A/C not blowing cold air...

MN12 KID

Registered User
I retrofitted to 134a and replaced the condensor, on May 2001. I haven't used the A/C, since August 2001.

I just recharged the drier the other day with 8oz. of 134a oil, and 2 - 12oz. cans of 134a w/ leak sealer, since the drier was near-empty. The compressor runs for a fraction of a second at a time on MAX, and the air isn't that cool.

What can be wrong? :confused: :( :confused:
 
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Have a qualified AC mechanic check the pressure, you may have a restriction of some kind in the system that is screwing it up. You can also jumper the LP cutout switch and see if that is faulty, this will keep the compressor from cutting on.
 
Mine too

On my 94SC, my air was working and now it does not....The compressor doesn't seem to be kicking in..should it lock down for a few secs and then release? Mine just never locks down or just stays locked?? Any opinions?

Should I try what SCChief, mentioned with the jumping method?
if so can I get more details on how to do this?
 
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MN12 KID said:
I retrofitted to 134a and replaced the condensor, on May 2001. I haven't used the A/C, since August 2001.

I just recharged the drier the other day with 8oz. of 134a oil, and 2 - 12oz. cans of 134a w/ leak sealer, since the drier was near-empty. The compressor runs for a fraction of a second at a time on MAX, and the air isn't that cool.

What can be wrong? :confused: :( :confused:
24oz of r134a probably isn't enough to get the compressor to stay on. The normal amount of r12 is 40 oz and they recommend 80% of that for r134a, so 0.8*40=32 . Also, what do you mean by recharged the drier? The accumulator (aka drier) is the canister just in front of the pass firewall. Its filled with dessicant. If you ever open up the A/C and expsed the insides to outside air, you're supposed to replace it and then you really should have the system vaccuumed down and then charged very soon afterwards.. Also, when you're charging the system, you will need to jumper the pressure switch (the connector part which plugs into the top of the accumulator) to keep the compressor on while inserting the refrigerant.

Its tricky enough and most folks don't have a vaccuum pump, so it may be worth having it done at a shop. For my system, it ran $80 to vaccuum and charge with 32Oz of r134a.

Also, the A/C guys almost all say that they don't like/use sealants. They claim that they have mixed success with them and with the trouble (they're talking about rework time), its not worth it for them.. Something to consider.

If it were me, I'd pull all the spring lock fittings, flush the lines, condenser, and evaporator with flushing solution and compressed air, remove the compressor and drain the oil but not flush it... Inspect the compressor for smoothe operation, install all new orings (the most likely place for a leak to form) lubed with nylog or mineral oil, install new drier sealed til the very last second, refill with 7-8oz of ester oil (aka POE because I had a leak before) split 2/2/2/2 compressor, condenser, evaporator, drier, then clip all the spring locks back together and run it over to an A/C shop to have it vaccuumed and leak tested. If all was a go, then I'd recharge it myself or have it recharged at the shop. Its quite possible that even after all this, there could be a leak at the compressor shaft seal, or you could have a hole in the evaporator (Big PITA and $$ to have fixed).
If it were me, it would be a bit of a leap of faith in the hopes that 1. The compressor was OK and 2. The leak was one of the fittings and 3. If I fixed it, the fix would last a long time.

But seriously, the cheapest thing to do would be to take it in and have it leak tested and let the shop do the diagnositic work.

Good luck.:)
 
Re: Re: A/C not blowing cold air...

TbirdSCFan said:
24oz of r134a probably isn't enough to get the compressor to stay on. The normal amount of r12 is 40 oz and they recommend 80% of that for r134a, so 0.8*40=32 . Also, what do you mean by recharged the drier? The accumulator (aka drier) is the canister just in front of the pass firewall. Its filled with dessicant. If you ever open up the A/C and expsed the insides to outside air, you're supposed to replace it and then you really should have the system vaccuumed down and then charged very soon afterwards.. Also, when you're charging the system, you will need to jumper the pressure switch (the connector part which plugs into the top of the accumulator) to keep the compressor on while inserting the refrigerant.

Its tricky enough and most folks don't have a vaccuum pump, so it may be worth having it done at a shop. For my system, it ran $80 to vaccuum and charge with 32Oz of r134a.

Also, the A/C guys almost all say that they don't like/use sealants. They claim that they have mixed success with them and with the trouble (they're talking about rework time), its not worth it for them.. Something to consider.

If it were me, I'd pull all the spring lock fittings, flush the lines, condenser, and evaporator with flushing solution and compressed air, remove the compressor and drain the oil but not flush it... Inspect the compressor for smoothe operation, install all new orings (the most likely place for a leak to form) lubed with nylog or mineral oil, install new drier sealed til the very last second, refill with 7-8oz of ester oil (aka POE because I had a leak before) split 2/2/2/2 compressor, condenser, evaporator, drier, then clip all the spring locks back together and run it over to an A/C shop to have it vaccuumed and leak tested. If all was a go, then I'd recharge it myself or have it recharged at the shop. Its quite possible that even after all this, there could be a leak at the compressor shaft seal, or you could have a hole in the evaporator (Big PITA and $$ to have fixed).
If it were me, it would be a bit of a leap of faith in the hopes that 1. The compressor was OK and 2. The leak was one of the fittings and 3. If I fixed it, the fix would last a long time.

But seriously, the cheapest thing to do would be to take it in and have it leak tested and let the shop do the diagnositic work.

Good luck.:)

I recharged the A/C through the drier's clutch pressure switch port and adapted it with a 134a fitting and pressure switch bypassed, since I can't access the low side service port (the fockers at Ford inverted the lines on the '92 SCs). After an 8oz can of oil and 2 - 12oz cans of 134a w/ leak sealer, I pressure tested it - the gauge read 50psi, which is a little above normal. Still, the A/C still isn't functioning to it's full potential.
 
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50 sounds a bit high for the low side pressure. To do it properly, you need both high side and low side pressure readings. Especially since you're having problems. If you have guages, watch the high side pressure; it should be about 2.2-2.5 times the outside termperature.
So, if its 100 outside, the top reading should be 250. If its really low, then the compressor may have a problem. If its too high, you may have an obstruction in the condenser or Otube.

You might want to post your question on the Auto ac board http://www.aircondition.com/wwwboard/ where they can tell you much more than I can.
 
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