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Not satisfied with cooling

Domnatr6 on Sun April 01, 2012 7:08 PM User is offline

Year: 2010
Make: Ford
Model: Focus
Engine Size: 2.0
Refrigerant Type: R134a
Ambient Temp: 85
Pressure Low: 35
Pressure High: 275
Country of Origin: United States

As the title says, not very satisfied with the cooling of the AC system on this car. Bought it about 4 months ago and have just recently needed to use the AC. Hooked the gauges up today and took some temps. Low side read 35, high @ 275 and the temp at the vent was around 54 degrees at max fan speed recirculating, engine at idle. Kicking the idle up to 1500 would drop the temp down a few more degrees. Couldn't read pressures at higher idle since I was doing this by myself.

Am I just expecting too much here or should this be better?

Dougflas on Sun April 01, 2012 7:33 PM User is offline

A few things to check. Sray the condenser with a water hose and see how much the high side drops. If it drops a great deal, start looking at airflow across condenser. You can also clamp of the heater core hose and see if vent temps drop. 275psi at idle seems high, I'd be looking at airflow IF you have the correct charge in the system.

Bob on Mon April 02, 2012 8:21 AM User is offlineView users profile

Is it still under warranty?

Domnatr6 on Mon April 02, 2012 10:22 AM User is offline

No, outside of warranty now. Did what the previous poster suggested in hosing down the condenser to reduce pressure. It did drop significantly. The condenser is very clean and no obstructions between the condenser and radiator. Fan is operating while compressor is engaged.

bohica2xo on Tue April 03, 2012 8:42 PM User is offline

I would recover & weigh the charge.

High side pressure is elevated, and if the fan is running & condensor is clean your next step is to verify correct charge.

If you weigh the extracted charge & it is within specification, then you may have too much oil in the system. Many times when a repair is made people put in "a little extra oil" - too much oil will reduce performance & raise the high side pressure.

B.

-------------------------
"Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest."
~ Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhi, An Autobiography, M. K. Gandhi, page 446.

Domnatr6 on Sat April 07, 2012 12:12 PM User is offline

I'm going to take it to a shop to be evacuated and charged. Interesting theory about the oil. Had a minor front end collision recently and the body shop had to evac and charge the AC to repair a front end piece. Wondering if they perhaps dumped too much oil in the AC..

mk378 on Sat April 07, 2012 2:42 PM User is offline

Body shops are not usually known for A/C repair. It wouldn't surprise me if they just regassed it without evacuating first.

Cussboy on Sun April 08, 2012 10:23 AM User is offline

Quote
Originally posted by: Domnatr6
I'm going to take it to a shop to be evacuated and charged. Interesting theory about the oil. Had a minor front end collision recently and the body shop had to evac and charge the AC to repair a front end piece. Wondering if they perhaps dumped too much oil in the AC..

When shop gets it fixed, take the bill to the collision shop, ask them to "work with you". They didn't do the job right. They'll likely say you should've brought it back to them, but you didn't feel they had the expertise. Maybe contact the insurance company too.

Domnatr6 on Sun May 20, 2012 12:51 PM User is offline

So took it to the shop and had it evacuated and charged with 18oz of 134a. Cooling is a little better. Question about compressor cycling. Since this is a TXV system, shouldn't the compressor be running continuously when the AC is engaged? Compressor cycles off and on like an orifice tube system.

Thanks for everyone's help here!

Tennessee_Timmy on Sun May 20, 2012 1:51 PM User is offlineView users profile

(At least some) TXV systems "cycle" to keep the evaporator from icing up, often by way of a thermistor buried in the evaporator core.

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Good Luck 2 ya,
Timmy

Domnatr6 on Sun June 10, 2012 7:06 PM User is offline

So we got to about 98 degrees here in central TX today. Was cooling fairly well and pulled into a drive through. While there the temperatures started creeping up and I noticed the compressor was cycling. Vent temp was about 62 degrees for a good 5 minutes. I then put the car into park as the drive through wasn't moving anywhere, and I noticed the compressor stopped cycling and my temps started going back down (idle speed stayed the same so I don't think it was dropping too low). I've noticed this on other warm days that the compressor starts cycling and vents temps are well above 50 degrees so I know it's not (unless it's defective) the evap temp sensor telling the compressor to cycle.

That all said, I'm thinking of taking it back to the shop to have the refrigerant weighed to make sure I'm not low and have a leak somewhere. Not sure that I do have a leak though as I put the gauges on it the other day and I had pressure at about 43 on low, though I didn't hook the high side up at that time. Pending the results of the refrigeration weigh in and me having a correct 18oz in the system, where should I begin looking? How would I determine if the pressure transducer or the evap temp sensor is defective?

Excellent forum here guys and have learned quite a bit by the professionals here. Thanks!

Domnatr6 on Mon June 11, 2012 6:07 PM User is offline

Alright, put the gauges on it again and this time with the high side as well. Was around 45 for the low and around 400 (!!) for the high. Compressor cycled when it hit 400, I imagine because of the cutoff switch. Put my hands on the lines to the condenser, top line hotter than hell, bottom line was warm and I could keep my hand on it. Ambient temp was about 99 degrees today. Any ideas where to start here?

mk378 on Mon June 11, 2012 7:31 PM User is offline

I assume the fans work. Is the new condenser OEM or some third-party knockoff?

It could again be too much oil. Oil in the condenser just displaces the refrigerant and won't let it condense.

Domnatr6 on Tue June 12, 2012 10:08 AM User is offline

I do not think the condenser has ever been changed in this car. What happened to it prior to my ownership is unknown. So given the information that I've supplied, the condenser would be the first suspect?

I have two choices for this car, third party (TYC) $82.79: http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=1961770

Or

Motorcraft $252.79

If I change the condenser, would changing the TXV be advisable since it's only another $35?

bohica2xo on Tue June 12, 2012 10:40 AM User is offline

Evac & recharge, now it cycles on the HPCO? After a body shop repair?

Either the fans are bad, the condensor is bad or it is full of oil - like 8 to 10 ounces too much.

Do you get a lot of oil in the service ports & hoses when you disconnect?

.



-------------------------
"Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest."
~ Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhi, An Autobiography, M. K. Gandhi, page 446.

Domnatr6 on Tue June 12, 2012 10:54 AM User is offline

When I disconnect the high side I get a good amount of oil that comes out with green dye. Fan is running good and at full throttle when the pressures are up. I can put my hand on the front of the condenser and feel the air moving across it.

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