A/C is warm

[juan214]

Toss the upper right thermometer since it is off by 11-12 degrees.

At 125 degrees, does the accumulator feel warm/hot?

Place either of the two other thermometers on the accumulator and see what they say it is. It needs to be on the metal part of the lines or can.

Please post a pic of the accumulator as it is mounted in the engine compartment.

I take it the last pic is of the condensate under the truck? If it is the system is working at some point.

FYI - in auto ac, the larger diameter line is the suction/low pressure side. The smaller line is the high pressure line - which gets hot.

Toss the upper right thermometer since it is off by 11-12 degrees.

• Funny, the top one is the AC thermometer, The blue one is a meat thermometer. The other is my backup They are always in the center console.

At 125 degrees, does the accumulator feel warm/hot?

• Warm

Please post a pic of the accumulator as it is mounted in the engine compartment.

Place either of the two other thermometers on the accumulator and see what they say it is. It needs to be on the metal part of the lines or can.

Top of Acumulator

Line from compressor at acumulator

I take it the last pic is of the condensate under the truck? If it is the system is working at some point.

• Yes

In the past did your old compressor shoot a bunch of junk into the system? You would see metal shavings on the orifice tube screen.

• Don't believe it had any metal. Swaped it anyway because a new one came with the kit and did want to have to take it apart again to change it.

 

[stamp11127]

This is a new one, temps are bass ackwards (ass backwards).

For giggles while I'm thinking this one through, what are the line temps before and after the orifice tube, inlet and outlet of the condenser?

The line from the condenser outlet to the evap inlet should be getting cold as the system runs. Any exposed fitting should also start sweating.

One of the things we need to be careful of is what is going to the compressor. As long as it is gas there is nothing to worry about. However if the evap is really flooded and not performing its function of changing the liquid to gas, you run the chance of trying to compress liquid in the compressor. That usually doesn't end well.
In order for that to happen there would have be no airflow over the evap, so no cooling and no condensate. But you have cooling and condensate....hmmm

 

[juan214]

This is a new one, temps are bass ackwards (ass backwards).

For giggles while I'm thinking this one through, what are the line temps before and after the orifice tube, inlet and outlet of the condenser?

The line from the condenser outlet to the evap inlet should be getting cold as the system runs. Any exposed fitting should also start sweating.

I can grab these lines with my bare hands without issue.

The probe is touching metal but wouldn't the air around it contribute to readings?

Shats

&

Goggles


The line from the condenser outlet to the evap inlet should be getting cold as the system runs. Any exposed fitting should also start sweating.

Nothing is sweating. what is aqnd very slight are the bottom of the air plenum (EVAP). Which started draining today.

Only part that is cold now since dropping pressure down.

 

[stamp11127]

When you replaced the orifice tube, where did you put it?

 

[juan214]

When you replaced the orifice tube, where is it located?

 

[stamp11127]

Lets see how the system reacts by raising the static pressure 5 psi above ambient temp. So if it is 69 degrees out raise the pressure to 74 etc.

Also check the fan clutch. If that isn't moving enough air it will raise pressures.

 

[max78]

Stupid question. When you put everything back together is there any way you connected the wrong line to the wrong port? Seems like the system is running in reverse. . .

 

[stamp11127]

That crossed my mind also but the lines were not changed plus the fittings on them make it impossible unless modified.

It is almost as if the orifice tube is absent. Then you would have high pressure liquid flooding the evap instead of low pressure liquid. Any obstruction in the evap would act as an orifice and give limited if any cooling.

The high accumulator temp is throwing everything off.

 

[juan214]

Lets see how the system reacts by raising the static pressure 5 psi above ambient temp. So if it is 69 degrees out raise the pressure to 74 etc.

Also check the fan clutch. If that isn't moving enough air it will raise pressures.

Go to be a100 today, good weather

Raise the static pressure 5 PSI

• We are introducing R-134a back into the system by 5 PSI what about the oil that came out?

Fan CLuct check:

• Did the simple test: Truck has not been started today. Spun the fan as hard as I could on the engine. The fan rotated about a quarter turn so resistance is there.

Reassembly:

• Each conection at replaced parts & o-rings done one at a time and reassemble right then.
• No lines or condenser changed.
• Do not believe that at no point in the system that there are four connections in the same area and the lines should different sizes.

 

[stamp11127]

Don't worry about the oil, you shouldn't have had a large amount come out.

This link is applying refrigeration test procedures to automotive systems. The ir guns aren't accurate for measuring the line temps.

http://ricksfreeautorepairadvice.com/heat-load-test-orifice-tube-system/

 

[juan214]

Don't worry about the oil, you shouldn't have had a large amount come out.

This link is applying refrigeration test procedures to automotive systems. The ir guns aren't accurate for measuring the line temps.

http://ricksfreeautorepairadvice.com/heat-load-test-orifice-tube-system/

About two ounces of oil and dye came out. It was clean pretty clean no sludge, floater, crap or metal. Color is amber as opposed to the clear that went in.

