AC Advise

[BrianX128]

Yeah I wouldn't mind getting two three way 5/8 ball valves but finding those with barbed fittings is difficult. I still might do that anyways when I fix that vacuum module for the blend door if I can find it online.

Also I have a spare compressor, trying to avoid that for now. That goop was all sludgy almost like it had stop leak jammed in it before, no metal shavings or anything and it still seems to be pumping good. If I have any more issues with it and have the system open I'll probably swap the compressors.

 

[pafixitman]

Yeah I wouldn't mind getting two three way 5/8 ball valves but finding those with barbed fittings is difficult.

Brian, google PEX 5/8 barb valves. Nice brass ones will cost you a bit but used PEX fitting on the coolant filter system when I had the dually.

 

[Booyah45828]

That much trash stuck to your orifice tube is usually a sign the compressor is failing. While it may still work fine for the time being, don't be surprised if it gives up soon.

I'll second this. Especially seeing how it blew the screen out of the back of the orifice tube. You have a lot of fine material circulating in the system. If you have a machine at your disposal, suck it down and install an in-line ac filter. You might be able to avoid failure for the time being.

They call that sludge black death for a reason. Typically when I find something like this, the compressor has already failed and some hack has pumped a bunch of freon in a leaking system trying to get it to work. It then doesn't and they bring it to me wondering why.

Old tube and fin systems you could flush this stuff out real well, install a new drier and compressor, recharge the system and be good. With parallel flow condensers that's not the case. You'll find yourself replacing almost everything in they system.

Seeing that picture though, I wish you the best of luck.

 

[BrianX128]

Hmm. I do have another compressor I could throw on, I was pretty impressed how cold it was driving around today though, right now with some wind on the road it might be 98% as cold as my vw.

You must be registered for see images attach

This is my spare compressor in this picture, no idea what model or anything else about it as it looks odd. It was on my 6.9 for an under dash unit, I didn't think it would be compatible when I redid my system on that truck but it worked great. I put the new compressor on that truck anyways just to be safe. I'm guessing the hoses would still fit from my stock truck, it looks like the old hoses were just flipped around on it because of how the dealer ac was configured.. I've had it sitting sealed up for the last two years. I'm just debating whether I should toss a new compressor on and an ac filter or leave this one keep going and add a filter.

 

[franklin2]

That's the great thing about 134a. Run it till it blows, fix it and put some more in and go again. I have a old Bronco II I just bought, A/C doesn't work. I am going to jump the pressure switch and see what the compressor sounds like. If it's fairly quiet I will pull a vacuum on it. If it holds reasonably well, I am going to stick a conversion kit in it and run it. Something happens, I will just repair it, put more gas in it, and let it go again.

 

[BrianX128]

So bear with me as a few things I've assumed were correct in this are not it turns out after I got home today and did some more work.

First my re-circulation door doesn't work at all. Leaking vacuum everywhere, and that is new as about a year and a half ago I know it works when I put the ranger vacuum mod in to stop the coolant flow to the heater core.

That also doesn't work. If I press the vacuum line into the ranger mod, it pulls that lever and the blend door slowly and the vacuum mod leaks out the hole to pivot the ball valve for the coolant flow. I ordered two steel three way valves with 5/8 barb fittings and will be eliminating that mess. I also had an old spare re-circulation vacuum module from the heater only hvac box from a different truck I had removed and added AC to. I stole it's module and it snaps shut with vacuum. I could feel that help some in the cab as it's extremely muggy and I'm guessing that will be a big help on super hot sunny days to be able to actually pull the inside air through the system instead of 98+ from outside in the engine bay.

Now that this is done and I'll actually be restricting flow to the heater core I think I might be at least 99% fixed. It's cold already even with the heater core flowing. Another thing I noticed is one of my heater hoses to the heater core is leaning against the drier, going to fix that as well.

I'm still going to add a filter in line somewhere, I'm seeing them online that you add into the high side before the compressor, not sure if that's the best route or not. Might as well do this in case this compressor starts imploding. I might just press my luck with this one and buy a new fs6 this fall once the heat is done.

Another thing I'm really puzzled on is my high pressure port doesn't fit anything I have. My buddy measured the pressure with me at his shop when I was getting things inspected, but I have an old set of R12 threaded gauges and they are too big. I have a conversion kit and I believe I have a fitting that would thread on the high side line, but I'm not sure what I'm to hook there to get a reading on the larger quick connect fitting. I wouldn't mind buying something to read the pressure as I've only put ~32 ounces in the truck so far. I put 3 12oz cans in, but I get impatient toward the end of a can and end up getting a new one a little early. Not sure if I could add more or not yet and don't want to until I check the high side. Also what high side pressure is ok since I'm still using the old R12 components with 134a?

