AC compressor is not kicking on

IHA 1997 Chevy Malibu 2.4L in which the AC compressor is not kicking on. I checked the 10Amp fuse - good. There is a bus for the compressor under the hood on the drivers side. How can I tell if it's good? It has four prongs. Is there a way to test it? The AC had never been charged. Over the last 3three years it started to get less and less cool. I assumed the compressor wasn't kicking in as a safety feature when the coolant gets too low. I filled the coolant to about 35 PSI. Still not kicking in.

Ideas?

It takes 47 psi to engage that compressor-- so after you draw a deep vacuum- then add the refigerant, the compressor will engage by itself...

Since you lost refigerant- you need to find and fix that leak-- or you will have the same problems again.....

How do I create a "deep vacuum"? I was using a R134a refill kit form Kragen. It has a PSI gauge on it.

If the system was empty- (no pressure) then you need to get the air out of it with a vacuum pump-- If you are adding charge- then you need to create the 47 psi to engage the compressor- if the can is warm it should have 80+ psi in it-- which is enough to start the compressor- If you have a big leak- then the gas is going out as fast as it goes in- and the system would have been dead flat (0 psi) when you stepped up toi it....and adding charge does not generate enough pressure to engage the compressor. What was the initial static pressure when you first attached the low side gage?

Not sure. But it took almost no time to get it to 35 PSI. I'll add more to bring it up higher and see if the issue being I had not added enough refrigerant.

OK, that was a no go. The compressor still isn't kicking on and the pressure gauge on the refill can is showing 20psi and not filling up any more. I don't even think this stuff is working.

Hate to say this but I'm going to have to bite the bullet and take it into a shop.

That just kills me because I've been able to find just about anything on-line in forums to fix all my cars except two things, transmissions on my 97 Malibu and AC systems.

Our forecast in N.CAL is to be in the 100’s for the next few days as well. Perfect.

Thank you guys for what advice you have offered. I'm still willing to take a crack at this but w/o the compressor even kicking on; I think I am just spinning my wheels.