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Moisture in AC lines?

M

Mudshack

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Billings, Montana
The AC seems to want to go out from time to time. Add some R154a and it is usually good to go. But some times the pressure runs a little high, and when I released some of the air out of the system (through the fill point) :skull1: I would get a sticky white fluid come out after a bit. It the entire system contaminated?
 
How high is high? How are you measuring it? Frequent top offs indicate a leak.
 
With the guage that came with the recharge unit. And when the AC isn't blowing cold air and it is fully charged (not overcharged) I will release the pressure until the fluid starts to spray out, then charge it back up. Most times, that works and I get cold air for a while.
 
I wouldn't put a whole lot of trust in the gauges that come with the recharge kits. I've found the majority of them to be a little bit off (i've had them reading high when I knew for a fact the pressure was low).

Also, being in direct sunlight makes a difference on your pressure readings. Make sure you're out of the sun, preferably in a garage of some sort.

Ideally you need to have a full gauge set so you can see what your pressures on both the high and the low side are (they should be equal). Sounds to me like the cream colored stuff you're seeing is old system oil.
 
If you have a vacuum pump and a full gauge set then yes. Harbor Freight is your friend if you're looking to invest in the things to do AC work. Gauge set was on sale for $45 last week, and a good pump can be had for about $80. Looks like the gauge set still is on sale:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92649

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=98076

If you do wind up going this route, you'll need to get an adapter for adding freon in when you're done pulling a vacuum. The adapter can be found at any local parts store, and i'm sure harbor freight has them too. The one I have screws onto the yellow line and has a valve on it that screws down and punctures the R134a can.
 
Well it was running at about 25psi over the weekend and the check engine light was kicked on because if it. I put about a can of r134a into it, and it took about 15min to get the pressure up to 40psi. (AC running full blast while doing this).

I go and test drive it for other things I was working on, and I hear the sound of a machine gun going off inside the engine compartment. I couldn't figure it out. Then last night, I had it running for a while with the hood up and I saw it do it. It was shooting AC fluid out of the back of the compressor onto the engine. It looked to be a pressure release valve. I shut everything down and through the guage on it. It was up over 110psi. I released pressure manually with an object down the fill valve, and got everything back to operational pressures. But the pressures were always MUCH MUCH higher (over 70psi) when the AC was not on. While on, it was around 30psi.

What is the deal?
 
A) What was the exact code thrown by the CEL? I'm not aware of any A/C related codes, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.

B) Freon and oil coming out of the back of the compressor? Was the compressor running while it was blasting your engine compartment? If so, sounds like your high pressure switch might not be functioning properly (it does the same thing the low pressure switch does, only when the pressures get to high...supposed to keep the compressor from cycling and avoid damage). Around 30psi when running seems OK...I would think maybe just a tad higher (I usually shoot for up in the 40's), but it all depends on ambient temp, and if you were in or out of direct sunlight.
 
Some bad info in this thread. There are two gauge ports in the system, low side and high side. They should only be equal with the a/c off. If the system is properly charged, that reading should be close to ambient temperature; i.e. 80 degrees would be roughly 80 psi.

With the system in operation the pressures vary widely, high side could be up over 250 with low side down to 30. It varies depending on whether an orifice tube or expansion valve is used to cause the pressure drop.

There is a high pressure release valve either on the manifold block or the compressor itself, sounds like that's what's popping off.

I think the best course of action with this one would be evac the system, replace all o-rings and the dryer. Pull a good 28" of vacuum for at least 45 minutes. Inject some oil (depending on how much is recovered, 2-6 oz.) charge it with the specified amount on the data sticker. That should get it down to a nice 42 degrees outlet temp.
 
JJacobs, now you are talking about a Non-DIY job (for me).

UNCC_99XJ, the code it threw was something like "evaporative system low." I don't remember exactly what it said. But it definitely said the word "evaporative" and that is what clued me into my ever ongoing battle with the AC. The code hasn't thrown since I added r134a to it.
 
Possibly, especially if the code was a "evaporative system small leak" code. Good place to start on those is with a gas cap, and they're cheap (approx $10)
 
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