aircon working OK?

Ok, first of my hopefully few stupid questions regarding my new (to
me) '97 JC 4.0l...

When I turn the aircon on the electric fan runs for between 9-15
seconds, followed by 5 seconds off, depending on the interior cabin
fan speed I select and engine RPM. At idle, fan speed 2 = 9 seconds
of external fan, top fan speed = 15+ seconds of external fan, followed
by 5 seconds off. Does this sound right?

I then measured the internal temp of the airflow. Outside ambient is
15 deg, inside cabin 17 deg. airflow in cool mode (no aircon) is 14
degrees. With aircon it's 7-9 degrees. Sound OK?

Got the towbar fitted today, so went for a tow with the 1800kg trailer
and it pulled like a steamship. Stooped like a steamship, too!
(trailer brakes did more braking!), but pulled fine, even on inclines.
Haven't tried at any speed yet, so not sure about any sway issues yet.

--
Regards,
Danny

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Hi Dan,
It is normal for the air conditioner compressor's clutch to engage
for about those lengths of time and then cycle, if that's what your are
talking about, rather than the electric blower motor that should run at
the speed you set it to. Fifty degrees Fahrenheit sounds great to me.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
http://www.billhughes.com/

Danny wrote:
>
> Ok, first of my hopefully few stupid questions regarding my new (to
> me) '97 JC 4.0l...
>
> When I turn the aircon on the electric fan runs for between 9-15
> seconds, followed by 5 seconds off, depending on the interior cabin
> fan speed I select and engine RPM. At idle, fan speed 2 = 9 seconds
> of external fan, top fan speed = 15+ seconds of external fan, followed
> by 5 seconds off. Does this sound right?
>
> I then measured the internal temp of the airflow. Outside ambient is
> 15 deg, inside cabin 17 deg. airflow in cool mode (no aircon) is 14
> degrees. With aircon it's 7-9 degrees. Sound OK?
>
> Got the towbar fitted today, so went for a tow with the 1800kg trailer
> and it pulled like a steamship. Stooped like a steamship, too!
> (trailer brakes did more braking!), but pulled fine, even on inclines.
> Haven't tried at any speed yet, so not sure about any sway issues yet.
>
> --
> Regards,
> Danny
>
> http://www.gaggia-espresso.com (a purely hobby site)
> http://www.dannyscoffee.com (UK advert for my mobile espresso service)
> http://www.malabargold.co.uk (UK/European online ordering for Malabar
> Gold blend)
> swap Z for above characters in email address to reply

L.W.(ßill) Hughes III wrote:
> Hi Dan,
> It is normal for the air conditioner compressor's clutch to engage
> for about those lengths of time and then cycle, if that's what your are
> talking about, rather than the electric blower motor that should run at
> the speed you set it to. Fifty degrees Fahrenheit sounds great to me.

Thanks Bill,

I'm used to cars like Saab etc where the compressor and fan run for
longer periods with longer rests between. Thanks again.

I see that there is an additional cooler in front of the radiator - am
I right in thinking this is the auto transmission cooler and that the
aircon condenser is built into the radiator?


--
Regards,
Danny

http://www.gaggia-espresso.com (a purely hobby site)
http://www.dannyscoffee.com (UK advert for my mobile espresso service)
http://www.malabargold.co.uk (UK/European online ordering for Malabar
Gold blend)
swap Z for above characters in email address to reply

"Danny" > wrote in message
...
> L.W.(ßill) Hughes III wrote:
> > Hi Dan,
> > It is normal for the air conditioner compressor's clutch to engage
> > for about those lengths of time and then cycle, if that's what your are
> > talking about, rather than the electric blower motor that should run at
> > the speed you set it to. Fifty degrees Fahrenheit sounds great to me.
>
> Thanks Bill,
>
> I'm used to cars like Saab etc where the compressor and fan run for
> longer periods with longer rests between. Thanks again.
>
> I see that there is an additional cooler in front of the radiator - am
> I right in thinking this is the auto transmission cooler and that the
> aircon condenser is built into the radiator?


I think that if you follow the plumbing lines to the front radiator, you
will find that it is part of the air conditioner system. The trans cooler is
very small if there is one. If there isn't one, then you will find the
plumbing to it going into what passes for the bottom tank on the radiator.
Some radiators have the tanks on the sides, I am not sure how the Cherokee
is configured, and the bottom tank is the one opposite the tank with the
filler cap on it.

Like Bill said, the fan itself inside the passenger compartment should come
on and stay on where ever you have set the speed control. The A/C clutch
will cycle off and on, but for the most part this is completely transparent
from the driver's seat.

