Anybody know much about A/C?

[AKMark]

Well, with temps above 100, I tried to use the A/C and the compressor is running, but I get no cold air through the vents. I know the blend door actuator is working, because when I move it to hot, it burns me, but in max cool, it's just as warm as the outside air. I have plenty of air coming through my condenser, and I have verified the low side is close to where it should be, 35psi. I have not put a guage on the high side yet, but will try to do so this week.

When I turn the A/C on, the low side line gets cold to the touch, not freezing, like some of mine have in the past, but cool. The Hi side line gets hot, which is what is supposed to happen, I think.

If anyone has any ideas what I should try next, I'd appreciate it. This is on my 97 Suburban, with the TD.

The only thing I can think of is that moisture is in the lines and I may need to purge and refill it to make it work.

Thanks for the help in advance, and yes if I were up there right now, I wouldn't worry about it, but I'm not and will have to put up with a full summer here, and YIKES is it hot.

[Stumblinman]

First of all I think it's rather funny you're asking a bunch of guys in Alaska about AC. Second if you had a jeep you could just take your doors off. OKOK so have you tried recharging it? The cans with the hose and guage already on it are only about $15 last time I bought one at wally world. They're pretty simple to use. (comes with instructions) and they don't require any special tools.

[99TJ]

You would probably need a full set of manifold guages to really be able to do anything, you might try adding a can of freon, but not sure what that will do for you. I'm not the A/C expert like my dad, wish I could help you more.

[AKMark]

First of all I think it's rather funny you're asking a bunch of guys in Alaska about AC. Second if you had a jeep you could just take your doors off. OKOK so have you tried recharging it? The cans with the hose and guage already on it are only about $15 last time I bought one at wally world. They're pretty simple to use. (comes with instructions) and they don't require any special tools.

I know we haven't met, but many of the club members are close friends of mine. I know several of them are very keen when it comes to fixing cars and trucks. I'd ask them questions and trust them before I go asking anybody else on any forum anywhere. I only left AK thanks to a forced move from the BRAC. I cannot get my family into a Jeep with removeable doors, unless I buy brand new, which isn't in the cards. I've had several Jeeps, (2 XJ's, a YJ, a WJ, and a built up ZJ) and it would take a lot for me to buy another.

I said, that I checked the freon level, and it's right on. The can with a guage is what I used to check it.

99TJ, thanks, I may pick a set of full guages up later today.

[Zukman]

What is the pressure it should be 20 to45 psi on the low side and 10 to 150 on the high
side. You realy need a set of proper gauges to read both sides. if the pressure looks good. check the evap core and make sure it is clean. ( can use a tooth brush ).
I work and reefer trailers for a living.

[AKMark]

Low side is 35, still need to get the proper gauge for the high side.

[Zukman]

That pressure is ok, could be better. I you can check the pipes going in to the evap
( the one in the cab ) one should what looks like a block on it. this the high side.
it should be cold , the other one should be warm. is the clutch ingaged? the center should be spinning with a/c on.

[Stumblinman]

I must apologize I didn't know this was a serious no nonsense forum. I will refrain from commenting on the lighter side to your questions in the future if need be. As far as the door comment it is because it is a running joke with my family/friends because I grew up in little Jeeps and have never had a/c in them. If you were hot it meant you weren't driving fast enough.

I've only seen the guages being sold for around $80 and up which if you aren't going to use them a lot it doesn't seem worth the $ in my book. Although I didn't think about the skill shop on base maybe having them. If you have a sight port you can look for bubbles. If it has a lot/looks foamy it's low. (yes I know you've checked it but this is also a tell-tale sign which you can file away as useless knowledge)

Good luck.

[AKMark]

The low side has been cold and the high side hot. The clutch is working fine and works as advertised.

With the compressor off, the pressure equalizes. (Well the low side goes up to 80 psi) When it's running it drops to 35psi. I've had a Suburban forum tell me to check my air blending doors, and that would make sense except that I have dual zone A/C (front and Rear) and neither is working. So either both sets of doors jammed, or something is amiss in the system.

[AKMark]

I must apologize I didn't know this was a serious no nonsense forum. I will refrain from commenting on the lighter side to your questions in the future if need be. As far as the door comment it is because it is a running joke with my family/friends because I grew up in little Jeeps and have never had a/c in them. If you were hot it meant you weren't driving fast enough.

