Year: 2002
Make: Jaguar
Model: XJR
Engine Size: 4.0
Refrigerant Type: R134a
Ambient Temp: 94
Pressure Low: 55
Pressure High: 300
Country of Origin: United States
Hello all, IâÂÂm Mike from Virginia and IâÂÂve got a 2002 Jaguar XJR that my compressor clutch bit the dust on. I replaced the compressor with a brand new Denso unit, new dryer, and new HNBR O-rings at the compressor and dryer joints I broke.
The place that evacuated my system before I did the work said theyâÂÂd pull a vacuum and recharge it for $40, so I decided to go that route instead of borrowing my friendâÂÂs manifold set and vacuum pump and spending a couple hours out in the driveway in the 90âÂÂs figuring it out.
IâÂÂll give you the background before I get to the problem:
So, I bring the car back to the shop, the guy pulls a vacuum for about 15 mins, shuts the machine off and checks the vacuum in about another 10-15 mins. It hasnâÂÂt dropped, so he goes ahead and starts recharging. Nothing is happening, and he figures out the charge bottle on the machine is empty. Hooks up a new bottle, sets up the machine and starts charging the system. I walk around the shop checking out the other cars and come back to the machine just before the guy does. The machine is showing it added 60 ounces. The charge should be about 25. He curses, then I lose track of exactly what he does. He said something about needing to pull a vacuum again, which the machine does for only a few minutes before he tries charging the system again. This time he sticks around and says the system is happily taking the charge. At this point IâÂÂm not sure if he discharged the whole 60 ounces, pulled a vacuum and put in fresh R134a, or just vented some down to get to the âÂÂrightâ charge and then pulled a vacuum for some reason before rechargingâ¦..
Anyway, all this was with the engine off, so I asked âÂÂdoes the engine need to be running?â So he says to go ahead and start it as he finishes up the charge. I look at the pressures and they seem pretty high; about 70 psi on the Low side and maybe 350 psi on the High side? I said âÂÂthose pressures seem a bit high from what I read online about charging the systemâ and he said they would drop as soon as I started driving. The temperature in the shop was 100F by my carâÂÂs outside temp reading. Cool air was blowing from the ducts, but not cold. I drove the few miles home in 95F+ ambient temps, but the air never got cold.
Fast forward to the next day. I had my friend bring his manifold and gauges to work and we hooked them up to the car at lunch.
94F ambient, unshaded parking lot, heatsoaked car.
After letting car idle for 5-10 mins:
Lo side = 55 psig @ 85 F
Hi side = 300 psig @ 156 F cycling to 265 psig @ 153 F
Temps read with Fluke meter and thermocouple held onto refrigerant pipe with a wooden dowel at pressure tap locations.
Center vent on High fan speed, recirc on and windows up, temp bottomed out at 76 F.
I left thermocouple in center vent, fan on High and recirc on during my drive home. Once on the interstate at 60-70 mph and 95F ambient, vent air temperature eventually dropped all the way to 47-48 F. But, once I got off interstate and was on slow side streets and stopped at lights, the vent air temp quickly rose back to about 70 F and stayed there.
The next morning with temps in the upper 70âÂÂs or 80, with center fan on low and recirc off and on the interstate, temps stayed in the upper 40âÂÂs and car got cold enough I had to raise interior AC temp setting to low 70âÂÂs on the lowest fan setting.
So, IâÂÂd appreciate some help figuring out the state of my system before I go to a âÂÂrealâ AC place with a good reputation and pay more money. If it just needs a little more charge, I can do that with my friendâÂÂs manifold. Or maybe the TXV is stuck partially open which IâÂÂd fix myself before having the system recharged, or perhaps the guy left some air in the systemâ¦.
Thanks for any help,
Mike
Edited: Thu July 23, 2015 at 8:46 PM by beady
If it were in my hands, I'd recover the charge, pull a decent vacuum and recharge by weight the factory amount of refrigerant. Then retest the system and record the readings.
Dougflas, from my readings and description, and assuming the system was vacuumed correctly prior to charging, what do you think is the issue?
For the price of having the system recharged I can buy a decent manifold and gauge set and do the work myself, plus have the tools for later. IâÂÂm loathe to pay someone do what I can. IâÂÂve done everything on all my cars for 15 years now except for alignment and inspection, IâÂÂd much rather buy the tools and get the system working myself.
Thanks,
Mike
Anyone?
With full readings of vent, ambient, Hi and Lo line temperature readings, plus Hi and Lo pressure readings, no-one can tell me what this indicates?
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