Side note, the new "safe" 134a cans are the most unsafe things ever. I blast my hands with refrigerant every time I put a new can on, no matter which side you screw in first. The pierce top cans were considerably safer..

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Another thing I noticed is one of my heater hoses to the heater core is leaning against the drier, going to fix that as well.

I believe that it's almost impossible to keep the heater hoses from rubbing on something. This is my solution. I take some old heater hose, slit it long ways, wrap it around the heater hoses wherever they rub something, and zip tie the pieces on so that they don't fall off.

 

[aggiediesel01]

On filling with 134 cans, get a bucket of hot water and when the can is nearly empty set it in the hot water, that will drive nearly all of the last of the refrigerant out.

 

[BrianX128]

I put my new ball valve system in today, that made a noticeable difference, I don't think the system had much of a chance when its pulling in 95* ambient air with the heater core cooking the hvac box at 200*, it was nice today inside I was cool enough to only need it on 3/4 fan speed.

 

[franklin2]

The 134a gauge sets have the small and large hook-ups for the conversion adapters. If you have a regular set of refrigeration gauges you can buy adapters like these and they will fit your regular gauges.

https://www.amazon.com/OrionMotorTe...&keywords=r134a+adapter&qid=1595630426&sr=8-3

On the pressures you should see, that is not a easy question. It all depends on the ambient temperature and the temperature of the air through the two coils in the system. Don't worry, if you get too much in it or the pressure gets too high, you will hear a big bang under the hood and then a lot of smoke. That will be the high side safety valve popping off. Been there, done that. Did no harm though.

 

[BrianX128]

The 134a gauge sets have the small and large hook-ups for the conversion adapters. If you have a regular set of refrigeration gauges you can buy adapters like these and they will fit your regular gauges.

https://www.amazon.com/OrionMotorTe...&keywords=r134a+adapter&qid=1595630426&sr=8-3

On the pressures you should see, that is not a easy question. It all depends on the ambient temperature and the temperature of the air through the two coils in the system. Don't worry, if you get too much in it or the pressure gets too high, you will hear a big bang under the hood and then a lot of smoke. That will be the high side safety valve popping off. Been there, done that. Did no harm though.

Trust me I blew the blow off valve on this compressor before. I'm kinda partial to leaving it on there because a lot of people said they usually don't fall back down and reseal and it did, I think it might still be the original compressor and it just seems to be a champ. I about froze today, but it was only 87, we'll see how tomorrow at 92 is.

My gauges I have are the old threaded style connections, and my high side port is threaded but they aren't the same size. I can thread on my 134 adapter to the high side port and it fits but then I'll have to get a new set of gauges entirely which might not hurt... but they all have bad reviews on amazon lol.

 

[SLC97SR5]

I put my new ball valve system in today, that made a noticeable difference, I don't think the system had much of a chance when its pulling in 95* ambient air with the heater core cooking the hvac box at 200*, it was nice today inside I was cool enough to only need it on 3/4 fan speed.

Do you have a link to the valves you used and a picture of it installed?

My Ranger valve bypasses and I still get hot coolant circulating through the core.

 

[BrianX128]

I'll send you a picture here in a minute, I got them all from Amazon. Pretty good quality too. Except the 6 pack of 3/4 npt to 5/8 hose barb has 5 not 6

 

[BrianX128]

Forgot the picture and stuff. I got all of this from amazon, it felt like good quality..

You must be registered for see images attach

The wires for some of my senders are a bit everywhere, too much stuff in the engine bay. That being said the stuff leaked slightly around the threads until I put pipe tape on it. Not sure if I didn't have it tight enough originally or if the valves were quality and the npt to hose barb adapters weren't or the other way around but its leak free now. The ac evaporator drips the same place the coolant was running so I was confused after I taped it and had no coolant leaking at the fittings why I was still getting some green in with the condensation but everything in this area is still green wet and hard to get cleaned off. Not sure that what I got was the best bet but it does at least work now and doing this mod does help the ac tremendously.

I don't know what my vent temps are but I'm gonna check next time I drive it, I was cold the other day when it was 95 out that's for sure.

 

[Jl elevatorman]

Better make sure if it is a 134 or 12 system. Thy both will cool the trk, but I think that Started life as 12. Different charging procedure.