Need help!
#1
07-01-2011, 05:38 PM
Need help!
Hey guys,
If you could throw some ideas out I would appreciate it. . . . So, heres the problem! I have started to do the minor work my XJ6 needs that I just bought. Well, when I got the car the guy told me the A/C works great, but needs to be charged (I know people don't always tell the truth, but one would hope.) So, I just went and bought a small car of Freon to charge the A/C and it said it was low, so I assumed that the A/C charge was completely on empty?! I went and bought a large can to charge the A/C and now it's showing that it's not full, but not low. . .I'm guessing some where in the middle? I dunno?
Anyways, so instead of running super hot, now it just feels warm, so the temp did cool down some. You can hear the fan kick on and everything so I'm not thinking it's that. I looked at the hoses and from what I can see it's clean?
I don't know what it could be that's keeping the A/C from blowing cool air. Any ideas of what this could be? Should I take it somewhere and get the A/C charged instead of using the canned stuff? I don't know what else it could be?
If you could throw some ideas out I would appreciate it. . . . So, heres the problem! I have started to do the minor work my XJ6 needs that I just bought. Well, when I got the car the guy told me the A/C works great, but needs to be charged (I know people don't always tell the truth, but one would hope.) So, I just went and bought a small car of Freon to charge the A/C and it said it was low, so I assumed that the A/C charge was completely on empty?! I went and bought a large can to charge the A/C and now it's showing that it's not full, but not low. . .I'm guessing some where in the middle? I dunno?
Anyways, so instead of running super hot, now it just feels warm, so the temp did cool down some. You can hear the fan kick on and everything so I'm not thinking it's that. I looked at the hoses and from what I can see it's clean?
I don't know what it could be that's keeping the A/C from blowing cool air. Any ideas of what this could be? Should I take it somewhere and get the A/C charged instead of using the canned stuff? I don't know what else it could be?
#2
07-01-2011, 06:31 PM
Veteran Member
Jeff,
Sorry....read "thanks 3" and thought I was seeing "Posts" my bad.
....is the compressor engaging or not?
You need to establish whether or not the comp. clutch is engaging (ie, is the comp trying to pump) and if so...is it actually pumping? Watch the front end of the compressor pulley with car running and A/c on full cold.(If you have an able asst. have her start car with a/c off then turn it on upon your call while you stare intently at the compressor) You should hear a click and see the front end of the assy spin with the compressor. If not, you start diagnosis by looking for the reason it doesn't (low charge is one such reason) if it is engaging, find the fattest, largest diameter a/c refrig. line on the car and see if it is cold or not. Then we'll know more. For now...you only know that you have some charge in there, b/c you hooked a can to it. You don't know how much b/c you don't know how much you put in nor how much was there before. Rapid comp. cycling would be indicative of low charge, and lack of cooling could indicate either over or under charging. You may need to take it somewhere to have it evacuated, a vacuum pulled, and new and proper charge level - but I think you can do some diagnosis first to determine whether or not that step is indicated/useful.
Sorry....read "thanks 3" and thought I was seeing "Posts" my bad.
....is the compressor engaging or not?
You need to establish whether or not the comp. clutch is engaging (ie, is the comp trying to pump) and if so...is it actually pumping? Watch the front end of the compressor pulley with car running and A/c on full cold.(If you have an able asst. have her start car with a/c off then turn it on upon your call while you stare intently at the compressor) You should hear a click and see the front end of the assy spin with the compressor. If not, you start diagnosis by looking for the reason it doesn't (low charge is one such reason) if it is engaging, find the fattest, largest diameter a/c refrig. line on the car and see if it is cold or not. Then we'll know more. For now...you only know that you have some charge in there, b/c you hooked a can to it. You don't know how much b/c you don't know how much you put in nor how much was there before. Rapid comp. cycling would be indicative of low charge, and lack of cooling could indicate either over or under charging. You may need to take it somewhere to have it evacuated, a vacuum pulled, and new and proper charge level - but I think you can do some diagnosis first to determine whether or not that step is indicated/useful.
Last edited by aholbro1; 07-01-2011 at 06:34 PM. Reason: extended unnecessary new-member welcome after misreading "thanks" as "posts" Duh......
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Jeff96 (07-02-2011)
#3
07-02-2011, 12:06 PM
So far. . . .
Jeff,
Sorry....read "thanks 3" and thought I was seeing "Posts" my bad.
....is the compressor engaging or not?
You need to establish whether or not the comp. clutch is engaging (ie, is the comp trying to pump) and if so...is it actually pumping? Watch the front end of the compressor pulley with car running and A/c on full cold.(If you have an able asst. have her start car with a/c off then turn it on upon your call while you stare intently at the compressor) You should hear a click and see the front end of the assy spin with the compressor. If not, you start diagnosis by looking for the reason it doesn't (low charge is one such reason) if it is engaging, find the fattest, largest diameter a/c refrig. line on the car and see if it is cold or not. Then we'll know more. For now...you only know that you have some charge in there, b/c you hooked a can to it. You don't know how much b/c you don't know how much you put in nor how much was there before. Rapid comp. cycling would be indicative of low charge, and lack of cooling could indicate either over or under charging. You may need to take it somewhere to have it evacuated, a vacuum pulled, and new and proper charge level - but I think you can do some diagnosis first to determine whether or not that step is indicated/useful.
Sorry....read "thanks 3" and thought I was seeing "Posts" my bad.
