A/C Cycling?

Hey guys, I have an 87 XJ and I am having a problem with the A/C. I recently charged it with R-12 so it blows nice and cold, but when it cycles (when it turns off for a small amount of time, then comes back) it stays off for a LONG time! I used a multimeter on it to see how much voltage it is recieving to the compressor, and it seems low at about 10 - 10.5 volts. I think its an electrical problem as it seems to "cycle" when the voltage gets low, but slowly it builds up enough charge to get it going again. Anyway, what exactly controls all that, could a relay be bad, or does something else control it? Thanks!

Start cleaning ALL of your grounds.

The cycling rate is a function of outside air temp versus inside (cabin) air temp.

To say "it stays off too long" without consulting the pressure/temperature/cycling charts for the AC system is pretty much impossible.

Find someone with the FSM, and ask them to provide the chart that shows cycling rate as a function of temperature and pressure. The chart has to be for an older XJ with the R12 system, as the one for R134a won't apply.

Is this only a problem at idle? Purhaps, maybe, it could be this:

http://www.jeepsunlimited.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=44

Read and see if that sounds like your issue... Then again, you may not have a problem....