2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Air conditioer not cool

[WaynesWorld]

Has anyone had an AC that cooled just enough[60degrees] but not enough for the really hot days?

What is the cure?

 

[dslmacdown]

Sounds to me like the system is about a pound low on charge. You could buy those little cans of R-134 in a kit and top it off your self. MAC

 

[Cooker]

I agree, souunds low on freon. A can of R-134 should take care of your problems.

 

[WaynesWorld]

ac not cool

Cooker & dslmacdown,

Thanks for the thought. I asked the local shop to look at it. They said my high side pressure was aroud 300 & low side was near 70. They suggested orfice, accumulator, & condenser be replaced. The blockage could be anywhere in the system was thier reason. Does this sound like a cure? Or, just a real expensive I Don't Know Cure, So lets replace everything?

 

[CumminsPuller]

I am curious about this aswell?



J

 

[grtescpa]

A/c recharge

Go to Wallmart. They sell full size recharge 134a for about $10. A re-charge kit for about $20. They also sell a leak seal kit which requires charging the system with 2 small cans of sealer. (Follow the instructions carefully!) My 97 was completely empty of charge. I had to jump out the pressure/temp switch to get the compressor to run. I did this a month ago and have not had any loss of freon. Saved a bundle doing it myself. The recharge kit comes with a gauge. Always bleed off a little freon from the hose befor you connect it. Any moisture in the system will cause freeze up problems. Good luck.

 

[WaynesWorld]

ac not cool

Why would the readings be too high from lack of freon?

It seems that there is a blockage somewhere in the system.

Would I be wrong to assume an orifice or seal debris is causing the high readings?

 

[KennyM]

Do you here your compressor turning on and off. This is a tell tale sign of low Freon. If it does not sense a pressure rise it will turn back off, it will keep doing this over and over. Also make sure you only charge on the low pressure side, marked with a cap that has an "L" on it.



The Wall Mart kit has good instructions, come with a Quick Disconnect that will only fit the low pressure side, Three cans of Freon with leak stop mixed in it and fittings to adapt to old style AC units. Follow the directions, it is real easy.

 

[grtescpa]

Re: ac not cool

Originally posted by WaynesWorld

Why would the readings be too high from lack of freon?

It seems that there is a blockage somewhere in the system.

Would I be wrong to assume an orifice or seal debris is causing the high readings?

One more note: Re-charge your A/c on a hot day. The small cans of 134a tend to freeze up fast on a cool day and you won't get a good charge.

 

[dslmacdown]

Re: ac not cool

Originally posted by WaynesWorld

Cooker & dslmacdown,

Thanks for the thought. I asked the local shop to look at it. They said my high side pressure was aroud 300 & low side was near 70. They suggested orfice, accumulator, & condenser be replaced. The blockage could be anywhere in the system was thier reason. Does this sound like a cure? Or, just a real expensive I Don't Know Cure, So lets replace everything?

With those kinds of pressures my guess would be a plugged condenser. With a low charge, both sides would be low, and an plugged orifice would do the same. This also could be overcharged.



MAC

 

[illflem]

Mine just started not running cool today, five years since the last charge which was also the first. Friend who was in the A/C biz has moved, I'm not about to pay the going rate. Is there danger of overcharge with the Wal-Mart kit?

 

[JoeBioDiesel]

I doubt it is a plugged orifice. As MAC says, with pressures like that it could be an overcharge, poor condenser cooling(fan clutch not engaging, blocked off etc... anything that prevents the condenser from shedding heat). It could also be air in the system. Even small amounts can cause high pressures on R134a systems.

Joe

 

[esdd]

I work on this stuff for a living, best wayn to charge a dodge is to remive all charge, evacuate, and weigh the charge in. With that said, mist the condenser with a garden hose to maintain appx 150 psi the compressor should be cycling off at appx 20 psiand on at appx 40 psi. Take the temp difference between the inlet and outlet of the suction accumulator and with the interior of the truck at appx 75 deg f add charge untill the outlet of the accumulator becomes slightly colder than the inlet 3-5 degrees. The pressures you stated are possible because there is no airflow across the condenser. I would NOT use any of the stop-leak products as they usually cause more damage than good. I have found that the seals on the compressors tend to leak if it sits and the ac is not ran every few days.