....is the compressor engaging or not?
You need to establish whether or not the comp. clutch is engaging (ie, is the comp trying to pump) and if so...is it actually pumping? Watch the front end of the compressor pulley with car running and A/c on full cold.(If you have an able asst. have her start car with a/c off then turn it on upon your call while you stare intently at the compressor) You should hear a click and see the front end of the assy spin with the compressor. If not, you start diagnosis by looking for the reason it doesn't (low charge is one such reason) if it is engaging, find the fattest, largest diameter a/c refrig. line on the car and see if it is cold or not. Then we'll know more. For now...you only know that you have some charge in there, b/c you hooked a can to it. You don't know how much b/c you don't know how much you put in nor how much was there before. Rapid comp. cycling would be indicative of low charge, and lack of cooling could indicate either over or under charging. You may need to take it somewhere to have it evacuated, a vacuum pulled, and new and proper charge level - but I think you can do some diagnosis first to determine whether or not that step is indicated/useful.
I have put about 40oz's of freon in the car. Now, after the last can it's cooling down so I am wondering if the thing was bone dry!? I don't want to over fill it and mess something up, but the guy I talked to said it shouldn't hurt anything because most cars have a . . . I guess valve of some sorts that lets out over fill? 12 oz's is a lb? Correct? Math was never my forte lol thus why I'm a history major.
I did not feel the lines to see if there cold or not. I will check that out this afternoon and report back. Like I said I did feel the AC in the cabin cool down, but it's still warm so I am suspecting it needs a good charge?!
#4
07-02-2011, 01:16 PM
Veteran Member
16 oz/lb; R134a commonly sold in 12 oz cans
S-type takes 1lb 11 oz (27 oz) but the labels on both my s-types are only half-adhered, I reckon Jag used the same adhesive in '95 - no charge label that I can find on my XJ. I would guess between 1 3/4 to 2 lbs. My F150 is 33 oz, normally don't see the 3 or 4 lb levels unless a dual-system (van's or Excursion with rear evap)
All systems have a pressure relief valve that will vent refrig. to the atmosphere above a certain pressure, but most have a high-press-switch that will secure the compressor at a level below that. If you have 40 oz. in and aren't getting proper cooling, you need to do a li'l more investigating. Try feeling the fat line on the front of the firewall, right-side, at the thermal expansion valve. If that is noticeably cooler than your discharge air in the cabin, you may want to look at your heater valve and pump. If not, then you may have air or some other contaminant in the system. Cheapest would be to get a guage set and hook up to see what your high and low-side pressures are, but that won't necessarily tell you if you have contamination, or, not knowing...absolutely if your compressor is working properly. Next step up would probably be a shop - have it vacuumed for min. of 30 minutes, and refilled with the proper wt. of virgin R-134a and then check pressures and performance.
One other note: just because you "emptied" a 12 oz can into it, doesn't necessarily mean you added 12 oz. Maybe "as near as makes no difference" but to be exact you need to weigh the can before and after. On the other hand, accounting for what will remain in the can and be lost to the hoses, you may reasonably figure 10 oz if it seems empty, and most systems are only sensitive to working/not working well BELOW the ideal charge level, and performance is not greatly affected at 4-6 oz ABOVE that. If your system was truly empty before you started adding any, then your compressor should not have been coming on due to the low-pressure cut-off switch.
S-type takes 1lb 11 oz (27 oz) but the labels on both my s-types are only half-adhered, I reckon Jag used the same adhesive in '95 - no charge label that I can find on my XJ. I would guess between 1 3/4 to 2 lbs. My F150 is 33 oz, normally don't see the 3 or 4 lb levels unless a dual-system (van's or Excursion with rear evap)
All systems have a pressure relief valve that will vent refrig. to the atmosphere above a certain pressure, but most have a high-press-switch that will secure the compressor at a level below that. If you have 40 oz. in and aren't getting proper cooling, you need to do a li'l more investigating. Try feeling the fat line on the front of the firewall, right-side, at the thermal expansion valve. If that is noticeably cooler than your discharge air in the cabin, you may want to look at your heater valve and pump. If not, then you may have air or some other contaminant in the system. Cheapest would be to get a guage set and hook up to see what your high and low-side pressures are, but that won't necessarily tell you if you have contamination, or, not knowing...absolutely if your compressor is working properly. Next step up would probably be a shop - have it vacuumed for min. of 30 minutes, and refilled with the proper wt. of virgin R-134a and then check pressures and performance.
One other note: just because you "emptied" a 12 oz can into it, doesn't necessarily mean you added 12 oz. Maybe "as near as makes no difference" but to be exact you need to weigh the can before and after. On the other hand, accounting for what will remain in the can and be lost to the hoses, you may reasonably figure 10 oz if it seems empty, and most systems are only sensitive to working/not working well BELOW the ideal charge level, and performance is not greatly affected at 4-6 oz ABOVE that. If your system was truly empty before you started adding any, then your compressor should not have been coming on due to the low-pressure cut-off switch.
#5
07-02-2011, 01:51 PM
#6
07-05-2011, 12:53 PM
hmm...
The compressor kicked on and stuff. The clutch engaged when I started filling it, and like I said I noticed it getting cooler. I did not have the system vacuumed before filling it. I am bringing the car home to Chicago next month and having the car repainted and just trying to figure it out before taking it on that long road trip.
