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Motronic posted:It could be that it's a complete piece of poo poo from the day it came out of the factory. Thanks. Only reason I ask is that since I drive it around instead of my personal car, I'd rather not be stuck somewhere with a broke down PT, or no AC with summer approaching. Driving it is punishment enough
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Mar 18, 2015 17:16
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bigtom posted:Thanks. Only reason I ask is that since I drive it around instead of my personal car, I'd rather not be stuck somewhere with a broke down PT, or no AC with summer approaching. Driving it is punishment enough It would seem like telling your employer so they can bring it to a garage to be repaired would be a smart move.
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Mar 18, 2015 17:36
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Motronic posted:It would seem like telling your employer so they can bring it to a garage to be repaired would be a smart move. Just did, for that and a couple of other things that need to be looked at. Guy at the shop told me I'd be better of lighting it on fire then putting money into it. Unfortunately, my boss also owns the local Chrysler dealer, so I'm stuck with it.
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Mar 18, 2015 18:21
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The guy at the shop know's what's up.
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Mar 18, 2015 20:36
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I turned on my A/C for the first time in six months yesterday. It seems like it blows fairly cold air right away but the A/C light along with the A/C will go off within half a minute or so and then randomly comes back on again after awhile. I had it recharged in September, the previous owner replaced a leaky connection in the compressor and after a recharge (it was empty) the A/C seemed to be fairly cold when it worked. The blower motor started going out and the HVAC system had some bugs- some vents would blow hot and some would blow cold. I replaced the blower motor and ordered a new HVAC computer, but I haven't installed it yet. The restarting A/C is a new symptom however. I am wondering if I have a leak and lost the refrigerant or if it's another HVAC bug. The A/C doesn't seem weak like I would expect if it has a weak- it just randomly shuts itself off. It's a 1995 BMW 525i if that helps. Any idea about the symptoms?
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Mar 23, 2015 20:45
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ultrabay2000 posted:The restarting A/C is a new symptom however. I am wondering if I have a leak and lost the refrigerant or if it's another HVAC bug. The A/C doesn't seem weak like I would expect if it has a weak- it just randomly shuts itself off. If it's easy to get to the low pressure switch connection, what you could do is start the car, let it run, and turn on the AC. Once it's going, disconnect the leads to the low pressure switch which should immediately disengage the compressor clutch. Take a look inside and see if the AC lights turned off at the same time as the compressor. If they did, then you know the lights are tied to the compressor which is then probably related to a pressure issue; if the lights are still on, then it's probably a problem with the controls or an electronics/ground(/vacuum?) connection. It's still a wide range of problems to track down, but it should at least make sure you're on the right track. And don't forget to reconnect the pressure lead so you don't confuse yourself later, of course
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Mar 23, 2015 23:44
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I realize it's the year of our Lord 2015 and this is the 2014 thread, but.... I have a 2008 NC miata whose AC compressor has started short-cycling and not really doing so well at cooling air down while stopped. Works fine when moving, but it was hot in h-town yesterday and it'll only get hotter. Any specs on what pressures I'm supposed to be looking for on this car? I doubt it's AC has been looked at since it was built, so I'm counting on it just needing a little refill, but I want to do it right.
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Apr 1, 2015 16:35
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ultrabay2000 posted:I turned on my A/C for the first time in six months yesterday. It seems like it blows fairly cold air right away but the A/C light along with the A/C will go off within half a minute or so and then randomly comes back on again after awhile. Sounds like typical short cycling. Before going crazy trying to figure out if it's something e;se hook up a manifold gauge and have an answer in under 5 minutes. It's probalby still leaking from somewhere. Taco Box posted:Any specs on what pressures I'm supposed to be looking for on this car? It's not really as simple as a pressure. Read the OP, I pretty excruciatingly detailed what you need to know so this thread isn't full of the same 3 questions over an over again.
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Apr 1, 2015 17:00
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Motronic posted:Sounds like typical short cycling. Before going crazy trying to figure out if it's something e;se hook up a manifold gauge and have an answer in under 5 minutes. It's probalby still leaking from somewhere. My bad. I read the OP when it was first made, but I go do it again 
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Apr 1, 2015 17:35
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This thread really ought to be stickied and/or linked in the OP of the stupid questions thread.
