A little background...2001 F150. 175 grand on the odometer. Last summer around this time...I was driving home and started getting some steam out of my vents. Quickly found out my heatercore was toast. no biggie...a hoodie and a pair of jeans is usually the most warmth one needs in AZ during the winter time.

Fast forward to this summer. Im usually not a big AC user...I love the feeling of having the windowns down cruising on the freeway. My first car was a 67 mustang with no AC...so im used to it. Anyway...unlike years past, I know have a lil rugrat running around...so i absolutely have to have ac. Come to find out she doesnt blow cold anymore like she did when i first bought her.

My questions for you guys is...where do I start? I dont know much about AC...but Id really, really like to learn, and ive found time and time again that you guys are the best teachers out there. Could my blown heater core be having an affect on my AC being toast? I realize thats probably the biggest newb question ever asked...but I just dont know. If the heater core isnt the issue...where do i start looking? I know im not giving you guys much to work with...but id rather ask here for free then go to a dealership and have to pay to ask questions.

So...any help ya'll could render, it would be awesome. A lil PS...if i have to tear into the dash, thats fine. I tear into dashes all day long doing car stereo, so im pretty confident in that area. thanks for all the help guys, and sorry for the newbishly long post.

Travis

 

What did you do about the heater core? Just loop the hose outlet to inlet? Your heater core shouldn't have anything to do with the A/C not working. You need to find out 1st. if the compressor is turning when the A/C is on. If not, maybe it is just low on refrigerant because when it gets low the low shutoff pressure switch will keep the comp. from running. Get a set of gauges and see what your pressure is. That's where you need to start. If the pressure is low enough to keep the comp. from running you will need to bypass the low pressure switch, (or should be able to just jump juice to the comp. to defeat the LPS and check pressure) When you hook the gauges up if the static pressure is below 50- 60 lbs. (depending on outside air temp.) you know the system is low. You probably need to study a little more about A/C before you mess with it though because a little knowledge can be dangerous. Good luck.

P.S. As far as tearing into the dash- I'm almost positive on yours, as well as a lot of others, you have to pull the dash to change the heater core. Not for the faint of heart!

 

The heater core is bypassed. Now...as to what that means, i dont know. I had Ford do it (for 40 bucks instead of the grand they wanted to change the core). Im assuming they just looped it. but i cant say for sure.

now, whats the best way to tell if the compressor is turning on or off? What kind of sound should i be listening for?

 

Sundevil- Just lift the hood and watch the compressor- you can see and hear when it turns on and off. Your better off to have someone run it up to a really good fast idle (about 1700- 1800rpm) You still have throttle cable on that truck so you might be able to do it yourself from under the hood but would be better to have someone do it from inside the truck while you watch under the hood.