I have to get some welding done late today.

 

[stamp11127]

Specs call for 14oz of oil on front & rear system and we usually cut that back 25 to 50%. The amount that came out won't hurt.
To be on the safe side if the compressor starts making a racket turn it off quickly.

 

[juan214]

Specs call for 14oz of oil on front & rear system and we usually cut that back 25 to 50%. The amount that came out won't hurt.
To be on the safe side if the compressor starts making a racket turn it off quickly.

My crapsman multimeter has temp setting with wire probe.

Compressor sounds a little bit louder but not making a racket. May be that I still have the inner fender off and never really notice.

Ran out and looked at condenser and it looks fine. No bugs, leaves, pine needles, dirt, mud or degris nothing at all, Tranny and oil coolers also look the same.

Truck is washed at least once a monthand i mean at least once a month on average 2-3 times.

System Diagram:

What next?
Add refrigerant?

 

[stamp11127]

Your meter should give you an idea of the temps but may not be as accurate as the pipe clamp type. Still enough to calculate ballpark superheat & subcooling amounts.

I'm curious about the temps your going to get.

 

[juan214]

Your meter should give you an idea of the temps but may not be as accurate as the pipe clamp type. Still enough to calculate ballpark superheat & subcooling amounts.

I'm curious about the temps your going to get.

Going to warm up the truck haven't ran it today. Let it warm up for ten minutes. Heater lines are blocking the AC lines to EVAP. worse case I will be using one of the vent thermometers.

Took Vent Base line temp reading:
A/C Thermometer - Thrown away
Crapsman Multimeter - Is off don't trust it. (never have used in this setting before)
IR Thermometer - Way out of calibration
Meat Thermometer - Working I assume
AC Thermometer - Working I assume

Temps:
Ambient - 93*
Vent - 78* (both thermometers)

 

[stamp11127]

Nope, you have to measure the refrigerant temps in and out of the evap and condenser on the line. Air temp doesn't mean anything with this.

 

[juan214]

Nope, you have to measure the refrigerant temps in and out of the evap and condenser on the line. Air temp doesn't mean anything with this.

Took a random base line temp reading on high side line (nothing to do with Heat Load Test):

• Crapsman Multimeter - 100.6*
• AC Thermometer - 125*

 

[juan214]

Nope, you have to measure the refrigerant temps in and out of the evap and condenser on the line. Air temp doesn't mean anything with this.

Temps:

• Vent - 78* (both thermometers)

HEAT LOAD TEST: Taken with thermometer held with long needle nose pliers
Line Temps at firewal EVAP:
Top: 160* (+/- 2*) Acumulator line to EVAP
Bottom: 160* (-1*) Orifice line to EVAP

Line Temps at CONDENSER:
Top: 115* (+/- 1*) between condesoor and HP sensor
Bottom: 123* (+/-1*) between condesoor and line split

• Condensor coils are clean.
• Shroud is intact and not broken
• Fan intact no broken blades
• Fan cluct work (1/4 turn free spin)
• System no longer overcharged
• We known air is in the system
• System is low on charge compressor is running

Possibilities

• Restriction in condenser coil—sludge
• Too much oil
• Mechanical restriction due to pinched tube - Unlikely

OIL SAMPLE


Condensate now dripping at rear now that we are over 90* today.

No refrigerant added yet.

 

[stamp11127]

The evap superheat test should show no change in temp between inlet and outlet according to the link I posted. Yours does agree but seems high. All the systems I've dealt with so far have had super cold lines to the compressor, even to the point of being uncomfortable.

I'm questioning why it is gaining heat from the condenser to the evaporator though. It may be picking up engine heat since it is still in the gas state.

The condenser should be tested at the line connections on the condenser. Right now those readings are indicating an airflow problem there. Your not getting enough heat removal to change the refrigerant back into a liquid in the condenser. If you can get a shop fan that moves a bunch of air, place it in front of the radiator and measure the temps again and see if they have a wider spread.

Just thinking outside the box now - if the condenser is partially plugged it will not be as efficient as one that isn't and not condense the refrigerant as well or not at all. To see if that is happening you can use your ir temp gun and measure temps across the condenser - left to right and top to bottom. The inlet side should be hotter than the outlet side.

 

[juan214]

The evap superheat test should show no change in temp between inlet and outlet according to the link I posted. Yours does agree but seems high. All the systems I've dealt with so far have had super cold lines to the compressor, even to the point of being uncomfortable.

I'm questioning why it is gaining heat from the condenser to the evaporator though. It may be picking up engine heat since it is still in the gas state.

The condenser should be tested at the line connections on the condenser. Right now those readings are indicating an airflow problem there. Your not getting enough heat removal to change the refrigerant back into a liquid in the condenser. If you can get a shop fan that moves a bunch of air, place it in front of the radiator and measure the temps again and see if they have a wider spread.

Test locations:
Firewall

Condenser: