2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission AC driving me nuts!

[DSeamans]

The compressor was dying, no high side, so I replaced the compressor and accumulator with new from 4 seasons. Flushed it out with solvent (before putting the new in). Let it sit over night. Next morning I put the new in. Hooked up the vac pump for an hour and then recharged. Now, if I fire it up on max, it works good. If I go to regular, low side goes up to 45 and gets warm. Go back to max, and it won't come back down and won't blow cold. #@$%! If I turn the truck off for a while, it will work again on max. This is driving me nuts as I'm very heat sensitive due to meds I'm on and can't afford to take it in. I ordered the liquid line with orifice and plan on putting it in tomorrow and starting over. Anyone have any ideas whats going on? I doubt its the line, but the compressor warranty requires it.



Thanks,

Dave



Oh yeah, high side stays around 175 and its 80* out.

 

[hsmith]

Anytime you replace the compressor without replacing the orfice, you are asking for trouble. Debris from the old compressor usually restricts the orfice, but your high pressure, being low, does not indicate that. Run the idle up to around 1500, see if the clutch cycles, and come back with both high and low pressures. I do a lot of AC repair and will try to help you with yours.

 

[hsmith]

Forgot to ask, but being a four seasons, it must be a reman pump. If so, you may have a defective unit. We always use only new units as we don't get paid for comebacks.

Good luck

 

[DSeamans]

New pump

No, it is a new pump. The clutch is staying on, not cycling on and off. The high side stays aroung 175. If I start the truck with it on max, it works good with the low side aroung 33. When I take it off max, the low side climbs to about 45, the air gets warm, but the compressor keeps running. If I go back to max after that, low side stays up and wont come back down unless I shut it off for a while. It wasn't that hot today, around 80, so I figured 175 was close for the high side. The low side going up is whats driving me nuts. Could the orifice cause that? I thought that max just recirculated the air and didn't change the compressor operation. Thanks for the ideas.



Dave

 

[hsmith]

All max does is close off outside air and recirculate the inside air. The liquid line needs to be replaced, but don't think that is your problem. Your truck and mine had a problem with oil from the vacuum pump getting into the system and fouling up all the vacuum controls. The warranty was even extended on the vacuum system because of this. I think you need to check the control switch and the lines at the servos for oil contamination. I don't think the doors are responding as they should, and the oil could be the reason.

 

[DSeamans]

Better?

I drained it down, replaced the liquid line, put the vac back on and slowly put 30 oz back in. It doesn't cut off anymore when I take it off max. It's only 75* today; the pressures are 165 high side and 30-32 low side. It blows 48* on max and about 58-60 on regular. I thought it used to blow closer to 40* on max. Do these numbers sound about right? Should I try a little more freon or leave it alone?



Thanks,

Dave

 

[hsmith]

With that low ambient temp, I think it should be cycling and getting close to 40* on max. Are you charging by actual weight? May be a tad low, don't have my charts here at home, will look after the 4th. Hope you are not having vacuum problems as I talked about before as it involves a lot of work. BTW, it doesn't cool down that far here at night.

 

[DSeamans]

Bad compressor?

I'm starting to think I got a bad one. I was using 12oz cans with the manifold gauge and an adapter. Now, I can't get 30 or 150 at 83 degrees. I tried adding more to no avail. Here's the new weird part; it blows cold at idle, but when you rev it both pressures drop and it goes warm. I put die in it when I started and dont see any leaks. I've never seen one that dropped both pressures as the rpms went up. Whats your thoughts? I have a friend with a shop in Chicago, I'll call him Monday to get his ideas.



Dave

 

[DSeamans]

Fixed

I finally got it working. I put the second compressor in and it charged up fine. Everything looked great until I went down the road; It would cut out. That ended up being a bad high limit connector. By the way, I rolled the new 4-Seasons' compressor over and -- #@$%!MADE IN CHINA!#@$%! When I talked to them about the bad compressor they said " I think all our stuff is made in the USA. " Guess not!



Dave