed up.

1st thing is the air.

If anyone knows what 'typically' fails in the air conditioning that might be a good place to start - in the meantime I'm using Search to figure out where the trouble spots are on this car and the usual fixes.

I've also got to get a Haynes for this car I suppose too!

Nice to be here! Rick

Glad to hear you came on in.

Normally, a leak is the biggest problem for A/C units. This will cause a system to start overworking the components, and those begin to fail. Most shops can do a leak test or use a dye to check for leaks.

I had a problem with my 1997 P71 when I first got it. The A/C would cool for a while, then only warm air would come out. I figured it was a leak. Turns out the compressor clutch wasn't set properly. It had been replaced and then not set deep enough. The shop had to reset the gap between the clutch and the compressor to factory settings. After that, it got really cold in the car.

Getting a copy of the Haynes manuals for any vehicle is well worth it. Helps you to keep them running.

Thanks for replying.

Yeah well this car was my parents car - my Mom drove it a lot and I'd like to keep the car for a while - working on it myself, whenever possible, is best. Mind you, I don't know much about air conditioning so I'll be relying on a local fellow who I've trusted in the past.

I get mistrustful of some mechanic shops. Sometimes their decisions and mine are a wee bit different, in term of quality. My current guy is pretty good and he really knows Ford.

I'm not a mechanic by any means but I have a good toolset. Are these cars usually metric? I hope so. I've been tossing away Imperial tools for years because I needed metric for my old ride.

i've found suspension nuts and bolts to be standard on my 97. here's a nice link for the diy'r

www.aa1car.com