A/C HELP!!!!! Please its gonna get hot this summer

[Sixstringterror]

I have an issue with my A/C..When i tryed to recharge my system, on the first can the dial gauge that came with the kit showed that the pressure was way to high..(in the red)...It only stayed in the red when I had the can all the way opened..I tryed turning the can valve down to where it was barely open and it stayed in the green...Then after about half of the first can the compressor kicked on and the gauge dropped down alot...I then turned up the valve to wide open and it was in the green until the compressor kicked off and it shot up to way in the red...After 2 and a half cans the compressor kept coming on and off and the air in the car was getting cold and then the compressor clutch started slowing down and finnaly quite turning...I noticed that the lines were real hot as also the compressor...Dont know where to go from here...Could it be the compressor or is the lines stopped up or what?....Please help and if you need anymore info I'll get it for you.....You guys ROCK!!!!!!!!Tim

 

[turbo2nr]

I'd trade almost all of it all in for rebuilt/new stuff and start over.

One bad part can keep you from comfort. New o-rings, compressor, evap, ???

I'm no A/C expert, but sounds like you got crap/broken parts in your system. Too hard to clean out.

 

[Sixstringterror]

I'd trade almost all of it all in for rebuilt/new stuff and start over.

One bad part can keep you from comfort. New o-rings, compressor, evap, ???

I'm no A/C expert, but sounds like you got crap/broken parts in your system. Too hard to clean out.

I had system apart and cleaned out everything except from evaporator back to condensor in dash...It has all new Orings.....

 

[Scott Atk]

Your original question is normal operation, without the compressor running,
your system pressures will equalize around 100 psi (varies with ambient temp.)When the compressor kicks in the low side pressure will drop to somewhere between 0 and 35 psi. I'ts also normal for the compressor to cycle on and off with low pressure (ie. low charge) As you service the system it should cycle less and less and eventually the compressor should more or less stay engaged.
Did you vacuum the system after you replaced the parts? if not there's a whole lot of air in the system and it won't run right.

 

[scot w.]

I have an issue with my A/C..When i tryed to recharge my system, on the first can the dial gauge that came with the kit showed that the pressure was way to high..(in the red)...It only stayed in the red when I had the can all the way opened..I tryed turning the can valve down to where it was barely open and it stayed in the green...Then after about half of the first can the compressor kicked on and the gauge dropped down alot...I then turned up the valve to wide open and it was in the green until the compressor kicked off and it shot up to way in the red...After 2 and a half cans the compressor kept coming on and off and the air in the car was getting cold and then the compressor clutch started slowing down and finnaly quite turning...I noticed that the lines were real hot as also the compressor...Dont know where to go from here...Could it be the compressor or is the lines stopped up or what?....Please help and if you need anymore info I'll get it for you.....You guys ROCK!!!!!!!!Tim

If your system is cycling on and off it's your low pressure switch. and it probably shut the compressor down cause of the low pressure (Low charge). Heres my recomendation, Take all the refrigerant out and take it to a shop and have someone who does this on a regular basis charge it and go from there or you'll due nothing but throw money at it, yea, you could replace every part in the system and not really know what really was the problem. Think ! all you'll be out is the cost of a charge! and if it holds, you'll be fine. if it don't they will be able to tell you exactly what the problem is and then just fix that. My system is 20yrs old! seals, evaporator, compressor and it still works GREAT!! I used RB-276 (Very close to R-12) and ALOT colder than 134a. I didn't have any charge in my system at all to start with, I pulled a vacume on it for about one hour then hooked up the refrigerant and weighed in 3.5lbs. A good vacume should pull very close to the charge, if not start the car and turn your A/C on MAX and add the rest of the charge in when running. Iv'e done 5 TR's this past summer and everyone of them NEVER had to replace anything! and two of the cars had nothing in them when i started and they are still doing fine.. I know these are sealed systems but at this point iv'e got two customers that are doing fine now after charging them when they were dry. just my .02 worth Scot w.

 

[turbo2nr]

Sorry, don't take off everything then.

I thought your compressor was shot??

If so, I would throw everything away, except the easy to clean lines, but apparently, nobody seems to have had them break?