 

[grtescpa]

Question for esdd

Originally posted by esdd

I work on this stuff for a living, best wayn to charge a dodge is to remive all charge, evacuate, and weigh the charge in. With that said, mist the condenser with a garden hose to maintain appx 150 psi the compressor should be cycling off at appx 20 psiand on at appx 40 psi. Take the temp difference between the inlet and outlet of the suction accumulator and with the interior of the truck at appx 75 deg f add charge untill the outlet of the accumulator becomes slightly colder than the inlet 3-5 degrees. The pressures you stated are possible because there is no airflow across the condenser. I would NOT use any of the stop-leak products as they usually cause more damage than good. I have found that the seals on the compressors tend to leak if it sits and the ac is not ran every few days.

I was losing a charge quite rapid and could never find the leak. I had added about 4 to 5 cans of the recharge over a 3 month time. I used the seal kit one time and its been good ever since. My question is would a leak such as mine show compressor oil dripping out ? I had a dye check done one time and they never found a leak either??

 

[WaynesWorld]

ac not cool

I got an est. from the local shop. He suggested that the orifice tube, drier/accumulator, & condenser all be replaced rather then try to guess which one. The system in my 96 is getting older, so I am having them all replaced on Sat. I'll post the outcome, if we can determine which one or or all three were at fault.

Stay tuned to this channel.

Thanks for the ideas.

 

[esdd]

Re: Question for esdd

Originally posted by grtescpa

I was losing a charge quite rapid and could never find the leak. I had added about 4 to 5 cans of the recharge over a 3 month time. I used the seal kit one time and its been good ever since. My question is would a leak such as mine show compressor oil dripping out ? I had a dye check done one time and they never f1ound a leak either??

Leaks can be tough to find, I hope thet the old red dytel was not put in the system, it is not compatible with r-134a. If the ultra violet dye was used the correct ammount for the total oil volume must be used. it usually takes 2-3 weeks of operation tocarry enough dye out to be seen with a good uv lightsource. I personally only use a hallogen detector such as the venerable ge-h10 series or a inficon D-TEK. The thing about leaks is the just get bigger and easier to find. I try to stay away from the dyes most hermetic (electrical compressors) compressor manufacturers say that the dyes eventually breakdown to form acids and cause damage to the a/c system. the good electronic halogen detectors can smell a leak as small as . 25oz or 7 grams/yr. The best way to check for a leak is to move the vehicle into an enclosed area (no airflow) open hood, and allow to sit overnight before snffing for the leak. This will allow the refrigerant vapor to pool in the vicinity of the leak. Make several slow passes over the entire refrigeration circut slowly, increasing sensitivity each time. Once an area has been identified use a good lquid leak detector bubble solution to pinpoint the leak, BigBlue Ultra is the best and is available through refrigeration supply wholesalers. Good luck and keep searching. Dont allow a Parts-changer to replace componets that are not bad as one of the previous posters has. Using this mentality uoy would rebuuild the truck just to change the oil. A good mechanic finds and fixes the problem, anyone can change parts untill the problem is fixed!

 

[WaynesWorld]

ac not cool

The verdict is in. The orifice tube & receiver were guilty. With them replaced, we are back to 45 degrees of cool. The condenser turned out to be not guilty. He must have had a good lawyer.

I hope this helps somebody.

Thats my tale & I'm sticking to it.

 

[grtescpa]

Re: Re: Question for esdd

Originally posted by esdd

Leaks can be tough to find, I hope thet the old red dytel was not put in the system, it is not compatible with r-134a. If the ultra violet dye was used the correct ammount for the total oil volume must be used. it usually takes 2-3 weeks of operation tocarry enough dye out to be seen with a good uv lightsource. I personally only use a hallogen detector such as the venerable ge-h10 series or a inficon D-TEK. The thing about leaks is the just get bigger and easier to find. I try to stay away from the dyes most hermetic (electrical compressors) compressor manufacturers say that the dyes eventually breakdown to form acids and cause damage to the a/c system. the good electronic halogen detectors can smell a leak as small as . 25oz or 7 grams/yr. The best way to check for a leak is to move the vehicle into an enclosed area (no airflow) open hood, and allow to sit overnight before snffing for the leak. This will allow the refrigerant vapor to pool in the vicinity of the leak. Make several slow passes over the entire refrigeration circut slowly, increasing sensitivity each time. Once an area has been identified use a good lquid leak detector bubble solution to pinpoint the leak, BigBlue Ultra is the best and is available through refrigeration supply wholesalers. Good luck and keep searching. Dont allow a Parts-changer to replace componets that are not bad as one of the previous posters has. Using this mentality uoy would rebuuild the truck just to change the oil. A good mechanic finds and fixes the problem, anyone can change parts untill the problem is fixed!

Thanks for the input. I keep all that in mind if it fails to hold the charge.