With Summer Nearing Fast

[BrianX128]

My ac doesn't work.

I've been through this before with a few other vehicles but none of them were R12, and usually fuses, crap wiring to the compressor, or bad pressure was the culprit. Or on my 250, the clutch was engaging but not actually hitting hard enough to spin the compressor and I had to take washers off and re-assemble it.

Well on the diesel beast it doesn't even engage the clutch no matter what I do to the settings in the cab. I'm wondering is there a way to "jump" the compressor clutch to see if it still works whether the system is filled or not while the engine is off so I don't damage anything and so I can see if it's busted before I'd try to fill anything?

I really don't feel like taking the time to convert the thing over if at all possible. Could even buy an adaptor kit thing at walmart and just purge the system and jam 134a into it and see how long I can make that last before I have to buy new hoses and whatnot. Not my daily driver so it's not mission critical to have cold ac, heck my 150 doesn't even have ac and in summer my ac is the windows and crotch windows and the giant fan I put on the dash from the cig lighter. I'll survive if I can't scrounge up an easy fix haha..

Just curious where you guys would start and if my first step is relevant or if there are better things to do. Tried searching but mostly found articles on the thing kicking on and off or just not being very cold.

Thanks in advance.

 

[fsmyth]

Clutches are simple. +12v to the wire. Should engage fully.
And the 134a kits are simple. But if it has been unpressurised for very long,
it will have condensation in the system. A flush will get rid of a lot of it, but
vacuum is really the only way. And a new dryer. Conversion is easy - just a
few O-rings.

 

[MTKirk]

My ac doesn't work.

I've been through this before with a few other vehicles but none of them were R12, and usually fuses, crap wiring to the compressor, or bad pressure was the culprit. Or on my 250, the clutch was engaging but not actually hitting hard enough to spin the compressor and I had to take washers off and re-assemble it.

Well on the diesel beast it doesn't even engage the clutch no matter what I do to the settings in the cab. I'm wondering is there a way to "jump" the compressor clutch to see if it still works whether the system is filled or not while the engine is off so I don't damage anything and so I can see if it's busted before I'd try to fill anything?

I really don't feel like taking the time to convert the thing over if at all possible. Could even buy an adaptor kit thing at walmart and just purge the system and jam 134a into it and see how long I can make that last before I have to buy new hoses and whatnot. Not my daily driver so it's not mission critical to have cold ac, heck my 150 doesn't even have ac and in summer my ac is the windows and crotch windows and the giant fan I put on the dash from the cig lighter. I'll survive if I can't scrounge up an easy fix haha..

Just curious where you guys would start and if my first step is relevant or if there are better things to do. Tried searching but mostly found articles on the thing kicking on and off or just not being very cold.

Thanks in advance.

The pressure switch is on the drier/accumulator (round cylinder thingy) there is an electrical connector going to it. Disconnect this connector, start truck and let it ldle. Push the AC button and turn the fan on high, slide the lever to full cold (blue). Open hood and stick a jumper wire in the connector to complete the circuit between the two leads. If the clutch engages it means you are low on refrigerant. It won't hurt anything to run the system like this for the few seconds it takes to check it out.

If jumping the pressure switch works, go to an AC shop and have them recover your R-12. Also have them pull a vacuum of 26 mm hg on your system and hold it for 30 minutes to check for leaks, if it declines steadily you have a leak, if it declines a little (2 mm hg or so) then stabilizes you might still be ok. Of course look the system over for signs of leaks (usually greasy dirt stuck around components)

If your system passes a vacuum test, I recommend you do not convert to R-134a. Instead refill with this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...refrigerant&qid=1458393758&ref_=sr_1_2&sr=8-2 or this http://www.amazon.com/Cans-RED-Refr...458393809&sr=8-4&keywords=red+tek+refrigerant

If you have gauges use them, if not research the websites of the refrigerant manufactures on how to fill. I used three cans of the envirosafe to fill my truck's system and it blows ice cubes.

If you have a leak, it's more complicated. If you have gauges and the desire to disassemble, flush your system and replace all o-rings (and likely the compressor), then I would still use the above refrigerants. If you have to have a shop do it, you're stuck with R134A. What ever you do DO NOT USE STOP LEAK!

 

[icanfixall]

The testing part mentioned above is correct but this really will not tell you if you have lost all the freon because of a leak. It only tells you the compressor works. Gauges are about the only way of knowing what the pressure is on the system. Look at it this way. You have a leak. No ac shop can just add freon to a system because the pressure is low. Its a national law telling any shop that ads freon to a low system without REPAIRING THE LEAK goes t jail. Most leaks are the compressure shaft seal but lots of times an o ring will harden and cause a loss of freon. If you do not have the tools ebay is a good place to find them. The vacuum pump will be the most costly item to pull vacuum on your mt system too. But you can make a vacuum pump very easily too. Find any used refrigerator shop or a cold water fountain or freezer. Carefully remove the black compressor from it but remember it probablt still has freon in the system. When the unit is removed run the compressor to find the suction and discharge side. Weld on fittings that match the type of freon you plan using and there you have it. A very good inexpensive vacuum pump that will pull 27 inches of mercury on any ac system.
You can get a license to purchase R12 freon on ebay too. I did this about 20 years ago. You take an online test after reading the information. I think the test was 20 questions and the cost was 15 or 20 bucks. I really do not think anyone really flunks the test either. Once you pass you are given a license and number that allows you to legally buy R12. What you wont have is the recovery system. Right now there is a law telling us we can't vent any freon to the atmosphere but... If you have a slow leak then they look the other way. Funny how that works....

