AC warm again after 2 recharges.

[alphabets13]

so about 2 months ago i noticed the ac being alot warmer than usual. i recharged it with a full can. i noticed an immediate difference and for about a month the ac was fine. now about a week ago i noticed it is warm again. so i put another can of recharge in, and again it was fine, but this time just for a few days at best. my pressure is measuring in the normal range on the guage, pretty much perfect. what can this be? summer is not over yet, and i can't stand having something that doesn't work right on the X even though winter will be here soon

 

[410Fortune]

sounds like you have a slow leak.
Did you evacuate the old refrigerant?

 

[alphabets13]

sounds like you have a slow leak.
Did you evacuate the old refrigerant?

umm, no. i just did what the can said. i did not release any old refrigerant and don't even know how to go about it. i guess i should have first?

 

[aldive]

What are your pressures?

 

[alphabets13]

What are your pressures?

i don't remember the exact number, but if you look at this pic of the recharge kit i used, my reading is in the blue are which is the normal area, green is low, yellow is high, and red is warning.

 

[boominXplorer]

Is your compressor kicking on? You need a set of gauges for both high and low pressure to troubleshoot.

 

[410Fortune]

well my thought is you cant just keep stuffing new coolant in there without making room for it by removing the old, bad stuff....the system needs to be evacuated professionally

 

[alphabets13]

Is your compressor kicking on? You need a set of gauges for both high and low pressure to troubleshoot.

when i get warm air, the compressor kicks on/off at about 5 second intervals. when i add the refigerant, the compressor stays on for much longer periods of time, i don't know how long exactly, but significantly longer than the 5 second intervals.

 

[alphabets13]

well my thought is you cant just keep stuffing new coolant in there without making room for it by removing the old, bad stuff....the system needs to be evacuated professionally

how much do you think it would cost to have the system professionally evacuated and have the leak fixed? i have no clue, just wondering if you know more than i would. it is pretty obvious that i mjst have a leak, b/c when i do add the refigerant, my ac is as cold as the day it came out of the factory.

 

[Glacier991]

First off the can's and gauges sold are crap. period. End of story. BUT, in your case... your cycling times are telling me you have a leak, and probably not a slow leak. Next time put in a can of refrigerant with a UV dye in it. Get a blackllight and look for the leak in a few days.

Prime spots to check.... at the black cannister on the passenger side near the firewall (The accumulator....) if it is foam covered remove the foam and check for corrosion. Next place is at the two ports... with protective caps on them. Next place is the back of the compressor where the hose attaches. After that it is anyone's guess. Any joint or connection could be leaking, and there are many of them. The compressor main seal could also be leaking, but tough to see and blacklight isn't much help.

You have a leak. Pure and simple. Now you need to find it, then we canhelp you fix it.

 

[Homerexplorer]

how much do you think it would cost to have the system professionally evacuated and have the leak fixed?

Professional evac and recharge is ~$60. Like everyone has said, you have a leak. The cost of the repair is going to depend on what needs to be fixed - an o-ring is cheap, a condenser is expensive (~$200 just for parts). Check for Pag oil (refrigerant oil) around the AC components, specifically the condenser (near the radiator) - sometimes it can help locate a leak.

 

[alphabets13]

i will report back as soon as i check it out. thanks for the tips.

 

[CDW6212R]

BTW, for Ford's since the early 80's, they all have quick connections in the lines. Every one of those has o-rings in it, and will leak eventually. The factory vibration clips are crap.
Whenever you have service done on these late Fords, specifically request ahead of time to have those joints upgraded. There are aftermarket locking devices to lock those connections from vibrating. The lines need to be opened up to replace the special AC o-rings. Hopefully the leak will be this, good luck,