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Apr 1, 2015 19:48
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Need some help on diagnosis. 03 Mazdaspeed Protege, TXV system. Symptoms: Blows cold initially, then gradually warms to ambient, takes 5-30 minutes depending on outside temp, humidity, phase angle of Mars' two moons... anyway. Symptoms persist after vacuuming for 2 hours and recharging, so I doubt it's contamination; static pressures were where they should be before and after the recharge. When first engaged, pressures briefly reach good pressures (40psi low side, 210 high, about 80F outside temp), then both start quickly dropping, coincident with the blower air warming up. If allowed to run, high side drops below 150, and low side can reach vacuum ranges (I saw this once and shut it off before it ever happened again). Both intuition and Mazda's FSM point to the TXV for these symptoms. Evap box is actually pretty easy to remove, so I pulled it out; lo and behold, I can't blow through the valve at all. Couple questions: 1. Does this seem like the right diagnosis? 2. The TXV should be mostly closed (but still able to blow air through) when warm, and fully open around freezing, right? I stuck an ice cube on the diaphram to chill it down, makes no difference at all. 3. The old TXV was wrapped in this black rubbery adhesive foam, FSM says to install it on any replacement as well. How critical is that, and where can I get it if needed? E: Also, all the lines as well as the valve itself look perfectly clean inside, nice shiny aluminum/brass; it doesn't look like I have any signs of black death going on. Obviously there's no screen like on a fixed orifice system, but how can I very that my compressor's not making GBS threads itself? There's no noise from the compressor or anything, at least. Fender Anarchist fucked around with this message at 03:05 on Apr 17, 2015 |
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Apr 17, 2015 03:03
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The best thing to do next is make drat sure there is no other contamination in the system. In regards to my RRC - I am going to convert the system to R-152, what oil do I use? I am guessing that its still the old R-12 compatible oil in it. Its a Sanden compressor though, is this the one that has its own oil supply or am I thinking of those compressors on old Fords? Edit: Did some searching it says to use to use SP-15. Its compatible with R-134... But I am lost at this point. BrokenKnucklez fucked around with this message at 03:19 on Apr 17, 2015 |
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Apr 17, 2015 03:13
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BrokenKnucklez posted:The best thing to do next is make drat sure there is no other contamination in the system. Well naturally, but how?
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Apr 17, 2015 03:21
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Fucknag posted:Well naturally, but how? Id head for the condenser if it was easy to yank. Hoses, anything.
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Apr 17, 2015 03:22
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Fucknag posted:Need some help on diagnosis. 03 Mazdaspeed Protege, TXV system. Look at the evap. I bet it's icing over when you lose cooling. And based on what you've done already and your gauge readings I'd say it's likely because of a bad/stuck TXV.
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Apr 17, 2015 15:21
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Motronic posted:Look at the evap. I bet it's icing over when you lose cooling. Yeah it definitely acted like icing (as the cooling went away, the air blowing out felt a lot more damp), and nowhere near as much condensation dripping as I'd expect (the drain is definitely clear). Went and ordered the TXV and a new drier, they'll be here tomorrow, and hopefully I'll have it all buttoned up by tomorrow night. I also managed to drop my service hose on the floor just right to break the fitting.  Got a loaner gauge set from AZ to finish the job, I'll have to get a replacement hose off Amazon or something.
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Apr 18, 2015 01:14
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Home A/C question -- My HVAC system is about 16 years old. should I look at replacing the contactor and coil on the outside unit as periodic maintenance, or should I not worry about it until they fail? Unit was inspected last year and pressures were fine. Other than the fan motor, I haven't replaced anything on it. Analogue question -- what parts of the gas furnace should I replace? Igniter and flame sensor? Anything else?
