# Pathfinder AC not cooling until Engine Revved Up



## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

Check the pressures with the gauge set. Could be something as simple as low refrigerant. I brought my wife's Windstar back from the grave with 2, 12 oz cans last summer. Still blows plenty cold. A can in my Navigator this morning did the trick for mine.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Thanks BP, I'm glad you found your AC problem and got it fixed. I will hook up the gauges tomorrow and see what is going on.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

I went out and hooked the AC gauges up, The outside temps were 92 degrees F. Here are the readings: Would one of you fellows who know how to read these please tell me what is what?

# 1 Just hooked up engine not running
#2 Just cranked the engine
#3 Running at idle engine at operating temps AC wide open all windows down
#4 Reading with engine revved to 2500 rpm
#5 Just after engine shut off


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

Those look like the gauge readings I had before I put a 12 oz can of R-134A in it. Give that a try. My AC is blowing cold so far. A can at Walmart cost me $4.88.


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## ukrkoz (Dec 31, 2010)

Loose belt? As it works ok after you rev....


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

ukrkoz said:


> Loose belt? As it works ok after you rev....


I looked to see if the clutch was turning and didn't notice the belt being loose, I will check it to see. Thanks for the suggestion.


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## Brainbucket (Mar 30, 2015)

Windows up. 1500 rpm. Let it stabilize for a few minutes. Is the fans coming on? Then let me see those readings at 1500 rpm and idling. :vs_cool:


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## yardmullet (Jan 6, 2018)

Is this 134a? Looks like high side at 2500rpm at 90f in pic 4 is low, or either the compressor cycled. Low side seems ok. 

So "just add a can" :smile: And watch high side.
bg


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Brainbucket said:


> Windows up. 1500 rpm. Let it stabilize for a few minutes. Is the fans coming on? Then let me see those readings at 1500 rpm and idling. :vs_cool:


I will do that BB and see what it does. The Pathfinder doesn't have the AC cooling fan, it only has the one fan for the radiator like a V8 engine. I don't like the electronic gas peddle, there is no way to rev the engine from under the hood.

BG, I hope that is all I need to do. It is R134a.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

I hope you're blowing cold. I am. 

I took our Lab to the dog park, cracked the window, but he stuck his nose in the AC vent.

"Shadow is a GOOD boy!"

Wags tail furiously, knocks coffee cups over, hits me in the face with his tail, etc.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Bigplanz said:


> I hope you're blowing cold. I am.
> 
> I took our Lab to the dog park, cracked the window, but he stuck his nose in the AC vent.
> 
> ...


Buddy I am glad it worked out for you.

I think I just royally screwed up. The photos are:

Outside temps 96 F

#1 just hooked up gauges after 30 minute warm up, engine not running.

#2 engine running at idle

#3 engine running at 1500 rpm, windows up AC wide open

#4 engine just shut off. 

I added some R134a and the low pressure side spiked wide open. I took R134a off gauges and opened the low pressure side and the high pressure side and let some of the pressure off. As the pressure on the low side came down slowly, the pressure on the high pressure side came down faster. I knew I had screwed up somewhere so I shut the gauges off and quit, came in here and posted this. The last photo is where the pressure is right now. Any suggestions what my next move is?

#5 is with engine off and after relieving some pressure.


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## yardmullet (Jan 6, 2018)

The low and high side are in the ball park for 134 at 95f. Did it easily take the additional Freon? I mean readily pulled it down. Was it cooling?
134 is hinky about pag ratio.
Were pressures fluctuating at steady rpm?



Have you cranked it again?



Just me but if there is something I'm unsure about, I pull a vacuum and start over. 134 is cheap and also driers.


Years ago had a thing where ac was losing charge. Checked leaks w/propane then. Couldn't find it so against my better judgement I put some dye in system.
The next Monday the "older" (me now) couple came in. The woman had her dress and shoes in a bag. They were purple.
The dye had clogged the evap and blammoed on her.
bg


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

No, I haven't tried to crank the engine again, I was afraid too. The down side of starting over is I don't have a vacuum pump. It did take the r134a really fast. I only had the low pressure side open to put the coolant in. But after I took the can off, I opened both low and high side to relieve the pressure. Maybe I wasn't supposed to open the low and high side to relieve the pressure.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

My readings before I added a 12 oz can. Fully hot engine, #1, @ idle. #2, @ 1500 RPM. Navigator's fan is belt driven, so it is always on.

