The Heat is On...A/C Is Not!!!!!!!! Help

[Ira]

Hi everyone,

Hate to talk about my A/C this time of the year, but it never acts up in the winter. It has always worked fine and I have bragged on how cold it was, until now.

Here is my problem. Up until about a week ago, my A/C was fine and keeping me cool. Now, it is not fine and is keeping me hot. When the engine is first started after sitting for an extended amount of time, the air is cool, not cold. As it runs for a while, the air tends to continually get a little warmer, until, surprise...heat in the summer. I have looked under the hood for signs of leakage or anything abnormal. All I have seen is on the hose going from the radiator (condensor?) to the compressor, there is what appears to be a coupling that looks dark and looks like it has a carbonish deposit on it. I thought at first maybe it was leaking, but if it was, shouldn't the compressor kick in and out as the freon level drops? I poured soapy water on the hoses while the A/C was on but did not see any sign of bubbles. If you feel of the hoses, the one from the radiator to the compressor is very hot, and the ones near the firewall were cold at first and then started warming up. After about 10-15 minutes, they just felt slightly cooler than room temperature.

I checked the compressor at different fan settings and the compressor clutch stayed engaged the whole time. It did not offer to drop out. I did rev it up a couple of times and it kicked out once (for about 2 seconds), but that was a couple of minutes after I first started it and it did not drop out anymore. I did notice that while driving it, I could pull it down to a lower gear and it would cool a little bit better, but would warm back up as soon as I shifted back to OD.

From what I can tell, it is still using R-12 and has never been converted. At least I see no signs of it if it has, because the valves still look like the small ones used on an R-12 system.

Help me...Wife and kids are ready to kill for A/C. I am just worried on who they are about ready to kill. Keep in mind, I like to have Champagne, but it has to be on a beer budget. I would not know what to do if I could drive a vehicle to a shop and just tell them to fix it.

[Edited by Ira on 06-10-2000 at 04:10 PM]

 

[FMExplorer]

Ira,
First of all - you're right - I am jealous. Been waiting to hear the voices for some time and they aren't responding...
Anyhow...
It sounds like you are very low on refrigerant. If you aren't leaking from a hose or fitting, chances are the condensor has a small leak. A good A/C shop can fill the system with a dye to find exactly where the leak is...
Which leads me to my own A/C question...

Any idea on the cost of a compressor? My bearings are starting to make noise and summer in Florida is a lousy time to lose your A/C...

JonM

 

[Ira]

JonM,
I can relate to the heat in Florida. I lived in Kissimmee for 9 months and fortunately, the 3 months I was not there was the hottest 3 of the summer. The other 9 months were enough for me.

As for your compressor, I saw a previous post somewhere about someone buying a remanufactured one for around $240 from AutoZone, if I remember correctly. As I said before, it's funny how these things never seem to go bad in the winter.

 

[MikeP]

Ira
About a month ago I had similar situation with my 91XLT. I looked into conversion to R134a, etc. Finally took it to a local Ford outfit who checked it out and added some R12 and it now works great. Seems to require a "drink" of some R12 every June. And it was working OK as defogger all winter (we need that in wet rainy Seattle). Mike with 91 XLT at about 120,000 miles.

 

[Char]

Ira,

I don't know how much 4wheeling you do, but we have had our evaporator core go bad several times. I would definitely check the easy things first, like the system just needing a recharge. They do need them as the vehicle gets older. The freon from what I understand can only last for so long. Kind of like you have to change your oil. I would go to the shop and have them run the dye and if they don't find a leak have them charge it. Hope you find the problem.
We only notice that the air has gone bad in the summer because that's when we go to use it. BTW, try having no air in Phoenix! 110 outside 200 inside the vehilce. Needless to say we get it fixed immediately.

 

[Rob]

A/C?

Ira,
I also own a 91xlt and experienced the same problem with the AC. I took the Explorer to a technician and he stated that the repairs will cost me $900. Both the evaporator and the condenser cores were bad. My step father had his unit repaired twice within the same year and for the the same prices... twice the same alleged parts. Based on this I took the Explorer to another servicemen and they told me something diferent.
Not trusting, I started looking around the vehicle and noticed all the AC fittings were oily and greasy. Also noticed that the muffler for one of the hoses was corroded. I opened the chiltons manual and decided to do it my self.
I replaced the high pressure hose, orifice tube, reciever and reciever hose. Bought the gages and performed the r134a conversion with the PABA oil. Total price $375 AND KEPT THE TOOLS. The only thing... before recharging the sytem you will require a vacuum performed in the system to avoid corrosion problems later.
I did not replace the condenser core nor the evaporator. Those O-rings are more than likely the problem. But if you have to replace them, might as well perform the conversion. It is cheaper than recharging with r12 all the time.

[Edited by Rob on 06-11-2000 at 01:15 PM]

 

[ironbandit]

1992/3/4 XLT 4Dr already converted but needs recharge

Most of the info is in the title, so let me cut to the chase...

Did the conversion shortly after a rebuild of the Auto Trans for the 3rd time, and the liquid hose was replaced in the process. I'd gotten a new compressor and desiccant off or eBay, and about a year later the A/C seemed to be having issues. Well, we recharged it and put fluorescent dye in the system with it. Guess where we saw the dye? At the desiccant, or receiver/drier.

I'm getting ready to replace the receiver/suction hose and the desiccant, and recharge with R134. Gonna add oil after we suck the system clean (after the parts are replaced, of course) and would like to know what pressures we should see on the high and low sides when the system is adequately charged again.

Any words of advice or encouragement are appreciated, and I figured that the thread about conversion was just a bit more info than I needed. We have all of the fittings for 134 installed, and only the suction hose looks like it might need replacement, while the desiccant is know to be leaking.

PS the title is fluid because my XLT has things from all of the Gen-1 years excepting 1991.