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May 14, 2015 15:50
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EVERYWHERE 
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meatpimp posted:Home A/C question -- My HVAC system is about 16 years old. should I look at replacing the contactor and coil on the outside unit as periodic maintenance, or should I not worry about it until they fail? Unit was inspected last year and pressures were fine. Other than the fan motor, I haven't replaced anything on it. Yes, you can also give it a quick electrical inspection like torquing connections etc. As well, the coil and contactor will come as one unit, some are even sealed units. When they fail, they can end up welding shut in some cases, and result in a compressor burn out and other nasty things. Cheap insurance. Edit: Gas furnace, just run it until it dies, you can inspect the heat exchanger for cracks etc.
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May 14, 2015 16:14
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What kind of price range should I expect a shop to charge for testing a system for leaks? It's currently r12 and I was originally planning to do it myself; getting the refrigerant (legally) is simple enough, ditto the manifold gauge and swapping out whatever parts from rockauto, but I don't currently have anything to make a vacuum, the valves/hookups to pressure test with nitrogen, and the nitrogen itself in this area is only available in giant quantities rather than renting one of the smaller tanks. The system is old and still holds some of a charge as reported earlier, most likely not enough of one and I obviously need to find out exactly where any potential leaks are before I throw parts at it. I'm assuming what needs to be done is an evacuation of the remaining r12, a fill with nitrogen to test the pressure, adding a dye(d refrigerant?) if the pressure ends up dropping over time, then another evacuation; after that replacing whatever parts, another vacuum, then adding the new r12/oil e: Or should I go the shortcut route and just try blindly adding more r12? The system's ~27 years old, but I'd imagine the levels wouldn't drop without a place to leak from
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May 14, 2015 19:08
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Sentient Data posted:What kind of price range should I expect a shop to charge for testing a system for leaks? It's currently r12 and I was originally planning to do it myself; getting the refrigerant (legally) is simple enough, ditto the manifold gauge and swapping out whatever parts from rockauto, but I don't currently have anything to make a vacuum, the valves/hookups to pressure test with nitrogen, and the nitrogen itself in this area is only available in giant quantities rather than renting one of the smaller tanks. Rubber hoses are porous and will slowly leak out any refrigerant in them. For lots of vehicles, that means that some time after ten years or so, you'll notice the ac not working so well. A quick recharge will get them working again. That could be all that is wrong with yours. Or, you could fill it with some UV dyed refrigerant and look with a black light.
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May 14, 2015 20:48
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I've got a 2007 VW Rabbit that stopped even trying to cool the AC sometime between last summer and this spring. When it last worked, it wouldn't work well when stationary as the secondary fan behind my radiator wasn't turning on, though when in motion the AC cooled fine, albeit getting warm almost as soon as the car dropped below 40mph. I've since fixed the fan issue, but the compressor never tries to cycle on. This engine can't run without either belt, so I know there's not something as obvious as a missing AC belt. I finally got around to testing with a borrowed manifold set and it's got 0 pressure on either side. The set they loan out at Autozone has a set of knobs to engage the valves in the high and low side fittings, and I made sure to back them all the way out before attaching, then I dialed them all the way clockwise. I'm pretty sure the 0 pressure is an accurate reading, but then it started raining so I cut that test short and came back to the office. I'm planning on going after work and trying again just in case I did something wrong, and I'm wondering what I should do if I really have 0 pressure in the AC system of a car that's ~8 years old. Autozone's system says I need 26 oz of refrigerant, so I scooped up a couple of 14 oz cans and the R134 can tap. Is my best bet to put one can with dye in, just assuming I have a leak, or should I fill it to the recommended capacity and hope for the best?
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May 15, 2015 20:55
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An 8 year old car might have lost some refrigerant, but there's 0 doubt you've got a leak if it's anywhere close to 0 psi. Put in a can, the leak should show itself fairly quickly. Get a vacuum pump before you try to actually charge it for real, though. 0 psi gauge pressure = 1 atmosphere of absolute pressure, meaning there's about 14.7 psi worth of air (and water vapor!) inside your lines, which you need to vacuum out before you fill it for running.
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May 15, 2015 22:56
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Enourmo posted:An 8 year old car might have lost some refrigerant, but there's 0 doubt you've got a leak if it's anywhere close to 0 psi. Put in a can, the leak should show itself fairly quickly. Thanks for that, that's what I was afraid of. I'll return one can of refrigerant and put the other in after I buy a UV flashlight.