The "add a can" did the trick for me so far, though it may leak down. If it does, Plan B, I guess.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

When I put the little amount in that I did, the low side needle spiked wide open as far as it could go. At that time I hadn't opened the high side as the engine was running. I only opened the high side and low side to relieve pressure after I shut the engine off.

I did drive the truck last night and it was cooling like it should. I will put the gauges back on today and see what it reads cold, then after running for 30 minutes or more, then take a reading at 1500 rpm and see. I just hope I didn't foul the compressor, we have so much in this truck now we will never recoup that money, I just hate to keep throwing money at this truck even as nice as it is.


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## yardmullet (Jan 6, 2018)

Gauge spiked? May do that sometimes when first opened.
You were charging with can upright=gas? Vs upside down=liquid. Liquid can boink compressor unless done slowly thru accumulator. Gas is slower but safer.


If its cooling you are in the ball park. 

Does it cool at idle. Again 134 does not disperse well w/o correct pag. So idle cool is sometimes poor until it circulates.
And if it is cooling the compressor is ok. I mean, your charging likely didnt make any worse for its age.


bg


Turn off ac, accelerate to interstate speed. Turn it on. If it doesn't burn a belt or clutch and cools you are good to go.


bg


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

yardmullet said:


> Gauge spiked? May do that sometimes when first opened.
> You were charging with can upright=gas? Vs upside down=liquid. Liquid can boink compressor unless done slowly thru accumulator. Gas is slower but safer.
> 
> 
> ...


That is just too cool bg, I will give that a try. 

Here is my latest readings.

I hooked the gauges up while engine was cold and opened the couplings, not on the manifold. The low pressure side was reading about 72, the high side was reading about the same 72 when I first hooked the gauges up. I let the gauges stay open at the couplings for 15 minutes , but not open at the manifold. 1st photo

I cranked the engine, the readings are the second photo. 37 low side, 280 high side.

We drove for about 35-45 minutes and hooked the gauges up, at idle the gauges read 28 low side, 252 high side. outside temps at 91 degrees F.
3rd photo

The last photo is fully warm engine, engine rpms at 1500, all windows up AC wide open, not recirculating. 29 low side, 248 high side. It is cooling, just not real cold, it is fairly comfortable just not as cool as we would like.


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## yardmullet (Jan 6, 2018)

BigJim said:


> That is just too cool bg, I will give that a try.
> 
> Here is my latest readings.
> 
> ...



Again, I think you are in the ballpark. Put a thermometer in a vent. If it gets to 40f its blowing snowballs.
But I really think that even if pressures are wnl pag is wrong so 134 is clumping/not dispersing evenly.




bg


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

What I call the couplings are the little do hickys at the end of the gauge hoses that you hook to the AC hoses that are on the car, you know the clip ons that you open to let pressure go to the gauges.

I haven't checked the temps at the vent but I will. I guess I will just live with it not cooling like we think it should. I do appreciate your help and time, thank you.


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## yardmullet (Jan 6, 2018)

You know I've got to be in Chatt next week. I can take a look at your ac while there. 

PM me


bg


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## yardmullet (Jan 6, 2018)

Jim,
Uhh your message blocking is active.


If you'll just give me the address and where the key is I'll drop by :smile:
bill g


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

yardmullet said:


> Jim,
> Uhh your message blocking is active.
> 
> 
> ...


Hey BG, I don't know why it blocked your PM, I just sent you another PM.

I have your number saved now so I will know it is you when you call or text. 

I took your advice and use a thermometer this afternoon. It started off cooling kinda slow but by the time we got back home it was blowing 40 degree air at the vent and our car thermometer was reading 106 outside. I don't think I am going to do anything else to it while it is blowing that cool. 

Still let me know when you will be up here so we can meet up. I will send you our address. Thank you so much again for all your help, I really do appreciate it.


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## yardmullet (Jan 6, 2018)

Ok. If it is doing 40f w/outside +100, leave it alone.
Otherwise, start over.


Heck, I was hoping to bring all my quarter sawn chairs up there to be refinished. Kidding
I cant believe folks painted these.


