phattyduck
Elite Member
Well, if the belt is slipping, the front of the clutch will slow down too...
And a slipping belt will wear out the surface pretty quick and make the problem worse.
-Charlie
How should I proceed with my very low AC
- Thread starter Previologist
- Start date
And a slipping belt will wear out the surface pretty quick and make the problem worse.
-Charlie
Previologist
Member
Yep, you nailed it. I can see the belt slowing down at the same time and it feels loose. I don't remember what I did with the compressor during last years timing belt change, but I know I didn't remove it. If I loosened it, maybe I didn't tighten it properly.
Previologist
Member
I pulled the skid plate today and found the AC idler bolt completely loose. Now I know what I forgot to do last year when I did my timing belt, lol. Tightened the belt and torqued the idler, and we now have air and silence again.
Hungryhawk
Member
Seems there is a focus on the refrigerant!
An AC system has controls, sensors and relays, does not matter if in a vehicle or building.
Make sure these are tested because your problem might be an electrical wire or component.
I remember reading advice for large building maintenance managers: " If a HVAC repairman shows up carrying a bottle of refrigerant-send him away and do not let him touch your system",
as he does not know what he is doing.
An AC system has controls, sensors and relays, does not matter if in a vehicle or building.
Make sure these are tested because your problem might be an electrical wire or component.
I remember reading advice for large building maintenance managers: " If a HVAC repairman shows up carrying a bottle of refrigerant-send him away and do not let him touch your system",
as he does not know what he is doing.
Previologist
Member
It was a combination of low refrigerant and a loose belt. Took a drive today in the steamy humid 80s and it was blowing ice.
espance
Junior Member
This is good advice. I had a 2007 Honda Accord with no cold air, ended up being a blown 10 dollar relay. Replaced that, ice cold air ever since. Shop wanted $$$ to diagnose the system and were ready to throw parts at it.
AC systems in this generation of vehicle are fairly straight forward and can be diagnosed using a series of trouble shooting steps. I like to confirm with a multimeter that all of my electrical components are functioning as is, then move to troubleshooting steps for each of the individual components to further isolate the issue. Manifold gauges and a vacuum pump help ensure the proper system pressure on the high and low side. Manifold gauges can be rented from Autozone, and a vacuum pump is inexpensive from Amazon, eBay, or Harbor Freight.
Glad that you got your AC issue fixed, [MENTION=748860]Previologist[/MENTION]. For posterity, the FSM states that the belt tension for the AC belt loop should be 160 +/- 25 "lbf" (do they mean lbs here?) for a new belt and an old belt should be 100 +/- 20 "lbf". This is something I will add to my AC diagnosis trouble shooting steps
espance
Junior Member
This is due to the nature of the air conditioning cycle and involves very interesting chemistry. In short, it's a delicate balance of phase changes in the refrigerant, going from a liquid to gas in the evaporator and from gas to liquid in the condenser. For these phase changes to occur, a proper pressure (and temperature) range must be achieved. Outside of that range and you risk the cycle not occurring properly and the air conditioning cycle not working as intended! At too high of a pressure, the compressor may have to work harder to compress more of the gas, and the condenser may have too much of the liquid refrigerant in it and back fill into the compressor causing damage. I am not an HVAC expert, but that's my understanding from my chemistry knowledge and my research into the AC cycle
Previologist
Member
This is due to the nature of the air conditioning cycle and involves very interesting chemistry. In short, it's a delicate balance of phase changes in the refrigerant, going from a liquid to gas in the evaporator and from gas to liquid in the condenser. For these phase changes to occur, a proper pressure (and temperature) range must be achieved. Outside of that range and you risk the cycle not occurring properly and the air conditioning cycle not working as intended! At too high of a pressure, the compressor may have to work harder to compress more of the gas, and the condenser may have too much of the liquid refrigerant in it and back fill into the compressor causing damage. I am not an HVAC expert, but that's my understanding from my chemistry knowledge and my research into the AC cycle
Its also worth mentioning again that when the system is off the low side will show high pressure in a perfectly operational system, because the high-low pressure sides equalize when its off, possibly leading the tester (in this case me) to erroneously think it is overfilled.
brillo_76
Elite Member
Just wait till you have a compressor seize up on you. Then you have to pull the AC fuse so the defrost doesn't activate it. This is caused from years of top offs with leaks and the oil leaks out of the system as well then they can lock up seizing the compressor all together. I always add Dye to the system so I can find all the leaks repair them all. Then I have it vacuumed down to verify no leaks and have it professionally filled and oiled.
I only play with the cans when I am chasing leaks in the systems with dyes. If one just keeps topping off. Be prepared down the road for a compressor lock up as that lack of oil will get us.. ;-)
I only play with the cans when I am chasing leaks in the systems with dyes. If one just keeps topping off. Be prepared down the road for a compressor lock up as that lack of oil will get us.. ;-)
Previologist
Member
There's always tradeoffs I guess. I don't want to jinx myself but I've never had one go bad over decades of driving many different cars. I've heard its a good idea to run it now and then even in winter because without circulation the seals can dry out. I don't know how true that is, but it can't hurt. Only problem is, it is sitting in my bitterly cold unheated garage all winter while I am somewhere warm.
brillo_76
Elite Member
You turn your rig to defrost the ac compressor will run from time to time automatically.
Correct always trade off..