Hi Dan,
The compressor may run longer, or not at all if you're low on
refrigerant.
Visa versa the A/C condenser is in front of the radiator:
http://members.tripod.com/~jbabs714/accar.gif unless someone installed
an aftermarket transmission cooler for hauling a trailer:
http://www.etrailer.com/Merchant2/me...ry_Code =TRAN
The stock transmission cooler is run into the lower part of the radiator
reservoirs: http://www.billhughes.com/linefitting.pdf
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O

Danny wrote:
>
> Thanks Bill,
>
> I'm used to cars like Saab etc where the compressor and fan run for
> longer periods with longer rests between. Thanks again.
>
> I see that there is an additional cooler in front of the radiator - am
> I right in thinking this is the auto transmission cooler and that the
> aircon condenser is built into the radiator?
>
> --
> Regards,
> Danny
>
> http://www.gaggia-espresso.com (a purely hobby site)
> http://www.dannyscoffee.com (UK advert for my mobile espresso service)
> http://www.malabargold.co.uk (UK/European online ordering for Malabar
> Gold blend)
> swap Z for above characters in email address to reply

Jeff Strickland wrote:

>
> I think that if you follow the plumbing lines to the front radiator, you
> will find that it is part of the air conditioner system. The trans cooler is
> very small if there is one. If there isn't one, then you will find the
> plumbing to it going into what passes for the bottom tank on the radiator.
> Some radiators have the tanks on the sides, I am not sure how the Cherokee
> is configured, and the bottom tank is the one opposite the tank with the
> filler cap on it.
>
> Like Bill said, the fan itself inside the passenger compartment should come
> on and stay on where ever you have set the speed control. The A/C clutch
> will cycle off and on, but for the most part this is completely transparent
> from the driver's seat.

Thanks Jeff. I'm having an additional transmission cooler fitted next
week, since I have the little radiator jobbie at the moment and am
towing a large catering trailer.

The fan in the compartment stays on at whatever setting I use, it was
the electric fan on the A/C I was querying. Spends all it's life
coming on and going off every few seconds, which isn't how other cars
I've had with A/C work. And it's noisy. And the headlights dim when
it operates


--
Regards,
Danny

http://www.gaggia-espresso.com (a purely hobby site)
http://www.dannyscoffee.com (UK advert for my mobile espresso service)
http://www.malabargold.co.uk (UK/European online ordering for Malabar
Gold blend)
swap Z for above characters in email address to reply

Danny,

Danny > wrote:
<snip>
> The fan in the compartment stays on at whatever setting I use, it was
> the electric fan on the A/C I was querying. Spends all it's life
> coming on and going off every few seconds, which isn't how other cars
> I've had with A/C work. And it's noisy. And the headlights dim when
> it operates

On my '98 Cherokee, the electric cooling fan that's mounted to the radiator,
cycles on and off with the A/C compressor. I'd assume that your '97 operates
in a similar way.

As others have mentioned, if your system is low on refrigerant, it will
cycle more than is "normal" (or possibly not at all).

As for the headlights dimming, I believe that there was a TSB on that -- at
least there was for the '98. I can't find any reference to it right now,
nor do I recall what "the fix" was. Perhaps someone who has access to TSB's
will chime in here...

-John

John Sevey wrote:
> Danny,

> On my '98 Cherokee, the electric cooling fan that's mounted to the radiator,
> cycles on and off with the A/C compressor. I'd assume that your '97 operates
> in a similar way.
>
> As others have mentioned, if your system is low on refrigerant, it will
> cycle more than is "normal" (or possibly not at all).
>
> As for the headlights dimming, I believe that there was a TSB on that -- at
> least there was for the '98. I can't find any reference to it right now,
> nor do I recall what "the fix" was. Perhaps someone who has access to TSB's
> will chime in here...
>
> -John

Thanks John. While you're here, another question?

How can I definitively know what gearbox I have. The owners manual
refers to the 4.0l auto as needing Dexron/Mercon, and the 2.5l needing
chrysler fluid (ATF+2). Elsewhere on the net I read that you should
never use Dexron in a Chrysler transmission, but I don't know if mine
is Chrysler or the Asian Warner (sp?) alternative...

My local gearbox specialist is fitting an oil cooler next week, and
told me that apart from the early Jeeps they all had the Chrysler 518
(derived from the older Torqueflight), and they are happy with Dexron
- I really don't want to get this wrong, since I'm mostly towing and
at the moment the transmission fluid is a lovely bright red


--
Regards,
Danny

http://www.gaggia-espresso.com (a purely hobby site)
http://www.dannyscoffee.com (UK advert for my mobile espresso service)
http://www.malabargold.co.uk (UK/European online ordering for Malabar
Gold blend)
swap Z for above characters in email address to reply