Let me know if your ac gets hinky again. Folks pay out the wazoo to stay cool, but ac repair is easy and cheap. I still have a 30lb r12 for the Malibu behind the chairs.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

yardmullet said:


> Ok. If it is doing 40f w/outside +100, leave it alone.
> Otherwise, start over.
> 
> 
> ...


Oh my stars, that is unreal, how could anyone cover up that beautiful wood. 

I was doing a job in Memphis several years back and I was admiring the beautiful walnut bookcases on each side of the walnut mantel. Not just plain Jane walnut bookcases and mantel. I came back to run the ceiling mold in that room so it could be marbleized and so help me Hannah, they had painted the walnut, I almost freaked out. I couldn't believe they had done that.

Is that a 66 Malibu SS?


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

BG, I was just looking at your album, I didn't realize you were the person who posted about your antique home. The backside of that house looks so much like an antique home I restored years back it is unreal. That house was built back in 1822. I originally went there to see if the siding was any good where it had been covered up with aluminum siding. Me and one of my crews stayed there for 5 years off and on restoring it. 

We tore the part in the back of the house off and rebuilt one larger. The main house was warped and leaning to the point we couldn't pull it back plumb without destroying it. We actually built a house on the outside and on the inside of the old home encasing it inside the walls. We had to reproduce everything to be approved by the historic commission in that town. They later asked me to be on the historic board, I turned them down. They did ask me then if I would be a consultant and I did agree to that.

Anyway, the last 15 years of my career we restored and built reproduction antique homes. The trim in the old homes could not be bought anywhere, we had to make most of it on site or at the shop. The photos below are of the old 1822 home.

The last 4 photos, the two on the right are the rear of that house after we built the addition on back.


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## yardmullet (Jan 6, 2018)

'67
200 yo doors
Left is poplar. R is heavy as lead pine


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

yardmullet said:


> '67
> 200 yo doors
> Left is poplar. R is heavy as lead pine


We must have hit the post button at the same time. lol

I love the antiques like that. When restoring the old homes I always wondered how the people had lived back then and about all the hardships they had. I know a lot of the old old homes was built by mostly slaves. Some of the old antique stairs I restored were more art than carpenter works, they really knew their stuff way back then. I still have some of the old iron square head nails that came out of the old 1822 house.


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## yardmullet (Jan 6, 2018)

BigJim said:


> BG, I was just looking at your album, I didn't realize you were the person who posted about your antique home. The backside of that house looks so much like an antique home I restored years back it is unreal. That house was built back in 1822. I originally went there to see if the siding was any good where it had been covered up with aluminum siding. Me and one of my crews stayed there for 5 years off and on restoring it.
> 
> We tore the part in the back of the house off and rebuilt one larger. The main house was warped and leaning to the point we couldn't pull it back plumb without destroying it. We actually built a house on the outside and on the inside of the old home encasing it inside the walls. We had to reproduce everything to be approved by the historic commission in that town. They later asked me to be on the historic board, I turned them down. They did ask me then if I would be a consultant and I did agree to that.
> 
> Anyway, the last 15 years of my career we restored and built reproduction antique homes. The trim in the old homes could not be bought anywhere, we had to make most of it on site or at the shop. The photos below are of the old 1822 home.





Where? Looks like a 4square. I'd like to see more pics.

Boy, that is a flashback. I busted my a$$ on the house and barns for years.

Mine was same vintage. Was put together with pegs. Had roman numerals on main beams so they knew where they went when they had enough folks to put it together.
Yeah, I ponied up over $200 for a custom router bit for the siding. Thing was it wasn't old poplar so less longevity.

We got a begrudging hysterical approval to hopefully preserve house/property. 



bg


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

yardmullet said:


> Where? Looks like a 4square. I'd like to see more pics.
> 
> Boy, that is a flashback. I busted my a$$ on the house and barns for years.
> 
> ...


Do you not live there anymore?


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## yardmullet (Jan 6, 2018)

No.
Ala div laws suk


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

BG, I tried to PM you but for some reason it wouldn't let me reply. 

