Multiple problems, A/C and battery or alternator?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver, Washington
Multiple problems, A/C and battery or alternator? So heres the situation, I go on a road trip coming from Washington, through Idaho, down to Las Vegas and off to LA. The day before I leave Idaho I changed the oil and accidently left the car in the ON position as i finished. So I leave, forgetting its in the ON position I drained the battery.
So in the morning I jump start it and started my road trip. It dies a couple times when I stop for 20+ minutes for gas/food, no problem I get jump started. So I roll into Nevada and the A/C quits on me, SUCK. I drive through 115 degree weather with the windows down, back sweating profusely.
So the battery died again as I left my hotel, I get jump started and leave to LA. The A/C is still broken. So right now I'm in LA and I figure I need a new battery, so I go out to the car and it starts up with a little lag, probably 2 seconds. And while its idling, its at 2.2k RPM =/
I give it a little gas hoping it would return back down to 800-900k as it should be. But it revs to 4k and slooooowly returns to 2.2k. I put it in drive and it slams into gear, pull forward 5 feet, then put it in park. I figure what the rip, turn it off and start it back up, it idles normally. So I figure I will try to fix the A/C, so i go to the schrader valve and put a gauge on it, 110psi! I drain it down to normal and try filling it up with R-134a. Fill it to the recommended PSI and it still blows warm =/
So I have no clue what's going on? What do you think? My A/C is not working and maybe my battery is bad? Alternator? Condensor? Evaporator? I have no clue, help me!
So in the morning I jump start it and started my road trip. It dies a couple times when I stop for 20+ minutes for gas/food, no problem I get jump started. So I roll into Nevada and the A/C quits on me, SUCK. I drive through 115 degree weather with the windows down, back sweating profusely.
So the battery died again as I left my hotel, I get jump started and leave to LA. The A/C is still broken. So right now I'm in LA and I figure I need a new battery, so I go out to the car and it starts up with a little lag, probably 2 seconds. And while its idling, its at 2.2k RPM =/
I give it a little gas hoping it would return back down to 800-900k as it should be. But it revs to 4k and slooooowly returns to 2.2k. I put it in drive and it slams into gear, pull forward 5 feet, then put it in park. I figure what the rip, turn it off and start it back up, it idles normally. So I figure I will try to fix the A/C, so i go to the schrader valve and put a gauge on it, 110psi! I drain it down to normal and try filling it up with R-134a. Fill it to the recommended PSI and it still blows warm =/
So I have no clue what's going on? What do you think? My A/C is not working and maybe my battery is bad? Alternator? Condensor? Evaporator? I have no clue, help me!
TECH Addict
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,591
Likes: 1
From: Massachusetts
Normally your car should be able to run without a battery, but the battery could be dead and be sucking all of the juice out of your alternator.
But most likely the alternator is dead, or perhaps both.
If your car starts via any means, and it dies due to lack of power, at all, then you have a problem with your battery or charging system. No exceptions. "It dies a couple times when I stop for 20+ minutes for gas/food, no problem I get jump started." -- wrong. You should have known better.
But most likely the alternator is dead, or perhaps both.
If your car starts via any means, and it dies due to lack of power, at all, then you have a problem with your battery or charging system. No exceptions. "It dies a couple times when I stop for 20+ minutes for gas/food, no problem I get jump started." -- wrong. You should have known better.
TECH Addict
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,012
Likes: 0
From: Tulsa, OK
You have a problem, but not with the quantity of refrigerant in the system. Does the compressor clutch engage? Did you evacuate the system? Did you look to see if the condenser is plugged with bugs and crap? Need more info.