 

[jpwalt1987]

the problem that will happen with the a/c lines isnt really that they break. Its that they deteriorate(sp?). you will end up with a ton of black rubber trash on the orifice tube and that means it is in the condensor also. good luck. jeremy

 

[Sixstringterror]

the problem that will happen with the a/c lines isnt really that they break. Its that they deteriorate(sp?). you will end up with a ton of black rubber trash on the orifice tube and that means it is in the condensor also. good luck. jeremy

That may be true...When I replaced the orings I also replaced the orfice tube and it was clumped full of trash...Maybe the evaporator is full too...I just wonder if the condinser is trashed.....

 

[gsgns4me]

I used RB-276 (Very close to R-12) and ALOT colder than 134a. Scot w.

Pardon me, I don't mean to hi-jack Tim's thread, but..........

What is RB276, where do you get it, and can it just be added to an R-12 system or do you have to evacuate the system then fully charge with RB-276?

 

[jpwalt1987]

Generally the only time an evaporator goes bad is if it leaks. the orifice tube usually catches all the trash in the system. I have had to change hundreds of condensors and only a handful of evapoartor cores. It is sometimes impossible to flush all the trash out of a condensor so it is best just to replace it. One spec of trash on the orifice tube and you are back to square one. I have used HC-12A for refrigerant. If you have a frontmount intercooler than i wouldnt use it, as the high side pressures run higher than with r-12. I ran it in my 94 chevy 2500 and it would blow 34 degrees and it also would coll off much faster. good luck and if you need any more help just ask. jeremy

 

[Dr.drivability]

A/c

All great ideas, now lets get to diagnosing and repairing your A/C. Obviously, you have or had a leak. Inspect every component of you system for compressor oil leaking. Typically a large refrigerant leak will accompany a compressor oil leak. If all looks clean and dry, have system evacuated (a must if you want your compressor to live!!!!!) and recharged w/ one pound of R-12 w/ dye tracer. It's still available just expensive, that's why I rec only one pound for leak testing. At this point any reputable A/C tech should be able to detect your leak or install the other 2.5lbs. This is the textbook, correct way to go. This is how I handle my customers. I don't agree w/ cocktails of refrigerant/oil combos. R-12 and PAG for my GN and corvette!

 

[scot w.]

Dye is Another waste of money! There is absolutely no reason for it when you can hook your gauges to the car and test for leaks with 75psi (or less) of nitrogen! simple, alot cheaper and if the gauges drop from the desired set point, there's a leak!! then use a bottle of soap & water mixed (more soap the better) and spray around everything, you'll find it! As far as the cocktails go about oils, there are direct drop in refrigerants and RB-276 aka R-420a from "CHOICE". You DO NOT have to change oils or Orrifices or anything!! It's a direct drop in for 134a, r-12, and 502. It's ozone freindly, Non-Toxic, Non-Flamable. Just take it to a good reputable place and be done with it. On here there may be people who know about this stuff but we sure can't fix it from the key board. I myself have been in the Industial, comercial, residencial, automotive H.V.A.C-R trade for along time now and have my diploma in H.V.A.C-R not just a cetificate to use refrigerants. there is a big differance there! Chime back in when you get it taken care of, Good luck! Scot w.

 

[83ttypecooled]

Rb276

Hi,
Regarding this refrigerant,it is a direct replacement for R12, comes with a small oil content as well, I think it's ester oil.The high side pressures with this refrigerant are substantially lower than with 134a. Cooling seems to be better too. This is a blend, and as I remember, contains some 134a.
Also, as I recall,the R12 charge weight should not be repeated with Rb276. I think 75% of R12 volume is sufficient.

 

[Dr.drivability]

A/c

Dye is not expensive and is extremely accurate, especially on a 20 year old car that may have several leaks. Nit testing is not even recognized as safe or accurate by ASE, ASC, any other legit auto service organizations and certainly not by General Motors! And I dont just have a certificate. I have an automotive degree from Central Texas College. I'm not trying to bust anyone's balls but, there are proper ways of doing things and these cars deserve the respect of doing them right!! After all, were not working on beat up neons or cavaliers here.

