Just got the AC fixed. Or not. Worked. Stopped working. And it's working again.

[my name is alex]

Had the my leaky compressor replaced a few days ago and the ac was working like a champ until yesterday when it simply stopped blowing cold in the middle of coming back from a little outing. But then this morning as I started heading back to the shop it was blowing cold again.

Any thoughts?

Perhaps whatever mechanism controls the cycling on and off is going bad - it did seem to cycle off for too long a few times yesterday before going out completely.

 

[BoxerPitMix]

Did you check the charge on it? Also, did you have it done by a shop? If so, I'd take it back to them.

 

[SAATR]

Let the shop that fixed it figure it out.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[my name is alex]

Oh I'm definitely bringing it back to the shop. I just like to have some idea of what could be going on when I talk to the mechanic.

I stopped by briefly and discussed the issue with him today and I'm going to drop it off tomorrow morning.

The ac worked great most of today, but then crapped out again in the late evening on our way back home. Weird.

The charge should be good as it was just charged up a few days ago. I'm still thinking it's the cycling mechanism (don't know the real name for it).

 

[ram1220]

It could be a bad connection on the pressure switch on the side of the accumulator. Not sure what year your truck is. But I had this intermittent problem with my 90 Sierra. years ago.

 

[my name is alex]

It could be a bad connection on the pressure switch on the side of the accumulator. Not sure what year your truck is. But I had this intermittent problem with my 90 Sierra. years ago.

Thanks for the suggestion ram - if the mechanic has issue tracking it down I'll mention that.

The AC was working again this morning on the way to the shop...hopefully he'll be able to figure it out and I'll have some reliable AC.

Does anyone with a working AC on their burb care to share how well it actually cools off the truck? My old '02 (or '01?) Expedition would get meat-locker cold even on the hottest LA days (100+). So far, it doesn't seem like the burb's AC is quite as potent.

 

[BoxerPitMix]

If it shuts off and won't come back on.... Stop and pop the hood without turning the engine or the AC off. Take something hard and smack the AC clutch, see if it engages. This happened on my '98 when the clutch was going out on it. I'd have to pop the hood and smack the AC compressor every day to get cooled off LOL

 

[someotherguy]

Aw man...just tap the clutch, and be super careful doing it so that you don't get whatever it is caught up in the spinning clutch or the belt.

If this makes it engage, the air gap on the clutch is too wide. Use feeler gauges and tighten that sucker down to within 0.020"~0.030" , if the clutch surfaces are all grooved up, it's toast. If your compressor is still good no need to open the system up; you can replace the clutch alone.

Wait...just read back and you had the compressor replaced already? Unlikely to be a clutch gap issue.

Richard

 

[my name is alex]

Aw man...just tap the clutch, and be super careful doing it so that you don't get whatever it is caught up in the spinning clutch or the belt.

If this makes it engage, the air gap on the clutch is too wide. Use feeler gauges and tighten that sucker down to within 0.020"~0.030" , if the clutch surfaces are all grooved up, it's toast. If your compressor is still good no need to open the system up; you can replace the clutch alone.

Wait...just read back and you had the compressor replaced already? Unlikely to be a clutch gap issue.

Richard

Yeah, the compressor is brand new, but thanks for the tips guys.

 

[BoxerPitMix]

Yeah, the compressor is brand new, but thanks for the tips guys.

Honestly the one that didn't engage in my truck was new. I ran a tree limb through my radiator and nailed my compressor. It didn't do it right off the bat, but it was about 3 months later it stopped engaging all the time. It was by a body shop after I had wrecked my truck. It could've been reman or used for all I know.
Either way, I'm sure the shop you had do the work can figure it out easy enough.