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weird a/c issue

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Old Jul 6, 2004 | 02:15 PM
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Default weird a/c issue

I recently had to change the peice that is in side the valve where you put freon in the a/c system (dont know what it is called), and my a/c was working great for about two days.

then my compressor started to shut on and off again, and i noticed when i tested the pressure of the system it was quite high, which was causing the compressor to shut on and off.

Now, i drained the system and recharged and made sure it had the right amount of pressure, and my car still does it. And i noticed the silver cylinder (condensor?) doesn't get cold yet the line leading from the front of the car (radiator?) does.

Does this sound like the filters are clogged or my compressor finally took a **** on me?
Travis
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Old Jul 7, 2004 | 09:33 PM
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From what little I know about A/C stuff. Yes, too much pressure would cause the compressor to cycle.
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Old Jul 7, 2004 | 09:48 PM
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The accumulator should be cold, Maybe you have a leak? Low system pressure will cause the compressure to cycle as well. Unfourtunetly your gonna need to check the pressures of the system to start with just to determine what the problem is. You may have a restriction internal to the system, like an oriffice tube plugged or just a bad pressure switch.
As for what you replaced was it the low side schrader valve?
Why ? Was it leaking / not seating? Still leaking now?
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Old Jul 7, 2004 | 09:51 PM
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I drained the system and refilled it and it still did this. The lines leading to the condensor are ice cold, yet the condensor is not. it stays warm. I dont use the a/c much at all however i need to use the defrost as it gets quite humid especially at night and the windsheild fogs up. the defrost works off the compressor.

Now when i turn on the defrost it does work somewhat but the car runs like ****. and when i turn on the a/c it will blow slightly cool air. hence why this leads me to point a finger at the condensor. If one or both of the filters were clogged would it cause this issue where teh condensor doesnt get cold?
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Old Jul 7, 2004 | 09:58 PM
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Originally Posted by wrencher
The accumulator should be cold, Maybe you have a leak? Low system pressure will cause the compressure to cycle as well. Unfourtunetly your gonna need to check the pressures of the system to start with just to determine what the problem is. You may have a restriction internal to the system, like an oriffice tube plugged or just a bad pressure switch.
As for what you replaced was it the low side schrader valve?
Why ? Was it leaking / not seating? Still leaking now?
it was the piece that went inside the shrader valve that wa son the accumulator, i think i was referring to it as the condensor. please excuse my lack of knowledge i really have no clue about a/c systems, i tore mine out of my mustang so i haven't used one in a long while.

the peice that i took out of the shrader was a little peice that had an o ring on it, the o ring on the original peice was busted off some how and yes i did have a leak but that fixed it. i depressurized the system then repressurized it to the specs i got from the dealership (which i located on this board as being correct). all i can think is with the compressor cutting in and out it probably was grinding and little metal shavings may have gotten into the filters.

am i atleast going in teh right direction?
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Old Jul 7, 2004 | 10:03 PM
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The condenser gets hot, the accumulator gets cold. The A.C. will not cycle from too much pressure only too low. What are your gauge readings and are the needles steady? If you hold it at say 2500 rpm's the low side should be around 30 and the high side should not be above 325 (though it could be a lot lower, like 250 or so). If the condenser is not getting hot it sounds like its undercharged. Does the fan come on with the A.C. (it should to cool the condenser)? Are you pulling a vacuum on the system before you shoot in a new charge + inject 2 ounces of oil each time you evacuate. Like was said check the oriface tube because if the compressor is failing thats what will catch the debris and clog.
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Old Jul 7, 2004 | 10:08 PM
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i didn't do the recharging and what not a shop did, they followed the manual they had for ls1's so im guessing they did it right. he did tell me he put oil because he said it helps with the operation of the compressor? i dunno he told me but he might as well been speaking greek, all i could answer was..."so you wanna put an ory pipe and catback on my car " lol

where is the accumulator where is the condensor? which is the big silver thing near my cruise control ****?
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Old Jul 7, 2004 | 10:13 PM
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The accumulator is the silver tank on the pass. side, the condenser looks like a radiator and is sandwiched in front of the radiator. If it was a shop working on it what was their diagnosis?
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Old Jul 7, 2004 | 10:13 PM
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Did you charge it with 26-28 ounces of R-134?
The small line of the compressor is it getting hot while running (should)?
It goes to the inlet of the condenser (in the front of the radiator).
The line out of there should be warm to the evaporator core ( inside blower heater case)+ at the end of this line where it connects to the evaporator core is where you find the oriffice tube. Then the larger line out of the evaporator core thru accumulator & back to compressor should be cool. All this of course while system is running.
If something is amiss it will be evident here & this is when pressure gauges are a big help.
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Old Jul 7, 2004 | 10:18 PM
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the accumulator was not geting cold, that was the part i kept putting my hand on. I dont know much about a/c systems but i KNOW that one is supposed to get cold and it wasn't however the line leading from the condensor to the accumulator was ICE cold. the lines thereafter were not getting cold.

it was filled with 26 ounces of R-134. the shops diagnostic was to fix the leak i noticed when i took the schrader valve off. that originally fixed it great, it wasn't till about 75 miles later i noticed the car running like ****. when the a/c compressor would kick on and off i could feel a power loss, almost like a clutch slipping. but i know its not that its directly linked to the a/c compressor shutting off and coming back on. the car was hooked up to a machine with gauges on it, and it was working very well. as stated before 75 miles later, i noticed the power loss and i checked it out and the pressure would spike.

fans were on and working properly.
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