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May 15, 2015 23:07
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I need to replace the compressor in a SCFF552D commercial freezer aboard a boat. It uses R134a and since it's commercial I'm assuming it can be done without brazing the lines. Anybody know what type of connectors/adapters I'd need to connect my automotive manifold set to this unit? Any ideas on where I could locate a shop manual? EDIT: Holy poo poo. Called the company to ask a few questions. They are the rudest motherfuckers I've talked to this week. I'm just going to recommend a replacement of a different brand. revmoo fucked around with this message at 22:04 on May 26, 2015 |
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May 26, 2015 21:30
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I need to replace the compressor on the wife's Forester due to a slow leak. Filled it with some UV dye and the compressor is speckled in green now. I suspected it was the compressor since it is filthy. The compressor itself is good so I shouldn't have to worry about 'grey sludge' problems. Just want to make sure I get everything I need in one shot so I can finish this in a weekend and don't have to hear about a lack of AC in June in NC. Car parts: Compressor Receiver/Dryer TXP valve (Is this actually needed if the system works when properly charged?) Consumables: proper amount of R-134a PAG oil
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Jun 7, 2015 20:43
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Plan on needing a receiver/dryer and a variety of green HNBR O-rings as well. No O-ring should ever be reused on AC stuff. Clean the ends of lines and fittings obsessively with acetone and even an acid brush (the little tin handled ones, they have natural fiber bristles and won't dissolve in acetone) if there is any grungy stuff stuck to them - before putting the new O-rings on. I think you mean TXV valve but not sure. Whether you need one is a question for Motronic, I don't know the answer to that.
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Jun 7, 2015 23:56
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bigtom posted:Question - the vehicle I drive for work is a 2006 PT Cruiser 2.4 auto (radio station vehicle), and it does not like having the ac on while at a stop light, or even just idling in neutral or park. The compressor will engage, and bog the engine down almost to the point of stalling...then the car will rev a bit to compensate, then the next cycle it happens again, repeat etc. This is a symptom of the condenser A/C fan not working. A very common problem with PT Cruisers. The high speed mode of the fan stops working and when you engage the A/C it will want to bog out at stoplights just like you described. I replaced the fan assembly for a coworkers wife's PT Cruiser a few years back. Its not terribly difficult, you just have to pull the radiator out and replace the fan which is attached to it. Took a few hours. Dealer wanted crazy money to fix so I ordered the fan off of RockAuto and charged him $60 bucks to put it in. They were down on their luck money wise so I helped him out. But yeah, high speed fan isn't working. Google it. djhaloeight fucked around with this message at 00:32 on Jun 8, 2015 |
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Jun 8, 2015 00:27
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djhaloeight posted:This is a symptom of the condenser A/C fan not working. A very common problem with PT Cruisers. The high speed mode of the fan stops working and when you engage the A/C it will want to bog out at stoplights just like you described. I replaced the fan assembly for a coworkers wife's PT Cruiser a few years back. Its not terribly difficult, you just have to pull the radiator out and replace the fan which is attached to it. Took a few hours. Dealer wanted crazy money to fix so I ordered the fan off of RockAuto and charged him $60 bucks to put it in. They were down on their luck money wise so I helped him out. Ended up replacing the condenser fan and the modules - A/C blows nice and cold now with no issues. Car is still crap, but at least I'm not sweating while cursing at it...
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Jun 8, 2015 13:08
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[quote="kastein" post=""446275975"] I think you mean TXV valve but not sure. Whether you need one is a question for Motronic, I don't know the answer to that. [/quote] TXV depends... But I thought the rule of thumb was if you had the black death, you needed to replace as much as possible. (I could be wrong)
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Jun 8, 2015 15:05
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kastein posted:I think you mean TXV valve but not sure. Whether you need one is a question for Motronic, I don't know the answer to that. If everything is working no, you don't NEED one. But if it's cheap and easy to get at then yeah.....just do it (they are usually neither). On cap tube systems you ALWAYS want to do it, because it's jammed into the side of the accumulator (read: dryer equivalent) which you're going to be changing anyway. And cap tubes are like $2.
