Completely New A/C system Blew out.

[Nomad767]

Ok..someone please help me figure this out. I bought a new compressor, Condenser, Evaporator, O-tube, accumulator/drier, and even a new suction and discharge line. The only THING not new is the liquid line that is about 18 inches long and was flushed and blown out. Put everything on and put 4oz oil in the compressor, 2oz in evap and 2oz in condenser. Vacuumed down, check for leak and vacuumed again for about an hour. Charge for original r-12 system said 1.75lbs. Charged 2 12 oz cans of R-134 and it never cooled right. High side pressure seemed high, and but low side was good.

Drove to the store and went inside, wife came in 3 minutes later saying the a/c just blew out the seals and dropped half the charge. Anyone have any Ideas what the problem is?

I am thinking one issue could be that the gap between the radiator and condenser is missing something the keep the airflow pulling most of the air from the front of the vehicle rather than recirculating the engine air. But would this allow the pressure to raise so drastically that it would blow the seals?

Anyone...anyone? Bueller....Bueller?

I have to bring the kid to get her tonsils out Wednesday, so I was trying to have the A/C running good so she would be comfortable afterwards and then the two hour drive back home the next day.

 

[Nomad767]

Well, looks like the gaps in between the radiator and the condenser are the problem. Now the real $100 question that gives every parts dealer in town the deer in the headlights look is, where do I get the material to replace what was originally in the gaps, cause whatever was there, I never saw it. It must have turned to dust years ago. Anyone know where or what I can get to fix this issue?

 

[mehedgec]

I just replaced my compressor, accumulator, o-tube and flushed everything in mine. Took it my mechanic to get charged. I put in about 7oz oil (3 and 4 in the compressor and accumulator) and he says the high side is reading too high and the lowside too low. It blows about 60*F he said. Thinks there might be a blockage somewhere. I flushed everything real good, but i guess I'll crack it open again and take a look at the o-tube and see if anything came through and got caught. Maybe your o-tube got pushed into the evaporator, I've heard of that happening. I doubt it happened to mine, because I saw a crimp in the evaporator to prevent that from happening.

 

[Nomad767]

Check to see if you have anything on the sides of the condenser and radiator. Mine has nothing now, and you can see where there was something there before that probably made the air flow through the condenser better. I think our issue is that the condenser is not condensing due to the lack of airflow to cool it down.may see if I can find a fan to mount on the front side so I can push air through the condenser, but with the trans oil cooler, I have limited space in the front. Going to an industrial rubber supplier to see what they have that is heat resistant and can be cut to what I want so I can put it along the side for now. Hopefully that will make the difference.

 

[mehedgec]

Check to see if you have anything on the sides of the condenser and radiator. Mine has nothing now, and you can see where there was something there before that probably made the air flow through the condenser better. I think our issue is that the condenser is not condensing due to the lack of airflow to cool it down.may see if I can find a fan to mount on the front side so I can push air through the condenser, but with the trans oil cooler, I have limited space in the front. Going to an industrial rubber supplier to see what they have that is heat resistant and can be cut to what I want so I can put it along the side for now. Hopefully that will make the difference.

Nah, that isn't my problem. Even full blast down the road it isn't cooling.

 

[mehedgec]

And I just pulled my orifice tube out and its all gummed up again. Guess I didn't get the condenser as clean as I thought I did.

 

[Nomad767]

Watch out for Black death on these systems. If the sludge is black, you will never get it all flushed out.
I am beginning to think that mine is an airflow issue. I put the something between the radiator and condenser edges and it seemed to drop the high side pressure some. Was thinking of buying a new Shroud for the fan cause mine was old and the mount for one side was broken. So I got on LMC website just to look around, and they have a 10 blade fan listed for the engine fan on a/c equipped vehicles. I changed mine 2 years ago because it was cracked up, so I went out and checked mine and I have the 9 blade fan, and that is all I see listed at local parts store.
Whether or not it would make that much of a difference, i don't know. I do know that if I put a fan blowing on the front of the truck, it seems to maintain about 35-38 low and about 300 high on the high side on a 97 degree day at idle. When I pull the fan away, it starts to move up to above 350 on the high side. Thinking of doing the electric fan conversion, but for now I have bought a 12 inch pusher fan to find a place to mount on the front end to blow on the condenser.
The only pressure issues I have are at idle, so I am pretty sure it is lack of airflow over the condenser. under higher rpms, both the high and low side pressures drop, and driving down the road I have a center vent temp of 40-42 degrees.

So anyone have any thoughts, or does this sound like I am on the right track?

 

[Stefanlg55]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yhG0Aramoo&feature=sub

Make sure the liquid line was flushed out very good or i can cause the old particles to ruin the new system.

 

[Nomad767]

OK...still kinda fighting this..



Still have A/C issues. Got it cooling ok, but I can't get a good charge in it....If I charge it to 2 full cans, at idle the high side would slowly climb to over 400psi and then vent out of the high pressure relief valve. Kind of found a happy medium with the charge but it take forever to get it to cool down good enough to make it comfortable unless I am driving down the highway.

I am curious about some people saying swapping the condensor for a late model one that was actually designed to fit in a vehicle with r-134. What year and model matches up and is it just a swap out or do I need to modify it to mount it? I am really thinking I am not getting it cooled down to a liquid in the condensor. With a box fan in front of it, the high and low pressures drop down perfectly.

I have done many things, including putting a 10 blade engine fan on, replacing the fan shroud, and putting something between the ends of the condensor and radiator to ensure it is pulling air across the condensor. Still have this issue.

Any thoughts or info?