 

[chris142]

I specialize in automotive ac. These trucks work great retrofitted to R134a. Let me know if you want to do it correctly.

 

[icanfixall]

I specialize in automotive ac. These trucks work great retrofitted to R134a. Let me know if you want to do it correctly.

This member knows what to do with ac systems. I would trust what comes from this member of this forum. What I posted is what I learned from a few years of reading and testing. Am I close to an expert.. Nope.. I feel at best I'm a back yard hack but able to SAFELY recharge an ac system. I never work on any ac system unless I wear a full wrap around face shield. It covers from ear to ear and hairline to chest. Freon in the eyes will do major damage. Breathing it is also not a good idea either.

 

[fsmyth]

All of the above is correct. I did not go into detail, because it did not sound like that
was what you are asking. I would add that, IMHO, the dryer needs to be replaced on
any system that has been opened to the atmosphere. Which includes most older
systems with the inevitable leaks. And ditto on the 134 - it's not as good, but it works
adequately if done properly.

 

[BrianX128]

Haven't had much chance to report back with work and all, but I did some testing and jumped the connector on the passenger side in the picture below and the clutch kicked on. Now, I'd assume that the black connector here is the low pressure port for filling the system but it has the "screw on" type and not the easy access clip type I have a hose for for my car to fill it with 134a.

I went ahead and ordered some of the stuff that was posted earlier in the thread after reading some reviews and I'd assume that I just need to find an adapter kit at Walmart to fit my gauge and filler hose onto and I can charge it some and see how it responds once my cans come from Amazon. Figured I'd try filling it with some of that stuff since it says its compatible with the r12 systems well enough and has great reviews and whatnot.

If it ends up all leaking away I do have a friend who worked at a shop that works on ac's who would probably help me out some with getting it all done but our work schedules are not feasible to both work on it easily.

Here's the picture, I just gotta hunt that adaptor now and fight the urge to put regular 134a in it just to see what happens until that stuff I ordered from Amazon comes Thursday...

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[BrianX128]

Welp I think the main problem was just the connection. Went to run some errands and now the thing works and I didn't do anything to it. Well it cycles on and off, I still want to get a gauge and see if it's low and needs charged or if the stupid compressor clutch is running away like it did on my 250, but, this is encouraging news either way. If it was leaking, it didn't all get out after 27 years so surely if it's low but had enough to kick on on its own it will handle a small charge. Hmm.

 

[icanfixall]

Just a note when the clutch is on and off constantly this usually means the pressure has dropped because of low freon in the system. Our mt systems requires 3 cans of R12 freon. That amounts to 3 lbs being 3 cans of 12 ozs. Hope that is not confusing.

 

[MTKirk]

Welp I think the main problem was just the connection. Went to run some errands and now the thing works and I didn't do anything to it. Well it cycles on and off, I still want to get a gauge and see if it's low and needs charged or if the stupid compressor clutch is running away like it did on my 250, but, this is encouraging news either way. If it was leaking, it didn't all get out after 27 years so surely if it's low but had enough to kick on on its own it will handle a small charge. Hmm.

I never said this because it is ILLEGAL! and it will make your R-12 unrecoverable, But you can simply top-off with envirosafe or red tek and it will work fine. You'll have to find some R-12 gauges. but this would make it super simple. You could fill to the low end of the pressure chart in the Ford Manual and you would be about dead on.

 

[chris142]

Any auto parts store will have the retrofit adapters you need. That's the original dryer and it needs to go as it's not r134a compatable

 

[BrianX128]

Well the saga continues. I got my red tek stuff in from Amazon and topped the system off with a can of that and the ac is frigid cold. Can't even stand to hold your hands on the steering wheel if the ac is on and at your hands, it's awesome and unlike anything I've seen with my 134a systems in my 250 that was converted by its previous owner and my 03 cavalier which has always been a good ac.

The issue is, when watching it run I noticed it cycling (couldn't hear it in cab wonder why...) and the pressure appears low when the compressor is on. Thing is I'm using a 134a gauge thing I had laying around to put the red tek stuff in to top it off. I'm not sure if this gauge even would give accurate readings with red tek 12a being in the system versus the original r12.

I have one can left, after an hour drive with the ac blasting full and cold it held the exact same pressure, and the cycles started to stay on when the ac is on for 45 seconds to a minute at idle and kick off for 7-8 seconds and back on for a minute.

Here's the video from what the pressure gauge reads. Should I add the other can or just leave well enough alone? The ac is perfectly cold, if I didn't look under the hood after and see it cycling I'd have been 100% done with this and see what it does for a month. I mean it is absolutely freezing ac. Also it was only 55 out when I did all this so I don't know if the compressor had a temp sensor to know that I don't need the ac on full like this cause it's not hot out, but that seems advanced for an engine system that has basically nothing electrical on it.


http://youtu.be/MQymB4AlIwA

I know I probably should just buy the supplies to convert it, but after seeing it held pressure for 27 years and just had a loose connection (I already had ordered the red tek 12a) I figured it's worth a try to top off and see how it works, and if it stays working like this I'll be so thrilled. Ignore the rats nest of wiring. I just did manual glow plugs, high idle over ride, and headlight relay mods and have some cleaning up to do.

Also, if it matters I jumped the sensor to see where the pressure would stay if I forced the compressor to spin for 3 minutes straight and it stays right at 25 on that gauge, so I'm not sure if I'm one can away from the sensor not cycling or what.