Air Conditioner: what would you do?

[TheAutumnWind]

Just a suggestion here, not a tech but have been in auto parts for over 40 years so far. When doing an A/C job never replace a compressor by itself. At a minimum do the compressor, orfice tube / expansion valve and the filter dryer. Several times a year I'll have a shop order a compressor and get the oh it's just the clutch that failed routine. Then the new compressor get trashed because they didn't change out the other components which were in fact contaminated but they thought they could get by without them. And all the large A/C supplies won't pay a labor claim if you don't flush the A/C system as well as replace the parts listed above. And really on a vehicle over 10 years old a condenser is really cheap insurance. Just my.02

Mine sat for years empty.

orifice and filter/drier should be replaced if the system is ever opened up or leaked enough to get outside air in the system. Then pull a vacuum. THen charge it. Both are cheap and easy to change yourself. A venturi style vacuum pump is like $12 at harbor freight.

If I can do it, anybody can. On recirc once it gets going my a/c gets uncomfortably cold @ 110*F and I have to turn it down.

 

[Erik the Awful]

Yes, when as a boy I asked my grandfather where the air conditioning was in his early '60s C10, he said "roll down the window when we're at 55."

My grandad called it "the RDWA-55 Air Conditioning System".

 

[victor II]

I had the AC system professionally rebuilt on my ‘88 Silverado because I wanted a warranty. It also needed a swap to R134. The symptoms were a slightly grinding compressor and diminished cooling. I paid a little more for a new compressor (didn’t want a rebuilt since I plan to keep to truck) and everything except the condenser was replaced. It cools very well now. I’m a do it yourself type, but it was nice dropping it off in the morning and picking it up done same day, with a warranty. Next up? A little lowering and I’ll do that myself.

 

[DanJ]

Alright folks, long story short it was indeed the orifice tube. Blowing beautifully cold now. Here's hoping it "holds," but in any case, I've learned a lot and think I could get it working/rebuilt again with much less fuss.

The fan is still kinda weak, but I can live with that for now.

 

[Schurkey]

Alright folks, long story short it was indeed the orifice tube.

I wanna hear the long story.

'Bout the only thing that goes wrong with an orifice tube is that the screen plugs with debris. The symptoms of that would be the opposite of what you reported.

If the seal around the outside of the tube failed, there'd be more refrigerant flowing through--and around--the orifice tube assembly. The high-side would be low, the low side would be high, and the compressor would never cycle. But about the only way that could happen is if the tube were installed improperly to begin with; or the O-ring was a piece of Communist Chinese garbage.

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But I'm ready to learn something new.

In any event, since the system had to be opened-up again, I hope you put an in-line filter in the compressor suction hose.

 

[Dariusz Salomon]

Orifice filled with debris may be symptom of failing compressor. Do you still have belly leaker on(the compressor made of 2 halves joint together)-if so, I'd expect this to fail next. Don't replace with another one of these-get sanden instead.
As to front only AC-was it originally like that,or someone already got rid of the rear one? Are the pipes running down towards firewall and under?

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Orifice filled with debris may be symptom of failing compressor. Do you still have belly leaker on(the compressor made of 2 halves joint together)-if so, I'd expect this to fail next. Don't replace with another one of these-get sanden instead.
As to front only AC-was it originally like that,or someone already got rid of the rear one? Are the pipes running down towards firewall and under?

I tried a Sanden, it did not cool as well as the stock compressor or Valeo replacement I put on in 2006, in the Texas heat. Recently swapped it out for a 10 cylinder Four Seasons updated HT6. Ice cold now.

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[Dariusz Salomon]

I tried a Sanden, it did not cool as well as the stock compressor or Valeo replacement I put on in 2006, in the Texas heat. Recently swapped it out for a 10 cylinder Four Seasons updated HT6. Ice cold now.

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Good to know-thanks

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Good to know-thanks

The Sanden is a good compressor, just out of its element in 108°F in a dual evaporator system with its smaller pumping capacity and thus less BTU output.

 

[Dariusz Salomon]

The Sanden is a good compressor, just out of its element in 108°F in a dual evaporator system with its smaller pumping capacity and thus less BTU output.

Yeah I kinda notice that-it works-it can blow really cold( my wife's knees suffer cause of the vents position), but it may struggle a bit on occasions.