I tried supplying power directly to the compressor to find out if it was the prob or not. I think I did it right, but incase I didn't how exactly do you do it? And if it is my prob can I just replace the clutch? I just had the system done at a shop with pressure test, evacuation, and refill. All was good except for the pump didnt turn on. I bypassed the low pressure switch and that didn't work. I have 2 other compressors I can replace it with but I don't wanna lose all the freon I just put in there... Lose that and the $100 I just spent as well of course.

 

Theres a connector down near the compressor with a single green/yellow wire in it. Thats the 12V wire to the clutch from the relay under the dash. Disconnect it and stick a 12/14 gauge wire in it (on the clutch side). Take the other end an touch it to your battery positive terminal. If the clutch is good, and has a good ground it will lock in and you will hear it click. Don't do it with the engine runing, in case there is a reason why its not getting power the normal way, like low or high refrigerant pressure in the system. There are reasons why there are pressure switches on they syste to protect it from blowing up, or seizing the compressor.

Check out the other thread about having the proper 8D0 820 043H controller in a 96 A4 too.

 

You can also do an output test on a vag com to do the same thing, this will also tell you if there are any other trouble codes. I do think it is possible to replace the clutch only.

 

There's a lot that can cause this problem. You need some diagnostics done. The shop that charged you for the recharge and let you go without it working are a bunch of thieves. NO shop I've worked at will charge a customer for a recharge and let them leave without cold air blowing.

 

well to be fair to the shop they called me and told me the flush and recharge was all done, with no leaks detected (Im just calling it that cause I dont recall the proper terms for it). So he said all was good on that end but that the compressor wont kick on and if I want the to test the system out to find out why then they will have to charege me for it. all of what they said was very reasonable but being the guy I am, I said no thx I'll just pick it up and take care of it myself.

 

As far as having the proper "8D0 820 043H controller" I actually did replace mine last year from one I found on eBay but it was winter time and I also had to replace the heater core as well. the a/c had worked in the car up to that point when my ex wife had it, but in the 6 months between us breaking up and me getting the car a few things went wrong including the a/c not working. I figured it just got low on freon. The 96's are totally different than all the other years so are you guys saying that even though I got an identical looking controler it might not work in my car?

 

Mark C..... youre a damn life saver!!! I was gonna take my car to the shop today cause they r open till noon but I decided to check here 1st to see if I had any replies..... and that probably saved me at least $100! 1st i put power to the green/yellow and the clutch kicked in and I was like oh thank god. then I took the controller out to check the #'s on it....sure enough it is the "B" type and not the "H" like u said it needs. So, now I gotta find the old controller I took out last year. thats gonna be a job in itself cause I've moved twice this year

 

well I found my old controller and put it in and everything works perfectly.... blows cold *** air now!!!! but there was no "H" on my controller, the one that works has an "F" on it. maybe cause my VIN is a super low #? mine is like 0001464 so my car was most likely built in the 1st couple months or so (Although I have no clue how many they kicked out a month)

 

Yea, the H version is used with the Nippondesno A/C compressor w/o the speed sensor that superceded the original Zexel compressors with the speed sensor in them as a running change during the model year. My son's 02/96 built car needs the H version, yours must have the Zexel compressor being that early. I'm assuming the full model number is 8D0 820 043F.

The build date of the car is on the tag inside the drivers door opening on the lower rear corner.