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Jun 8, 2015 16:44
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It was cheap, but not easy to get to so I'm skipping it. Old compressor was good, just leaked the charge out every 6 months. When I pulled the old compressor I got maybe .5-1oz of oil. Seems lower than what most people get. Should I replace with the same amount or oil or more? Compressor sticker says 150ml.
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Jun 13, 2015 23:29
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FatCow posted:It was cheap, but not easy to get to so I'm skipping it. Old compressor was good, just leaked the charge out every 6 months. When I pulled the old compressor I got maybe .5-1oz of oil. Seems lower than what most people get. Should I replace with the same amount or oil or more? Compressor sticker says 150ml. If you had that little oil out I'd be concerned about the system oil level in general. Is the 150ml on the compressor sticker the SYSTEM volume or what the compressor should come pre filled with? I'd be inclined to put in about 2/3 to 3/4 of the correct entire system volume of oil just to be safe based on what you saw. Make sure you drain the new compressor of oil (if it shipped with it) and measure how much in in there and add/subtract as required. Feel free to re-use the oil (and dump it right back into the compressor before reinstall if all of it that you need will fit). Yeah, too much oil will reduce the effectiveness of the system. But too little will reduce it to zero in a hurry, so I'm pretty conservative about that kind of thing.
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Jun 14, 2015 01:03
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Couldn't too much cause hydrolocking/slugging of the compressor? I always figured the oil quantity was chosen so most would stay in a few places and only enough to lube but not slug the compressor could make its way that far uphill at any given time.
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Jun 14, 2015 13:34
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kastein posted:Couldn't too much cause hydrolocking/slugging of the compressor? I always figured the oil quantity was chosen so most would stay in a few places and only enough to lube but not slug the compressor could make its way that far uphill at any given time. While it can slug the compressor you'd need a WHOLE lot more than the listed capacity in most systems to actually do that. Remember, this oil is miscible in the refrigerant so it's not like it's just sitting around in things when the system is in use. It's being whipped around along with the refrigerant as a homogenous mixture. Use incompatible oil and you definitely will slug the poo poo out of the compressor in short order, even with the right amount.
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Jun 14, 2015 21:18
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Ahh, that's what I was missing. I completely forgot the whole point of using the right oil is that it's miscible with the refrigerant and travels with it.
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Jun 14, 2015 21:28
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So symptoms my girlfriends 97 civic has. Blows nice and cold in the morning. Tends to keep blowing cold until it gets hot out or you have to slow down for stop and go traffic. Never really blows cold again until the next morning. I have recharged it from a vacuum recently but i'm not sure how accurate I was on the amount that I put in. I was shooting for 22oz as I recall but I think i came short of that.
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Jun 14, 2015 21:50
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Time to put a manifold gauge set on it. Anything else is just guessing. Did you read the first posts in the thread?
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Jun 14, 2015 21:57
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Yeah, ive read the post. im sitting on the correct pressure for the temp, as you'd expect. It appears that the compressor is not turning on with the switch when the car is warm. the ac fan does however turn on.
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Jun 15, 2015 00:12
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Sadi posted:Yeah, ive read the post. im sitting on the correct pressure for the temp, as you'd expect. It appears that the compressor is not turning on with the switch when the car is warm. the ac fan does however turn on. I'd suggest trying to run 12v to the clutch directly to see if it will switch on when hot. It's possible that your compressor clutch needs to be adjusted or replaced and is now failing to engage when hot due to a mechanical or electrical issue. You should also check/replace the compressor clutch relay.
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Jun 15, 2015 00:54
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Is it possible the AC just sucked to begin with? My wife's 99 civic had some pretty lovely AC from day one when we got it (in 07). We live in Houston though, which murders AC. Do any Japanese cars come with good AC? I always thought that Ford had the best AC and everyone else was just a pretender. My MIL's navigator was appallingly cold right off of startup.
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Jun 15, 2015 02:35
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