A/C not too cold, suspect recirc air... | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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A/C not too cold, suspect recirc air...

skpyle

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 5, 2013
Messages
245
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City, State
Blacksburg, SC
Year, Model & Trim Level
1999 Limited 5.0 AWD
Hello Gentlemen,

I have not posted recently as I have fallen off a cliff of 'while you are in there' on my project Porsche 928. All the while, my Explorer rolls right along in daily driver duty.

I am posting now because the A/C has never been too enthusiastic. A couple of years ago, I put on a new compressor, receiver/driver, orifice tube, and all O-rings. It held a vacuum, and I charged it with the proper amount of R134a. It has not really lost any refrigerant since then.

The compressor cycles, I see decent hi/lo pressures on the gauges. However, the air from the vents never gets below 45 degrees. It keeps me from dying of heat stroke, but not cool.

I am theorizing that the recirculation door for the air distribution system is stuck open, or not being closed. Can I find said door? Of course not. I have looked through the factory service manual. I have done countless google and Explorer Forum searches. All I find are blend door fixes. I don't THINK I have a blend door issue, becuase the system shifts from heat to A/C just fine. Put the EATC controller to 90 degrees, and fire blows out the vents.

However, I am open to suggestion, and will take any advice...

Thanks!

Seth K. Pyle
 



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I don't think the re-circulation door is your issue. Even if it never closes you should eventually see colder air temps out of the vents. Re-circ just allows the interior to cool off quicker. Assuming your A/C system is in good working order and fully charged, I think it's more likely your heater blend door is not closing all the way or perhaps the door's gasket foam is leaking and allowing heat to mix with the A/C. Even a small amount of heated air will overwhelm the A/C's ability to cool.

Is your vehicle equipped with a heater control valve? Some of the Gen II's have a heater control valve and some don't.
 






Hello Koda, thanks for replying!

My Explorer does have a heater control valve. I replaced it with a new Motorcraft part when I replaced the radiator and all the cooling hoses a few years ago.
I have not checked to see if the valve is actually closing in 'MAX AC.' That is the only mode I run the A/C in. I will check the valve as soon as I get my Explorer back on her wheels.
I have her on jack stands right now, doing brakes and parking brakes.

Thanks for clarifying the recirc door for me. For giggles and knowledge, I will start looking at threads on 2nd Gen blend doors.

Thanks!

Seth K. Pyle
 






You should check/clean your condenser too. They can become clogged with bugs, leaves and dirt. Then they don't cool very well.
 






Will do!
 






Isn't a/c performance better-measured as a differential between the ambient temp and the temp of air coming out of the registers?

IE, an a/c that produces 45 degree air on a 60 degree day isn't working very well. An a/c that produces 45 degree air on a 110 degree day is working fabulously.
 






True enough.
My A/C produces 45-50 degree air on an 85 degree day. Unacceptable.
I am driving my little beater 1984 S-10 right now. Its A/C blows snow out of the vents.
My Explorer can do better.
Monday, when I'm off work, I will investigate the blend door.
 






Brakes and parking brakes are now done on the Explorer, so I am back working on the A/C. I have verified that the heater core water control valve is open with the engine running, and closes fully when I set the EATC to 'MAX A/C". It is a new valve, but I don't know if it is physically stopping hot water flow completely into the heater core.

Something I just remembered, if I sit in the Explorer with the A/C on MAX, and the vehicle not moving, the A/C will get quite cold. However, when I start driving, the air temp warms up a bit. That is why I originally thought it was a recirc issue.

I found a self test procedure for the EATC that cycles the blend door. I am going to look into that tomorrow.
 






I was able to successfully complete the EATC test procedure. No fault codes were generated.
I had my hand on the blend door actuator. I could feel it doing something...
 






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