need cold air!!!!

[bstepper]

summer time has started and I have no ac, now just a few weeks ago there was a sunny day, and it work just as good as it always did but the other day there was just hot air ******* through, I only thing I can tell is different is that my compressor doesnt seem to be cycling/that clicking sound I normally hear every 15 minutes or so.please give me any advice I really need help.

 

[bstepper]

bstepper summer time has started and I have no ac, now just a few weeks ago there was a sunny day, and it work just as good as it always did but the other day there was just hot air ******* through, I only thing I can tell is different is that my compressor doesnt seem to be cycling/that clicking sound I normally hear every 15 minutes or so.please give me any advice I really need help.

 

[SASHO91]

EDIT:
So, the compressor is NOT kicking on?
Could be that a cycling switch is bad. There are two. High and low side.
But it could be that the system is low on refrigerent. Depending on the car year, this can either be cheap and easy, or difficult and expensive.

 

[bstepper]

its a 92 please ask for other details i'm forgettig to give

 

[SASHO91]

ok. this is gonna be difficult and expensive...

since your system is on R-12 (the old stuff, and expensive hard to get stuff, need to be ASE certified to get it) your best bet would be to do the conversion to R-134A.
Your going to need:
R-134A Frion
Ester oil
a new accumulator
a FOT (Fixed orifice tube) (there is another orifice tube, I think its called a VOT or VOV, others will chime in.
and a new dryer ( i think the sho has one)

Then your gonna need to install the stuff. Which is gonna have to be done at a shop. atleast to do it correctly. Mainly for the service to the system, recycling, evacuating, recharging, etc.... but thats after you (or the shop ) installs the new stuff.


EDIT: OR, you could try and see if a shop can get you some R-12.... its expensive, but not too bad... that would be the cheaper of the two routes, but, harder.... in a way.

 

[bstepper]

I have a buddy that has the r12 not sure how much yet will call tommrow. but one of the question I have is if for some reason I lost my freon, what I'm pretty sure would of been all of a sudden, would my compressor quit working or quite cycling.

 

[SASHO91]

you really dont loose frion all of a sudden. (unless a hose blows, or a puncture in a line or condensor, or the compressor blows... something major)

The thing is, during winter, since the frion and oil are not running through the system,( example: the a/c isnt on) the oil seperates from the frion. Then the cold contracts the seals on the system, allowing frion to escape. (not alot, but enough.) Since the oil is what helps the seals stay "sealed", well you get the picture. Once the system is below a certain pressure (which is directly related to temp. and the amount of oz.'s in the system) one of the two cycling switches (which are in-line to the compressors switch for the clutch) will notice the drop in pressure due to the absence of frion. So it "breaks" the connection, not allowing the compressor to turn on. As stated above, the oil is carried through the system with the frion. Since the frion is low, there is less oil circulating. This may cause the compressor to detonate from lack of lubrication.


EDIT:basically its a fail safe.
if you can get R-12 that would be the best route. I would however, replace the accumulator, seals, and put new oil in(Mineral)
....and breath.....
thats a brief summary...

 

[bstepper]

thank you for the replies, I will post tommrow about the r12, buy the way how much does it cost, it seems to be like gold!!

 

[SASHO91]

uh... IIRC, somewhere up close to 50 bucks for 12 oz.... I think.... and you have to get it shipped over to the US... i think....

 

[SHOslyter485]

When I got my system recharged in my '90 (which used freon), I think I paid like $200 for a recharge and some new seals. Its definitely not cheap, but like Josh said, you have to be ASE certified to use that stuff, its hazardous

However, I did get a quote on what it would cost to convert my whole system to an R-134A was something outrageous, like almost $600. But this was at the Ford stealership

 

[projectSHO89]

First off, check the system pressure. On an R12 system, a tire guage will work. With the car off and the underhood cool, you need at least 45 psi at the low side port in order to activate the low side cycling switch and PERMIT compressor operation. If underhood temps are higher, the pressure should be higher, upwards of 100 psi which will exceed most small tire guages.

Start there. Once you know the staus of the system charge, you can determine if it's a charge or an electro/mechanical system.


Steve