AC not blowing cold.

[johnny4ever]

Hey any expert Auto AC guys around?

Compressor is realatively new. The blower works fine. The ac just barely feels cool.
Any ideas?

 

[patride71]

welcome to my world....i would like to know the answer as well.

does yours have freon or the conversion? mine has the conversion and it just doesn't blow as cold as freon does was what i figured, but i might be wrong.

 

[johnny4ever]

I am fairly sure it's r12. How can I tell?

 

[Stickboy]

Checked the sight glass while the compressor is running at about 1500 rpm while a/c on and fan on high. there shouldn't be bubbles in the sight glass. after you shut the a/c off the bubbles should appear for a little bit. this indicates a proper charge. i did the conversion and added the recommended amount of 134a but the system was still undercharged by about 1/2 can based on pressure readings on the manifold set. I'm showing about 23 psi while running without any bubbles.

If you show frothy bubbles while a/c on high you don't have a sufficient charge in the system and consequently it won't blow as cold. also, rumor has it that 134a isn't as cold as 12. But, it's been 90+ here in idaho last week and i've had the 134a a/c on while driving and it gets COLD in the 60.

HTHs
-mike

 

[johnny4ever]

Does a low charge automatically suggest a leak? Or does the r12 just vanish over time?

 

[Stickboy]

Low charge tells me either it was never charged fully in the first place or there is a leak. There is a leak detecting fluid you can put in the system that'll show up where ever the leak is.

R-12 detection: this is how it should be setup but nothing says it is. The compressor service ports for R-12 are about 3/8 diameter with outside threads. R-134A service ports are a quick disconnect type about 1/2" diameter and threaded onto the R-12 ports. Also if the 134A conversion has been done there should be a sticker denoting that either on the compressor or firewall.

-mike

 

[Doc]

R12 doesn't just 'dissapear' it's a closed system, and R12 isn't used up. There's a leak. Have a shop put some dye in your charge and find it, fix it.

 

[rollerbagel]

Not sure if it applies but I followed this thread:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=18881&highlight=A/C

fairly close...very good stuff there.

I had a nice leak in the system and two shops said bad condenser (YIKES)
because it wouldn't hold a charge (still had to pay for the r12 used).
turns out the third shop did some creative welding on the rigid tube
on the drivers side of the condenser...and it holds fine now. Not cold
enough for me so I'm suspecting a slight leak in their weld, or not a full charge.

but I do concur, sounds like a leak.