hi guys,
my a/c all of a sudden wont bow out cold air. I popped the hood and noticed the compressor starts to turn and then stops and then starts to turn again and then stop. Basically the compressor doesnt turn without stopping every few turns, is that normal? Does this mean the compressor has gone bad? HELP , I live in florida and its HOTTT!!!!

Thanks, any input will be much appreciated!!!!

 

A low charge is one cause of excessive clutch cycling, which can lead to the compressor overheating and seizing. Get your AC system checked out before its too late.

If you're tight on money and want to take a chance on this, you can buy a low side R134a recharge kit (with gauge) from Autozone, or Pep Boys, or Kragen, etc. You can use the gauge to check your low side pressure and if its too low, then you can charge the low side with R134a in hopes it does the trick. Most of the R134a cans at the auto parts stores contain stop leak in addition to lube, but there's no guarantees this will fix your problem and you might be out another $30 or so. Adding R134a to the low side is a simple DIY job, but looking at this problem from just the low side doesn't give you the complete picture.

The best solution is to have have somebody experienced with the right tools check out your system. They can use a refrigerant recycling/recharging tool to recover and measure the weight of the A/C system refrigerant charge in your system in addition to checking for leaks, etc.

Hopefully your system is just a bit low without any other serious issues, but don't continue to use the system in a way that makes the compressor's clutch frequently cycle or you might make things worse.

 

Yeah once I figured it wasnt blowing cold iar, I stopped using the system. I think tomorrow I will try to take it to Jiffy Lube or someplace where they do a/c service. I'm not handy using the Refrigerant stuff , so I will leave it to the experts. What about the compressor turning and stopping frequently , is that normal? Thanks..

 

A low charge can cause this symptom and sometimes a simple recharge with stop leak is all that's needed, but its best to have the system checked out with dye to make sure there are no leaks.

Before you go to your local lube shop, at least check them out with the Better Business Bureau to make sure they have a good reputation. Plenty of people get taken advantage of for parts and services they don't need, but you can reduce your risk by doing some homework. Here's the link to the BBB to check out a company: www.bbb.org

You may also have other tools available to you depending on what state you're in. And you can always google the shop to see what turns up.

Check out this story on how people are getting ripped off by lube shops. There are plenty of legit shops out there, but you can't be too careful when money is involved and that goes for just about anything.

http://www.knbc.com/news/13277688/detail.html

 

Yep. My 98 F-150 V8 4.6L started blowing warm air out of the blue for no apparent reason last week. When I do turn it on, I can hear everything kick on, but just no cold air. As much as I can remember, my truck never had a recharge done to it since being purchased. Since it's stopped blowing cold air, I've left it off.

Sucks...the south gets hot and humid in July.

I'll have it checked by a professional. Thanks for the BBB link!

 

i bit off topic but along the same lines---

my ac blows cold when i'm driving but when i slow down or come to a stop it gets warmer. there was a previous thread discussing this issue so that's not my question. what i do want to know is if i can do anything to the system to make it blow SUPER COLD air. i know you can't get r12 anymore so what can i do?

 

hey guys so here the deal, I have a major leak in the evaporator in may system. I got a few quotes to get it fixed, the cheapest I've seen is $1060. Is that a good quote or am i takin a pole up the rear end? Has anyone out here have this kind of work done on their truck? At this point, i have no choice but to pay up, but just curious to see if I am being taken for a long ride,,,,thanks and thanks for all the inputl.

 

The evaporator is another word for the dryer, no? I forget now, but if so, you are bieng taken for a bit of a spin. I just got a new compressor and drier plus labor and recharge and whatever else for 770 bux tax incl. and Canadian no less. Alot of times prices vary alot due to overcharging on parts, ie. at the dealer, a reman compressor goes for like 400, plus the clutch and dryer, everywhere else was 350 bucks for all brand new.

 

Matt, what year is your truck? Is it a R-12 or a R-134a system? That price is within reason for a R-12 system if it includes conversion to R-134a.

The evaporator is like the heater core (inside the cab, air blows through it to get cooled), the condenser is in front of the radiator. The dryer is just a canister in the refrigerant line that absorbs moisture in the refrigerant and should be changed when repairing a leaky system that may be sucking (humid) air into it. You may see it called a receiver-drier.

 

Gotcha, I figured it was something else and my factory manuals w/ diagrams was slightly outta reach so I couldn't find out on my own. I think if that's the case, a bit over a grand is pretty reasonable.

 

i got a question guys, so my a/c stopped blowing cold also, but when i start is up in the morning after it has sat all night, it squeals and is real loud for about 10-15 min.....now i took it to ford and they said i need to replace the a/c compressor and the belt and the orifice tube and the belt......and they wanna charge me $950.00 bux....now am i gettin rammed in the rear, or is this correct, My question is are all those necessary to change if it is that?