My truck has blown warm air for a year or so and the hot Georgia summer is killing me. Time to finally get the AC working.

I got a pressure guage manifold and will take a reading tomorrow morning. Also filled the system with dye/freon a few weeks ago, and will scan for leaks.

I know that Motorcraft is always preferred, but I'd like some usable options. My question is are any of the local auto store AC parts semi-reliable and serviceable?


PS: I know to buy a new compressor and not rebuilt, beyond that I don't know if any of the NEW compressor makers are to be avoided. I have Autozone, Advance and O'Reilly in my area.

 

I've had really good luck with the ones from Advance

 

I've had really good luck with the ones from Advance. Replace the accum/dryer assembly while you're at it

 

Which ones they sell several models... some are reman, others are new.

 

I just put gauges on it:


What does this look like? Truck has 350k miles. Couldn't spot any leaks with dye and UV glasses from the last recharge (checked at night to make it easier to spot).

 

You are low on freon, your compressor is short cycling due to the low side pressure dropping to the cut out switch. Idling at 80 degrees I would not expect the low side to drop and cycle the compressor very often. 134a systems are very picky, even a half pound low can be enough to make it blow warm air. Add more and you will see the high side psi come up to around 150, the low side will get up to the 30-32 psi range. The compressor will stay running much longer between cycles. With humidity in the air you should notice condensing begin on the surface of the receiver as it gets cold and the system will begin to blow cold air.

The question is how quickly does it leak the freon off? If you get the system up and working does is last a day, a week, all summer? 134a is legal to buy but not to knowingly release. If it is regularly leaking down then it needs fixed.

 

If you go with one from advanced buy online use code trt30 for 30% off or I think $50 is the max you can save at once though but if you need a few things just check out multiple times if you run out of discount and you can pick up in store right after you order.

 

Folks, just because it says Motorcraft on the box does not make it better than another brand of aftermarket part for your truck. Granted 25% of the time it might have a better fit but remember, Ford is like the US Government, They put the parts out for bid and might have selected the lowest bidder who could manufacture the parts in the quantity that Ford requires.

Also, Ford re-manufactured parts might even be re-manufactured by the same company supplying the local parts houses. Ford does not re-manufacture their own parts. As with years ago and more so now days, there is only a limited number of companies manufacturing new parts and re-manufacturing cores.

With that said, I will normally go with one of the local part houses that give me a lifetime warranty on the part I am needing at the best price possible.

 

Maybe Rock-Auto. Remember to change the Accumulator, Liquid Line, Orris Tube, Filter and flush the system to make sure the Condenser isn't clogged.

 

I just went through this with my wife's 2009 Mariner (Escape). I used parts from Amazon that were from Four Seasons and UAC (Texas Company) Seemed like good parts. I also got the air powered vacuum pump from Harbor Freight and it worked well to pull the vac to -29 in/mg. If you can, at a minimum replace the dryer because the Super Duty and Escape have a known issue with the dessicant bag opening and pushing the pellets all through the system clogging it. I would first recharge it with the cheapest r134 at wal-mart, not the gimmicky stuff in the fancy cans. Then see if it holds that charge, and for how long. My wife's car was blowing at 37 degrees F after I fixed the leaking hose (Suction Line). But for the price of the lines I replaced them all at the same time. Good Luck.