Aircon works GREAT..... for 10 minutes.....

[AQUAR]

The aircon condenser surely is separate from the engine's radiator.


If the engine is overheating you would get some kind of indication on the instrument cluster.


If you hear boiling in the AC condenser, the system may be suffering from a blockage - if the condenser has an internal blockage it probably has to be replaced.
First though I'd give the condenser a good external clean with a strong water jet, in case it is full of crud that prevents air from flowing through it.

[leadfoot6]

It was 100% related to engine temp. Drove around some more and found that when the temp gauge got to a certain point the AC would stop, and once that is triggered the AC will never come back on again until the ignition is killed, tested this by coasting down a long hill and even when temps dropped quite a lot the AC remained off. Turn ignition off, then back on and it immediately started working, until the temp once again rose

Found it was a jammed thermostat, replaced that and it seems to be ok. However now I have yet another issue, the main engine cooling fan was working perfectly but after replacing the thermostat its now not turning on at all. AC fan turns on fine
How many coolant sensors are in the car? Does the fan have its own coolant sensor separate from dash sensor temp? Could be i've bumped something but not sure where to look exactly

The correct terminology to apply here, and I must stress the importance of being precise about this, is that any fuel injected car engine, including the 6g74, has an engine temperature SENSOR(controlling the operation of the ECU and hence cooling fan operation) and the temperature SENDER(supplies the signal for the dashboard readout).

Don't ask me why these 2 functions are separate(I am not an electrical engineer), but they just are.

It is not uncommon for the 2 different components to be confused due to not being clear about this, and consequently the wrong part has been replaced.....a costly error that I do not want you to make.....hence my emphasis on correctness both here and in all other aspects of automotive work.

In a few moments I will upload an image showing what to look for.



Look for the black rectangle next to the front bank of cylinders.

(Generic image.....not my car)

(just in case anyone does not know yet.....click on the image to enlarge)

Both outputs are there.

Check for connectivity, i.e. that both connections are in place and appear satisfactory, so yes, it is possible that you have bumped something when working on the thermostat.

It's about $30-40 for a new coolant temperature SENSOR(IIRC), so don't rush off to buy a new one if the original is working OK.

[leadfoot6]

Duplicate post deleted.

[Millenium7]

It was 100% related to engine temp. Drove around some more and found that when the temp gauge got to a certain point the AC would stop, and once that is triggered the AC will never come back on again until the ignition is killed, tested this by coasting down a long hill and even when temps dropped quite a lot the AC remained off. Turn ignition off, then back on and it immediately started working, until the temp once again rose

Found it was a jammed thermostat, replaced that and it seems to be ok. However now I have yet another issue, the main engine cooling fan was working perfectly but after replacing the thermostat its now not turning on at all. AC fan turns on fine
How many coolant sensors are in the car? Does the fan have its own coolant sensor separate from dash sensor temp? Could be i've bumped something but not sure where to look exactly

[leadfoot6]

Before rushing off to Supercheap to buy any new parts test the cooling fan(as opposed to the A/C condenser fan) operation.

Look for section 14 ENGINE COOLING in the workshop Manual.



You will need to find the connectors to the radiator fan motors - #15 in the diagram.

IGN "off". Keys out.

Unhook the connectors.

To test the motor, apply 12 volts to the FAN SIDE of the connector i.e. the side that connects to the motor - not the ECU side.

It does not matter which way the 2 electrical jumper leads are connected when applied to the fan motor.

If polarity is reversed, no harm will be done.....

The fan will just spin backwards but as long as it spins that is the most important reason for doing this.

If it does spin at "normal" speed, you will be assured that your problem is not the motor, but lies elsewhere.

Test both connectors.

MAKE SURE YOU ARE APPLYING 12 VOLTS TO THE FAN SIDE.....NOT THE ECU SIDE.

Advise of progress with this.

(of course, you have already checked the engine bay fuse box to ensure that the fan relays are intact)

I will help further if I can, but my auto electrical knowledge after this step is limited.

This is especially so at long distance via the www. or via telephone, so take my advice at your own risk.

Someone else more qualified may need to help from here.