Explorer AC not cooling at idle

[Odrapnew]

Cooling fan comes on. I never hear it go on high. The one time I can recall it going on high was just after I changed the turbocharger. I put all the coolant in I could waited for the thermostat to open so I could add more. That is also when I got a cilynder head overheated MIL but as soon as I added coolant it went down again. That was just to initially fill and get the air bubbles out. Fan sure kicked on high then. With a.c. on fan comes on low. Both of them. That is not a problem a.c. only really seems to cool when moving. Would love to know actual temp vs what PCM thinks the temp is. That may be my issue.

Sorry, I missed your comment about the fans not turning on High.
If you're willing to try some things, we might be able to help identify the issue.
I'm no expert, but some questions/tests that I've seen in the past with AC issues.

When you say "doing nothing in traffic" is it getting to ambient temp, or just not as cold as highway speeds? You'll get better cooling at highway speeds, but it should still be cool in traffic if it's working correctly.

When @ highway speeds, is it really cold air or just cool? If it's just cool, could be a blend door issue. If it's really cold, that should rule that out.

When you are stopped, put transmission in neutral and rev to ~1500-2000rpm and hold it there for little bit. Does it get as cold as you feel at highway speeds? It should get cooler. Should notice a difference in 10-15 seconds. Just trying to understand if the compressor is not "pumping" enough at idle/slow speeds or if it's an air flow issue.

Check the front of the condenser(front of radiator) to make sure it's not blocked.

Another thing to try if you have access to a hose. With car parked, running and AC on, spray tap water into the front of the condenser, does the AC get colder?

 

[dhonnoll]

Good idea I will try that. It is refrigerated air at highway speeds. At idle it seems to just kind of fade. If I idle long it becomes ambient temp. Slow speeds slow moving traffic it doesn't cool enough. Like it cools some but not quite enough. I will try holding a bit of a rev on it at idle after it has heated up to see if it is the compressor not quite compressing well enough or if it is the fans.

 

[Jon M]

Mine is at the dealer now for that same issue. Thankfully, still under warranty. Same symptoms, last two vehicles, lead to compressor replacements by the dealers.

 

[dhonnoll]

So my wife called said the AC was not working again. As she drove down the road it started to cool but never got really cold (not as cold as she felt it should get) Is there a way in ForScan to 1 do a test of the fan functions? and 2 manipulate the fan control module (if it has one) to go on high at lower temps?

 

[dhonnoll]

my High side is 150 and holding steady I believe the low side is 50-55lb that seems a bit high according to FordTechMakuloco

 

[peterk9]

So my wife called said the AC was not working again. As she drove down the road it started to cool but never got really cold (not as cold as she felt it should get) Is there a way in ForScan to 1 do a test of the fan functions? and 2 manipulate the fan control module (if it has one) to go on high at lower temps?

Does the air get cooler if you manually adjust the fan speed to a higher setting? If not, I don't think carrying out step 2 will make any difference.

Peter

 

[dhonnoll]

When I get home I bet if I do a static check I hit 125lbs or higher. If so I'll let some out and bring it down to a realistic number then watch the gauges with the Schrader valves open, the manifold valves shut now that I know what the hell I am doing with that manifold set.

 

[dhonnoll]

So, last night I evacuated, pulled vacuum, and recharged. I felt like an idiot when I put can #2 in and was taking a hammer and tapping on the closest block to the expansion valve or expansion valve its self trying to get it to open to take the can. I was tempted to try to start adding to the high side which is a NO No but then discovered my manifold valve was still closed on the low side (because you kind of do that when you switch cans) it took exactly 4 cans, by the numbers that's 48oz. It cools really good 55.3 at the vents on low, max cold We will see what it does over the next day or two high side was about 250 not 150 low side was 40 I slowly added the last 2 cans made sure after ever add the temp got cooler. was going to stop if it ever stopped and bleed off a smidgen if it ever went up. The sticker says 47oz. I figure between the little bit between can swaps I put in 45-46oz no more than 47 oz. Cooled fine this early early morning when she went to work, when she came home, when I moved it I put it on max again. We'll see if it is a leak or a bad expansion valve. My concern is it is a bad expansion valve and that puressure build up and A blow a high pressure hose, or B tear the compressor up and blow a high pressure hose, or C blow a high pressure hose, let a bunch of moisture in and ruin the compressor.

 

[ltdan84]

I've noticed that the A/C doesn't cool well at idle, but gets better while moving. Still not as cold as my other vehicles though. My '16 Ram will get cold at idle even without recirc on.
I hooked it up to a manifold gauge Sunday morning, and after about 5 minutes of running just the front A/C on max with the engine at idle the pressures were about 55/250 at 86 degrees. Every so often the cooling fan would come on high speed and the pressures would drop to 45/200, but I couldn't tell much difference in temperature from the vents (I didn't measure it), and then go back to 55/250 after the fan went back to low speed. When I turned the rear A/C on as well, the low side pressure went up to about 60, high side was 255, and the high speed fan never shut off.

 

[Diveshard]

Hi Dan I had the exact same issue on my '16 last year. Luckily I was just under warranty. Dealership had to replace both evaporators and a few hoses here and there.

 

[ltdan84]

Oh lovely. I’m not in warranty and that doesn’t sound expensive at all.