Off Topic AC question - It's a Ford

Most of you know I have a 97 T-bird. Last of the 10th gen. Anyway since I got it 4 or so years ago, the AC works great, only needed a can of juice twice since I got it.

BTW both window motors are stripped as you can hear the little worn down plastic gears trying when you try and lower the windows. About 10 days we were humming along enjoying the cool breeze when both my wife an I heard an audible 'pop' and the blower cut out.

Got home and checked the fuse, good. Next stop the T-bird forum. It sucks. One guy answered and was helpful saying to pull the plug on the blower motor and measure resistance across the motor terminals. It tested with no resistance so it should be good. Measured the DC voltage on the two wires and got nothing on any setting of the AC being on and blower on the different fan settings.

BTW the compressor will kick on for a minute then cycle off (probably as the blower is not moving the cool air away and it gets to temp). I pulled the resistor pack and checked resistance across all the coils in it and they seem good. made my best guess on the the + and - on the that and saw now voltage across any of the 4 pins (tried every combo). Double checked the fuse with a meter and it's good.

Any ideas?? I'm guess I need to pull the dash apart and get the control unit out next.

I did buy and FSM but it is only one book and no wiring diagrams (have to look for that).


On a side note, the blower is sooooo much easier to get to than on a b-body.

A loud pop is usually a capacitor blowing up. You may find the remains scattered inside the AC head unit.

Fred Kiehl wrote:

A loud pop is usually a capacitor blowing up. You may find the remains scattered inside the AC head unit.

Oh boy. I broke the cluster surround replacing the headlight switch (brittle as all get out). Fun times await in Hooptieland ha ha ha. Will keep you updated

Well I pulled the head unit and it all looks very manual. did my best guess on pinouts and found 12v at the main switch when the key goes on....without a wiring diagram I can't be sure though. My neighbor suggested I run a hot wire right to the blower. I'm close to trying that.