A curious A/C situation.
 

If anyone is good at solving issues, I have a big one for you. Here's my tale of the curious A/C situation.

I have a 1997 Saturn SL2 with about 98,000 miles on it. I bought the car in August of 2010 with about 70,000 miles on it. I am a delivery driver and therefore pack on quite a bit of milage. The A/C worked fine when I bought the car, no complaints. Sometime around March of this year, the A/C blows out and the radiator fan stops kicking on (found out why later) which scared me. I took it to a shop and not to my surprise, one of the sensors had gone bad. (they tried to convince me the condenser had gone bad, but I didn't have the money.) They replaced the sensor and suddenly the A/C worked! (to their surprise and mine....)

Around June, sometime in the middle of the month, my A/C blows out again. This time, I'm told its the Compressor. I don't have the money for that, so I started saving up. I was told by multiple shops that the condenser was at fault so I agreed.

I save up the necessary amount of money and pay for the part.

Compressor #1: Remanufactured

I drive it for a couple of days and the A/C blows out again. I take it back to the shop (under warranty) and I'm told the expansion valve fried the Compressor. More money spent.

Compressor #2: Remanufactured

I drive up to Tallahassee, where I currently am with nice, cold A/C. In the middle of September, by A/C blows out again. I take it down to Orlando when I can and get the compressor replaced under Warranty.

Compressor #3: Remanufactured

I return to Orlando the 21 of October. When I get on the turnpike to get back to Tallahassee, the High-Pressure Hose blows. I don't know this at the time, so I freak out. My dad takes the car back to the shop and I proceed to Tallahassee.

Compressor #4: Brand New

So I'm told that every time the compressor blew up it shot metal into the condenser (four times now, including the original compressor). So, feeling at fault for not checking the condenser to begin with, they replace the compressor with a new one instead of a remanufactured one, a new condenser, not a remanufactured one, and new hoses to go along with it. Sweet!

Now, about a week ago, my A/C has gone out yet again, but I don't know what the reason is yet because I haven't taken it to a shop yet. I know, It's December, why would one want A/C? Because I want the money I spent to reflect in my car's performance. If anyone has any ideas as to why in the world this would keep happening or maybe if someone has had a similar experience and would like to share the remedy with me, feel free. I am at a loss at this point....

Does "A/C blows out" mean the compressor won't engage or does it mean it engages but the system blows warm air?

Also does your cooling fan still come on when the coolant temp gets high (3rd tick on the dash temp gauge)?

The cooling fan engages at the third tick, but the compressor does not engage.

Compressor #1: Compressor engaged Warm air Cooling fan engaged

Compressor #2: Compressor engaged Warm air Cooling fan engaged

Compressor #3: Compressor engaged Warm air Cooling fan engaged

Compressor #4: Compressor does not engage. Warm air Cooling fan does not engage until third tick

This is my answer based on my knowledge of A/C. What I don't know about A/C would fill books.
But, I repair, assemble and maintain my own in 5 cars and I live where the temperature today is 48 degrees and it is Dec 3. I will need A/C before the day is out. It is over 100 degrees a third of the year and if a beater does not have A/C it is of no value at all. Throw it away.
So to be honest, I really do not understand your description. What is a Tick. Specifically a third Tick.
Cooling Fan!
Contolled by the computor. The thing that makes your car work. The computor actually turns the dang thing on and off AND does so due to various input signals that it reponds to.
So the Cooling fan going on and off is not really part of a problem.
It seems to be doing what it is supposed to do. Get turned on when the A/C is requested and turned off unless the car is running hot which is another function.

Warm are means:
The A/C is not working.
Yes self evident.
The question is why?
Is the clutch engaged?
Is it hard to tell or are you guessing or it just the switch is turned on.
Can you see the shaft turning? That generally is the front part of the pulley. I guess it does not have to be but part of it should be visible not turning when the A/C is off and turning when the A/C is on.
Do you hear strange grumbling noises like stuff is broken? Or nothing. Have you taken a measurement at the power connector to verify a signal is getting there. I don't know, I can't tell from your description, sorry. I can't guess.
You have used more compressors on one car than I have on about 10 of them since I have lived in the southwest.
Why?
Todays more modern than some of my cars have a lo and hi pressure sensor as part of the A/C compressor and it is monitored by the computor that runs things and if the pressure is wrong it will not turn on the Compressor. I guess the reason is not to damage it.
There are simple pressure gauges you can purchase along with a refill can of R134 so you can plug the dang thing in to refill the R134 if the pressure is low. It gives a measurement. Usually high teck like green is good, yellow is mediocre and red is wrong.
Pressure can be low, cause warm air to blow and the clutch to work. Usally that means something is leaking.
There are lots of connections. As cars age, the little rubber O rings start going bad and vibraion and screwing around with the lines can mess with them.
To be honest as I am typing any and all of the above can be going on, yet you have had 4 compressors replaced. Sounds to me like some one is not doing you much good in the A/C repair department.
But I have no idea what is going on.
Sorry
I had one replaced on my Saturn a 94 about 10 years ago. And I sold my Mitsubishi after 270,000 miles when the A/C finally went out.
My Dodge van, a junk yard $500.00 wonder I sold it when it quit running to some one smarter than I, so I was told. They got it running and then blew it up. I got paid for it. And I lunched the compressor on my 1980 AMC car when I was so stupid I did not know that I had to check the oil in it. There, that is my 4 over the last 14 years. I'm installing Vintage Air in my Javelin and retrofitting a GM R4 compressor onto my Mercury Marine motor and adapting it to work with the dealer installed AM Air in my 1975 Hornet.
Have you actually checked for leaks?

UnclJohn has pretty well summed it all up. +1 for his insightful response