A/C used to fast cycle now stopped and no cold air.

[LVExp]

I have read a bunch of the posting here in the A/C forum and didn't find anything that i thought answered my problem.

My A/C stopped blowing cold just over a year ago but the compressor would fast cycle on/off ever 5 seconds or so. Not having the money to deal with it i just used the vent setting which according to my owners manual did not engage the A/C compressor.

Now i have money to fix the A/C system but when i select A/C or Max A/C i get nothing. The compressor never engages in either setting and i am getting warm air from the vents.

I have checked and there is no cold air from the defrost vents, and the air gets hotter/less hot as i adjust the controls so i dont think it is a blend door issue.

After reading a the posts i think i was low on refrigerant which is what made he compressor cycle, but why would it not be doing it now? Is there a way to test if it is the compressor, the cycling switch, or if i just need to make a live sacrifice to the auto gods?

Thanks.

 

[Turdle]

There is a pressure switch on the dryer bottle line
disconnect it and run a jumper (paperclip) across the 2 wires-see if the compressor kicks on . Do this real quickly as a test only.
If the pressure gets low the compressor will kick on and off as it builds pressure to the switch
When the refrigerant level gets too low, and the compressor will not kick on at all, due to the open state of this switch.

 

[LVExp]

JTSmith,

Thank you for the reply.

I went ahead and jumped the 2 wires and the compressor kicked on!!!

Should i charge the system and see if it holds and then go the UV Dye etc? Or what do you suggest as the next step?

Thanks again

 

[Turdle]

well, you could get it recharged-but it will probably leak again.
A good ac repair shop should be ble to fix it.
It's most likely a small hole in the dyer bottle-

 

[Glacier991]

This system should have the "accumulator" changed out, be pressure tested and properly evacuated and recharged. Like JT said the evap bottle is prone to rusting out, or you may have a leak elsewhere. A professional shot can fix it and rechange it and you'll be cold again.

I think this sets the record for the earliest AC questions startup. <g>

(Note: It was late and I accidentally said evaporator instead of accumulator, my error, sorry.)

 

[LVExp]

This system should have the "evaporator" changed out, be pressure tested and properly evacuated and recharged. Like JT said the evap bottle is prone to rusting out, or you may have a leak elsewhere. A professional shot can fix it and rechange it and you'll be cold again.

I think this sets the record for the earliest AC questions startup. <g>

As a newbie i'm proud to be setting a record. But with today hitting 80 degrees and the rest of the week in the high 70's my wife and kids are getting on me to get it fixed.

It was one thing when we were back in MA, but March in Las Vegas is different.

I will find a local shop to test/fix/refill the system.

Tho assuming all of the 134a is all leaked out how hard would it be to replace the bottle?

 

[Glacier991]

The accumulator (as it is called) is held in place by a strap around it, and then fittings that attach to it. However, so long as you are going to take it to a shop to evacuate and recharge the system, I'd let them do it. And I'm gonna bet that there is little charge left in the system.

Mind you the 134 charge does not reside in the accumulator, but throughout the system in the charge state.