The house in the photo is in west Tennessee. I understand about div laws.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Well, I am back to square one on the AC. Yesterday it cooled really good, today we had to have the windows down a little to get cool. It was much hotter yesterday than today also. I will put the blame gauges back on tomorrow and see what the dickens is going on. Can't win for loosing.


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## yardmullet (Jan 6, 2018)

Look at pressures. What you had yesterday was good.
*What year Pathfinder
*
When will you be around?
I can head over at your convenience. Another can of 134 might help, just avoid going over 300 psi.
Just let me know and Ill load up my chairs and head your way.:biggrin2:
Oh, also I'll bring pump and ac tools

You have my number.


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## yardmullet (Jan 6, 2018)

Test


Power keeps going out


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

yardmullet said:


> Look at pressures. What you had yesterday was good.
> *What year Pathfinder
> *
> When will you be around?
> ...


2003 Pathfinder LE. I will check with my wife and see what we have going on this week. I don't thing we have much of anything going on. I will give you a call a little later.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

BG, I will post some more numbers tomorrow and see if anything has changed with the AC. We have things going on Wednesday and Thursday but the rest of the week we will be here. I will give you a buzz and tell you our address. I really do appreciate all your help.


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## yardmullet (Jan 6, 2018)

Ok. 

Pressures would be good to see.
Is your compressor always engaged? Or can you feel it kick in?
Yours may be at the cusp of when all that variable/wobble crap began.
But nah. It was cooling. So orifice crud or drier.


bg


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

yardmullet said:


> Ok.
> 
> Pressures would be good to see.
> Is your compressor always engaged? Or can you feel it kick in?
> ...


Every time I have looked at the compressor, the clutch is engaged. I will keep an eye on it to see if it does disengage.


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## yardmullet (Jan 6, 2018)

You may have a variable compressor. May or may not have external clutch.
My 03 Tundra does not but I don't know when Nissan started using them.


The Freon flow is controlled by a solenoid on the rear of compressor.

Anyway, hook up gauges and see if high side pressure falls as rpm increases. This is what it is supposed to do.


But the solenoids can get hinky, and they have a screen that can restrict flow as well.


bg


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Man the ac went crazy today. Here are the readings in the photo below.
Outside temps 82 degrees F had just rained 30 minutes before.

By the way, we have the automatic climate control if that has any thing to do with anything.

#1 just hooked up engine cold

#2 Engine cranked cold engine

#3 Engine at operating temps engine at 1500 rpm

#4 Was video of engine at 2500 rpm high side needle fluctuating so fast you couldn't see the needle. it was fluctuating between 235 and 300.

#5 Engine back to idle after needle went crazy, needle steady here

#6 Engine at operating temps, engine just shut off. 

The hose on the low side was warm, was not cool to the touch, the hose on high side AC was so hot I couldn't unhook the gauge coupling. The inside air was blowing kinda cool just not comfortably cool.

I did check the compressor clutch and it was spinning, I turned the AC off and it disengaged.


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## yardmullet (Jan 6, 2018)

Jim,
Ok, so you dont have variable if it disengages. ECV has that solenoid thing to control flow and either doesn't disengage does it internally.



Had you just added 134 before high side fluctuations?

Pic #3 high side is too low. I thought the high was rapidly fluctuating.


Lemme see...expansion valve, orifice...Guess we can rule out poa valve:smile:

There is a doo-hicky in some gauge fittings to prevent backflow. Sometimes it falls out so you are seeing each piston stroke of compressor.


What color is the vehicle? Kidding.


There is thermister on bottom edge of dash for atc. Should have ~5v to it. But I don't think that is it.


Hard to dx this kind of thing without being there.


Sometimes even first hand is difficult. My tundra has started stalling and even a bottle, a bible and mild profanity haven't resolved it.


Call or text I will mosey up that way. I usually start early.


bg


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

yardmullet said:


> Jim,
> Ok, so you dont have variable if it disengages. ECV has that solenoid thing to control flow and either doesn't disengage does it internally.
> 
> 
> ...


#3 is before I revved the engine to 2500 rpm. I wanted to see if the high side needle was going to drop like you said it would. When I revved the engine to 2500 rpm is when the needle started bouncing like crazy.

I will text you in a few minutes, my phone battery is about dead.


