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One thing I'd like to point out - newer cans of 134 are self-sealing, and use a different type of tap. That caught me off guard last year. Also, inexplicably, grocery stores sometimes sell 134 for cheaper than parts stores, sometimes beating Walmart or at least being on par with them. Where I work (a Texas-only grocer), we sell 12oz of straight 134a for $5. Walmart sells a different brand for $4.88, or the same brand/SKU as my employer for $9.
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Jun 15, 2021 05:54
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Check resistance/continuity across the compressor clutch. It shouldn't be a dead short, but it should have continuity between 1 pin and ground (you can just use a bare bolt nearby for ground). It should ohm out to a few ohms, give or take? If that checks out, make sure the clutch is getting power - one pin on the plug to it should have ~12V (probably a little above) with the engine on/AC engaged, the other should be ground. It may even have just 1 wire going to the compressor, grounding through the body (I know Honda used to do this in the 80s). If there's no power to the clutch, check fuses, check relays, check your high and low pressure switches. I think I've covered the extreme basic stuff... Also, specific year and model will help a lot. If it's 50 PSI and a R134a system, and it's roughly 80-85F outside, then you're just seeing static pressure from an unknown amount of liquid refrigerant in the system. Both sides will be equal if it hasn't run in a bit (by a bit, I mean an hour or two tops).
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Aug 4, 2021 08:16
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Bringing this back from the dead. It's hot in Texas already. Figured I'd slap gauges on the 'Vic. I don't have any complaints about the AC, only things I've noticed is the compressor doesn't cycle at all with the fan on anything but the lowest setting (then it seems to cycle off for 10 seconds, on for ~30). It looks like the low pressure cutout is what's making it cycle with the fan on low, it cuts out right at 20 PSI, cuts back in at 30. Low side seems a little low, high side a bit high, but both sides equalize within 1 minute of shutting off the AC. Engine was already warm (just got home from the grocery store), and the condenser is starting to shed a little (looks like most of a row of fins is trying to escape). The fins aren't really damaged, it's... just getting old (2007 model). Since it's still cooling fine, should I just wait for a problem to show up, or should I proactively start looking for a blockage? I did notice it bubbling from the low side schrader, but I don't have one o dem fancy core swap tools that let you swap it without recovering the system (can't hear anything once the cap is back on, and I've had the car right at a year without touching the AC). Ambient is 75F, PCM was commanding the engine fan at 50%. Still R134a. Someone's been in here before, it's full of dye.  If I do need to do the condenser, I'll probably swap to 152 at that point and replace the accumulator (a known weak spot on these, they rust out around the bottom bracket) - I can't pass a gas station with the AC on, 152 has lower running pressures, which should hopefully translate into less drag on the engine. Annoyingly, the transmission cooler is part of the condenser... randomidiot fucked around with this message at 14:07 on May 30, 2022 |
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May 30, 2022 13:59
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meatpimp posted:It's 2022, time to update the thread. Flashing AC light on GM generally means either it's shut off the compressor because you're currently trying to break the firewall with the throttle, or a pressure switch is keeping it from turning on (high or low - in your case, I really doubt it's a high pressure switch). Not all models will flash the light when you stomp it; I seem to remember W bodies doing it, but the light is so far down on the dash (physically) that you don't notice it unless you're looking right at it. EDIT or it's just too cold for the compressor to work, thank you Kia. Toyota is generally the same, except they don't flash the light on WOT (they just shut off the compressor until you get tired of hearing that poor 1ZZ-FE trying to suck power out of a tiny straw). At least on models with the auto climate control; no idea on the full manual stuff. Mom's Avalon had the full auto setup and was constantly flashing the AC light after stepshit paid a shop to replace the condenser (just a slight overcharged... to the point that the car tried to snap your neck when the AC compressor kicked on if you were doing ~25-30). e: vvvv that too. randomidiot fucked around with this message at 18:42 on Jun 9, 2022 |
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Jun 9, 2022 18:39
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For it to not hold ANY pressure, you have a very large and angry catastrophic leak somewhere. Condenser would be my first guess, they get abused by rocks and stuff since they literally have a front row seat to anything coming at the car.
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Jun 11, 2022 07:52
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Deceptor101 posted:I'm guessing its R134 as the shop didn't mention anything, and all the parts for the AC are Escort/Tracer 94-96 specific. 1994 was the first year that R134 was required in cars in the US. Some car makers switched earlier.
