Ford A/C

[StanHolder]

Hope this is a generic A/C question. Trust TDR for info more than any other forum. Wife complaining about a/c not working very well in 2001 Ford Escape with V6/ (208,000 miles) Checked pressures and just for grins added some freon. No help, Decided to replace accumulator/dryer and orifice tube. Evacuated and filled with 32oz of freon and 2 oz of oil. Cools ok but not great. Temp 98 outside, 67 out of vents. Low pressure 40 High pressure 300. What really has me confused though is when I turn the a/c off low side pressure pegs guage at 350 and high side pressure drops to 150. They do not equalize with the compressor not running. Could I have put the orifice tube in backwards? Thanks for the help with my off brand.

 

[sag2]

If you put the tube in backwards it probably would not have worked at all. Are you sure you are reading your low side gauge correctly? They should be calibrated differently and my low side only goes to 120psi. 150 sounds normal until it cools off, then they should be about 100 (ambient). Does the low side tube feel cold to the touch from the orifice through the evaporator and back out towards the compressor? How humid was it when you were checking? A 30 degree drop would not be that bad if the humidity was really high.

 

[B.G. Smith]

Makle sure both valves on your gage manifold are closed and not leaking through. bg

 

[Motorhead]

Just for a test, try clamping off one of the heater hoses with a "C" clamp or something suitable and see if the A/C puts out cooler air. It could have a heater valve that isn't shutting off.

 

[StanHolder]

Thanks for all yor suggestions. I decided to borrow another guage set. When I hooked it up both sides were equal. At 88 degreea 64% humidity temp in cabin got down to 48. According to my Cummins manual that is an acceptable temp. I gues my issue the other day was not only the guages but the high humidity. (Houston, TX) Thanks again for you help

 

[sag2]

As a very general rule of thumb, if you can get a 40 degree drop from ambient you are acceptable. Many factors apply that can change it up or down.