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## yardmullet (Jan 6, 2018)

Sorry to have mislead, Pressure wouldn't drop if not a variable. (unless something else)

Let me know. I get up at 5am. Will come up there at crack of dawn tomorrow. Maybe can cipher this out.
bg


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

I will do my best to be up and about when you get here. I texted you a little while ago.


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## Brainbucket (Mar 30, 2015)

Air in the system will cause abnormal readings. Too much oil will do the same thing. When checking pressures with engine running, put a fan in front of condenser. You need to put a vacuum on it for at least 30 minutes but 1 hour is best. Did we put a new drier on it? How long was the system open? Do we have a sun load in one test then it's in the shade the next? Just a few questions to throw out there.:vs_cool:


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Brainbucket said:


> Air in the system will cause abnormal readings. Too much oil will do the same thing. When checking pressures with engine running, put a fan in front of condenser. You need to put a vacuum on it for at least 30 minutes but 1 hour is best. Did we put a new drier on it? How long was the system open? Do we have a sun load in one test then it's in the shade the next? Just a few questions to throw out there.:vs_cool:


Hey BB, good to see you. I didn't add oil, I did bleed the air off the yellow hose before trying to put more R134a in. I couldn't have added more than an oz or two but I didn't relive that much either. I will put a fan in front of the engine today and check it that way. BG is on his way up here to give me some help on the AC in a little while.

I haven't replaced any parts on the AC because I don't have a vacuum pump. I have tested in the sun and also where there was a shade but don't remember the difference. I do know the AC will cool much better in the shade though. I will let you know what BG finds.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

yardmullet, came by this morning and checked out the AC. We added the rest of the can of r134a to the AC but the needle on the high side is still bouncing really fast back and forth. It isn't fluctuating in as wide an arc as before but it is till going nuts. We had to go some where this afternoon and while it is cooling fairly well, it isn't cold. I will test the car in the sun and then in the shade and see how much difference it makes. I will test it without a fan on the radiator and with to see if there is any difference. 

What I need to do now is see why that needle is bouncing. I am going to see about buying an vacuum pump so I can have the system emptied and I can refill it.

Thanks so much for coming by this morning Bill, it was a real pleasure to meet you. I really do appreciate all your help. Bill AKA yardmullet, is a really nice guy that was a two hour drive for him to come up this way.


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## yardmullet (Jan 6, 2018)

Jim,


Well I didn't help at all, although it was cooling. The high side fluctuations are a puzzle.
Expansion valves were resurrected in the past few years, so maybe.


Your condenser and drier are one piece. If I open a system and pull it down I replace drier but the cost of a combo makes me reluctant to just throw parts at it.
bg


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Thanks Bill, I looked on rockauto and a condenser and dryer aren't that bad. I watched another video this evening and it told how to find a block in the system, I will give that a try hopefully tomorrow. I am thinking it is the orifice tube clogged or air in the system. It was cooling pretty good tonight but then it was raining.


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## Brainbucket (Mar 30, 2015)

I don't believe you have a block in the system cause the high side would peg out or be really high or the low side would go to a vacuum. Needle bouncing is usually the compressor going bad. Sorry. That's why the pressures are not right. You have an expansion block instead of a orifice tube. Change the compressor, expansion block, and drier. Empty all the oil out of the compressor by holding it over a pan and turn the clutch as you have oil in the system so you don't need any more. Now not saying that the compressor is toast but it's hurt. But to find a blockage is to feel around cause a blockage will be like an orifice and gets cold. So search for a cold spot on the condenser but be careful as the condenser will be hot. :vs_cool:


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Brainbucket said:


> I don't believe you have a block in the system cause the high side would peg out or be really high or the low side would go to a vacuum. Needle bouncing is usually the compressor going bad. Sorry. That's why the pressures are not right. You have an expansion block instead of a orifice tube. Change the compressor, expansion block, and drier. Empty all the oil out of the compressor by holding it over a pan and turn the clutch as you have oil in the system so you don't need any more. Now not saying that the compressor is toast but it's hurt. But to find a blockage is to feel around cause a blockage will be like an orifice and gets cold. So search for a cold spot on the condenser but be careful as the condenser will be hot. :vs_cool:


Thanks BB, I have been afraid of that. I guess I will just ride this one to the bottom till it gives out then see about getting another one. I appreciate your expertise.


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