'91's electrical woes.

[pdrover]

It all started when my wife took my car and left the lights on... Come end of the day, and the battery is dead. She and a friend try to boost it. It won't go. I get a phone call. I collect the wife and arange for the car to be towed.

But, hey, it's a 91, you gotta expect these things, right?

Mechanic says alternator has a short and all the fuses have been melted. Though he didn't say anything, I suspect that he suspects (as do I) that the booster cables were connected wrong.

Fine, it wasn't an expensive repair and I got a new-ish alternator out of it. For the sake of marital harmony, I decided not to persue the matter further.

*But* now I have two issues.
1. My radio/CD player doesn't work: that's fine, it's likely got a separate fuse in the back. I can ride in silence until I can check it out.
2. My A/C will not turn on. This is more worrying. I've re-checked all the fuses, both down by my feet (RHD in Ireland) and under the hood. All seem fine. One of the banks of fuses and relays under the hood are all labled with A/C something-or-other. While the fuses seem fine, how do I know if the relays are fried or not? What else might be causing this?

Any advice would surely be appreciated.

Paul.

[diver9000]

Go back to basics on the wiring. Check each wire for power and continuity. Check the plug ends at the relays to. If the cables were connected wrong and she shot power through the whole car it should have stopped at the fuses. Now it should have, but thats no guarantee. Do you have a meter? They are not expensive at all. You might be able to use a code reader and see what the display pulls up for possible remedies.

[tashirosgt]

There is a connector to the AC clutch in the vincinity of the alternator. On my '90 and '89 it is gray and cylindrical. When I change alternators, I tend to accidentally disconnect it. This doesn't affect the blower but the AC compressor never turns on if I make this mistake.

[diver9000]

Is that the little tiny blue connector next to the W/W motor on the (left side) passenger corner?