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Jul 9, 2022 03:55
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 That would be fine if it was ~60-70 outside. It was almost 110.  Shot a full can and some dye into the Matrix; still appears to be a bit undercharged, but it's blowing 45-50 out of the vents now. Power washed the engine bay, in a couple of weeks I'll break out the UV light and see what glows. Tried to get new AC port caps at Advance Auto, but the ones they had weren't threaded at all.  e: the high side port cap has been missing for a long time. After power washing it was bubbling a little, so there's at least one leak there. I heard a very slight psst removing the low side cap too, so once I figure out where all the leaks are, I'll go ahead and swap the schraders and pull a vacuum. They're 18 years old anyway, I'm surprised the AC hasn't needed work before now. randomidiot fucked around with this message at 23:33 on Jul 10, 2022 |
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Jul 10, 2022 23:16
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No, it wouldn't keep the AC from turning on - what's keeping it from turning on is lack of pressure in the system. But I'm betting your oil light does NOT come on with key on/engine off... (hint: it should come on during key on/engine off, then go off shortly after starting). The compressor shouldn't engage until there's pressure in the system. You're going to need to replace the dryer again when you get to this; the schrader valves won't stay closed under vacuum, so it sucked in plenty of air the moment you disconnected the vacuum pump (or may have even sucked in air through that uncapped port on the compressor). Those look like R-12 ports to me. No idea why there's 2 sets though. I'm guessing the ones right at the compressor are for the factory fill? randomidiot fucked around with this message at 21:59 on Jul 17, 2022 |
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Jul 17, 2022 21:56
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Deceptor101 posted:It did seem like the gauge was maybe leaking out the "burp" valve (the one pointing perpendicular out from the gauges) and it did seem like it took longer than a video I've seen to pull the can in. The question is, now I don't know how much is in there, right? Should I rent a different tool and slowly add until the numbers on the high side look better? That's short cycling for sure, though I wouldn't expect it to kick back out until a little lower. If it was leaking out of the center schrader on the gauges, you need a different set of gauges. If it was leaking from the hose fitting, it wasn't tight enough. Aim for the low end of pressures suggested by this chart and go from there. 
randomidiot fucked around with this message at 10:57 on Jul 20, 2022 |
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Jul 20, 2022 10:55
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FWIW a lot of older Fords do the same poo poo when the fan switch goes bad. I was getting pretty much identical voltages at the fan motor when my switch crapped (unless I tried grounding to the body.. then I got a solid 12V no matter what position the switch was in)... for some reason Ford runs the full ground current through the switch and resistor.
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Jul 30, 2022 03:23
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From opening. Sitting empty would imply it was open to atmosphere, but they removed 3/4 of a pound, so it wasn't empty. I would want the dealer to replace the dryer though. It'll probably make it out of their 1 year warranty just fine without replacing it, but over time the moisture can do Bad Things to everything. randomidiot fucked around with this message at 03:30 on Sep 4, 2022 |
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Sep 4, 2022 03:27
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The reason is EVs have a hermetically sealed electric compressor, like your fridge, home AC, etc. A little bit of Googling suggests the UV dye may make the oil either start conducting electricity, or it'll turn acidic and eat the insulation off of the windings. A little digging suggests TSI Supercool 24940 Hybrid A/C Compressor Oil is what you need to refill it with, as far as oil anyway. Also, some EVs were early adopters of alternatives to R134a, so there's that.
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Oct 31, 2022 04:27
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When a compressor fails, it's best to just assume the refrigerant is contaminated and can't be reused. Once it's evacuated and the compressor lines are unhooked, you can evaluate from there, but if there's any hint of black death, sludge, metal shavings, etc, plan to replace most, if not all, of the system. You can SOMETIMES flush a lot of it out, but you'll have to install a filter to keep the warranty on the compressor.
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May 14, 2023 00:05
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| # ¿ May 9, 2024 11:31 |
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Had a minor freakout yesterday. Been a solid year since I've touched AC. Then I remembered "hey idiot, you haven't even started the car yet, and it's been sitting long enough for everything to equalize"   SO's car was definitely low - showing 40 PSI low, 120 high, when it was >100 degrees in the shade. Got it up to 45/225, which is still low given the outside temp, but I only had about half a can of refrigerant on hand - and my hoses seem to be leaking a little. At least it's blowing actual cold air now, instead of "less than the surface of the sun, but not comfortable". Any of you guys used ZeroR? It's supposed to be a drop in replacement for 134, though I'm not sure if you can play chemist/mix them (probably not). It seems to be cheaper than 134 at this point, and seeing as I had to top the car off twice last summer, there's definitely a leak somewhere. Also a good source for schrader caps would be nice; I picked up some generic ones from Advance last year, but they didn't fit. The high side schrader is definitely leaking slightly, and I've already tried tightening it; I think having a cap on it with an o-ring will help quite a bit. Obviously I'll be dumping some UV dye in soon and looking for leaks, and replacing the schraders whenever I do find the leak - just trying to limp it through the hottest part of summer for now. I want nothing to do with replacing half an AC system when it's 105 in the shade. randomidiot fucked around with this message at 12:51 on Jul 14, 2023 |
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Jul 14, 2023 12:47
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