 

[scot w.]

Hi,
Regarding this refrigerant,it is a direct replacement for R12, comes with a small oil content as well, I think it's ester oil.The high side pressures with this refrigerant are substantially lower than with 134a. Cooling seems to be better too. This is a blend, and as I remember, contains some 134a.
Also, as I recall,the R12 charge weight should not be repeated with Rb276. I think 75% of R12 volume is sufficient.

Correct! The R-12 amount orriginally was 3.25lbs. with RB-276 it's supposed to be 80% of the orriginal charge. I usually go with 3.00lbs and it works GREAT!! Here is a comparison of the three refigerants at 110deg.F

1) Choice R-420a (RB-276) 131.1
2) R-12 -------------------- 136.4
3) HFC-134a --------------- 146.8

At 110 -120deg F. R-12 & RB-276 are the same (EXACTLY!) On my chart it shows as the temp goes up RB-276 actually cools BETTER than R-12.. BTW: You can put 10 plumbers in a room and get 10 different ways to plumb the same building, Looks like it's the same in H.V.A.C-R!! With 12 certificate's on my office wall and one of them being " The Selection and use of Alternative Refrigerants" one would think I know something about "Cocktails"!!! :biggrin:

 

[scot w.]

Dye is not expensive and is extremely accurate, especially on a 20 year old car that may have several leaks. Nit testing is not even recognized as safe or accurate by ASE, ASC, any other legit auto service organizations and certainly not by General Motors! And I dont just have a certificate. I have an automotive degree from Central Texas College. I'm not trying to bust anyone's balls but, there are proper ways of doing things and these cars deserve the respect of doing them right!! After all, were not working on beat up neons or cavaliers here.

So what your saying you would rather do is make a customer pay for a WASTED 1lb of R-12 and some dye to chase down a leak as apossed to using some nitrogen to boot the system up and find a leak that way? Wasn't R-12 NOT ozone freindly? then why would you put it in a system as a leak detector and have it leak back into the air? What company do you work for? I'd be willing to bet that ASE, ASC don't have you checking leaks with R-12! You got "a" Automotive degree, Good! Just to let you in on something here, your arguing here with someone that has a degree in Residential, comercial, industrial AND automotive " Thats four". I still would like to know who you work for!! And to the guy with this thread, Sorry about the outcome of your thread! This seams to happen everytime there is something on here about A/C problems. Scot w.

 

[Dr.drivability]

A/c

So what your saying you would rather do is make a customer pay for a WASTED 1lb of R-12 and some dye to chase down a leak as apossed to using some nitrogen to boot the system up and find a leak that way? Wasn't R-12 NOT ozone freindly? then why would you put it in a system as a leak detector and have it leak back into the air? What company do you work for? I'd be willing to bet that ASE, ASC don't have you checking leaks with R-12! You got "a" Automotive degree, Good! Just to let you in on something here, your arguing here with someone that has a degree in Residential, comercial, industrial AND automotive " Thats four". I still would like to know who you work for!! And to the guy with this thread, Sorry about the outcome of your thread! This seams to happen everytime there is something on here about A/C problems. Scot w.

This thread has nothing to do with commercial, industrial, or residential. I don't pretend to know anything those fields. I deal with automotive everyday 60plus hours a week. And just for your info, R-134A has also been deemed non ozone friendly and is currently being replaced!! And yes, GM Ford, and Crysler all out line proceedures for leak checking with refrigerant and dye. In fact I could even provide you with mopar part numbers for R-12 Tracer Dye complete w/ action stickers to be affixed to the vehicle when it's installed. The key is not being stupid and cranking 5lbs through the system when finding a leak. Hell for all we know, next week nitrogen may be considered non ozone friendly. Remember, R134A was supposed to be the answer.

 

[Hawaiian Turbo]

I would take out the rec/dryer,and expansion valve. Flush the system with a/c flushing solution and comp air. Install new valve and dryer, leaving the dryer capped till the last minute. Evacuate for an hour and install freon. I would not use N2 as it is an inert gas(displaces oxygen,odorless,dangerous gas). Since 134 is relatively cheap, I personally think it's worth a shot just see if it was low on freon.