so i was doing some reading on the ac system in cars, anyhow, i replaced my evap housing and filled back up w refrigerant, over time my ac is blowing warm again, it started out blowing real cold and got worse over time, assuming I dont have an ac leak what should I check? and how can i test parts in the ac? compressor is kicking off and on. what and where are common leaks in the ac system?

 

I dont know a ton about them but I do know there are some small o-rings throughout the system that can dry out and leak. Thats why it's somewhat important during the cooler months to run your system on Defrost, Floor/Vent, Floor/Defrost (all of which run the A/C system) to circulate the system. It has a small amount of oil in with the refridgerant that lubricates such things. Could also check your condensor (radiator area) and make sure there is no rock damage or punctures that can cause a leak of the system. I've owned 5 Rangers of various years so far and they've always had rock solid heat & A/C so I cant really say I have had anything wrong.

 

most newer cars and trucks ac comperessors will kick on and off regularly to move the oil around the system, not sure when they started doing this so im not sure if yours has it or not, the best thing to do is take it to a shop that knows there ac, they can pull a vacuum and if it wont hold pressure they can put some dye to check where its leaking. you can check the condensor but usually even if they are munched they will still take the refrigerant back to liquid. You can also just get someone to check your perssure, sometimes when your after you charge your system, the pressure will increase do to the temperature outside, higher pressure means that it wont be as cold, im not sure about cars but 134a at 48 psi runs about 50degrees, and r22 is about 87psi, so you may just need to let some gas out

 

ok guys thanks for the good info, others feel free to chime in.

 

Pros use a detector or dye to locate the leak. However, you may be able to find it yourself by tracing the A/C hoses and looking for a damp/dirty spot near one or more of the connections. When a refrigerant leak occurs, it usually also seeps enough compressor oil to attract dust and dirt. Unless you are meticulous about cleaning the underhood area regularly, this method will often point to the leak.

After opening the sealed system to repair the leak, it needs to be evacuated with a vacuum pump before recharging it. Applying a vacuum removes air and water, improving efficiency and the life of the internals. This step is critical, even if you have to take it to a shop and pay for the evac and recharge.

 

This is absolutely 40000% true. If you try to recharge without the vacuum it will not work very good at all. The refrigerant in the system mixes with air in the lines and will not cool when going through the condensor and evaporator housing. The moisture will also be very hard on the internals as the oil in the system will not coat everything enough to combat against corrosion.



Go to a professional shop and have it recharged

 

Thanks for info did not know about vaccum. Could that be why it worked well for a while and then stopped working so well. Also I noticed that on the accumulator there is no moisture in the past when AC worked well it was where moisture would drip.

 

Can I buy a pump from harbor freight and do it myself? Any tips or tricks.

 

I have an old electric diaphragm vac pump and do mine own. Decent electric evac pumps are expensive to buy new. There are much cheaper venturi-style pumps that operate using compressed air. I don't know how well those work.

 

ok thanks bob.

 

dont know if anyone here can tell from pressure readings whats wrong? mayb? when compressor was on it went up to 43 and when it was off it went down to between 0-15.

 

I had some ac problems so i used the leak finder dye and found the leak worked great and I didint vac I just poured denatured alcohol through the system which took away all the moisture charged it and put in some new oil and its a cold as ever and staying cold

 

I believe I got the same problem as you jake. I got my a/c system completely flushed and all new refrigerent put in. Was cold for a couple weeks but then got semi cold now it just feels warm. I have noticed a leak under my tranny cooler on one of the hoses just today. And there was a good amount on the front skid plate. See if any of the hoses from your Tranny cooler(if you have one) has some kind of fluid on it. Maybe this might be the problem...idk

 

i did have some dirt build up there, i thought at first it was the condeser thats why i looked but thats the tranny cooler, unsure of what that has to do w the ac though?

 

It probably doesn't. It just got me thinking. lmk if you find anything out about the a/c problem.

 

alright, im probly just gonna take it to a shop and see what they say. have them do an ac check.