I've only seen the guages being sold for around $80 and up which if you aren't going to use them a lot it doesn't seem worth the $ in my book. Although I didn't think about the skill shop on base maybe having them. If you have a sight port you can look for bubbles. If it has a lot/looks foamy it's low. (yes I know you've checked it but this is also a tell-tale sign which you can file away as useless knowledge)

Good luck.

I'm sorry if I came across as mad, I wasn't. Since I didn't know you I answered all the questions you sent in your first post.

I used to have a Trans Am and for the first six months I had it, I utilized 2-80 A/C. Worked well, until temps soared into the 110's, then I shelled out the money for R-12 and had 32 degree temps coming through the vents. I couldn't run the A/C for more than fifteen minutes straight on a road trip, and I love the cold. I miss that freezing cold A/C.

[Zukman]

No problem dude, check to see if the controls are vacuum or electric. ( vacuum sucks )
If they are vac use a vacuum gauge like us old guy used for are carbs. you should pull
5 to 10 on it. your truck has a electric or eng driven vacuum pump.( sense diesels
don't pull vacuum at the intake. check the hose under the hood.

[AKMark]

Electric controls

I have a vacuum pump but the only thing it's routed to is the Turbo wastegate.

[justimpact]

you may have a restriction in the sys or a stuck thermo expantion valve older vehcles but newer vehicles have what is known as a FOT (fixed orfice tube) spell check if these are not operating it will cause enouh of restriction in flow and cause high low side pressures and low highside pressues just my .02c

[trailkilla]

Are they controlled by a fuse in your fuse block or tied into another system some how?

[Zukman]

Some are tied in to the engine/ vehicle controls. i.e. engine running, eng temp. fan on,
a/c fan over ride.

[AKMark]

Well, I went out and played with it a little today. Still haven't rechecked the pressures, will do that tomorrow.

But I did note that I need to clean out the part (cannot remember the name) that is in front of my radiator, it's got lots of bugs.

While driving home tonight with the A/C set to max both front and rear, the rear worked fine. The front was still warm, but it felt as if it got something, but not enough. So I'm thinking that maybe the little guage I used was defective and I am actually low on freon. The rear A/C lines are lower in physical position than the front, so maybe with low pressure the rear works and not the front.

I'll report back tomorrow.

[AKMark]

Some are tied in to the engine/ vehicle controls. i.e. engine running, eng temp. fan on,
a/c fan over ride.

Mechanical fan, electric blend door, electric position actuator.

Everything in the switches seem to work as advertised.

[Zukman]

Are the actuators electric motors or do they look like small cylinders with to wires that
run in to them.

[Zukman]

This cylinder type are thremo actuators. they heat up when you send power to them
they fail offend.

[AKMark]

Well, the hobby shop at Beale does not allow anyone but their own mechanics to use their A/C filling and recovery system. They claim it's state law that only an ASE certified tech can use it, and shop policy that only the hired mechanics may use it. Jerks!

I have done some checking with the temp sliders, they are working fine. Any movement from the cool side starts bringing in warmer air from the heater core. There is no problem with the controls, but am now certain that I'm low on freon.

I'll try to get that remedied in the next day or two.

[AKMark]

Well, it's fixed.

Went and got a new servicing hose, as mine broke. At idle, it read 30 psi after being run for 5 minutes. However at 1200-1500 RPM's (which the good folks at http://www.thedieselpage.com told me to check it at) brought it in to the 20 psi range, where the compressor shut off. So two cans of freon later ($6.70 each) and I have nice cold A/C both front and back.

Now I have three friends from work coming over in the next couple days to check their freon levels and to top off as necessary.

Thanks for the help!

[Zukman]

No problem, it is hard to troubleshoot something you can touch or look at.

[Stumblinman]

so have you tried recharging it? The cans with the hose and guage already on it are only about $15 last time I bought one at wally world. They're pretty simple to use. (comes with instructions) and they don't require any special tools.

:whistle:
:poke: sometimes the answer is just poking you in the face.

Glad you got it working.

[turboL]

take it outside, purge the system of all the old coolant, and recharge it. or do like i did with the dodge and pull the doors off. haha just make sure u got mirrors, that was a fun ticket for me