what is the coldest ac temp acheiveable?
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what is the coldest ac temp acheiveable?
I recently took out and cleaned the evaporation core on my truck. Installed a $20 "variable" office tube. And recharge with r134a. On a cool evening or even up to 85* the vents will blow 39* but will be higher up to 55 or so on a good hot day. My clutch fan is working maybe a little too good and my pressures hover around 25 psi low Ames 200-300 high depend on ambient. I can't tell for sure if the ac is cycling going down the road or not. Has anybody mastered the ford ac system to make it blow 39 on a good hot 100-110* ambient day on max high fan? I have an extended cab
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Ashland City, TN
Did you pull a vacuum on the system first?
if you did not, you'll never achieve proper cooling.
The amount of cooling varies depending on the amount of coolant you put in and the type of coolant you use.
if you did not, you'll never achieve proper cooling.
The amount of cooling varies depending on the amount of coolant you put in and the type of coolant you use.
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I pulled a vacuum and used regular r134a stuff I got from auto zone in the 30lb jug. I don't have one of those fancy scales I can put my bottle on. I just let her blow off the steam. Lots of yellow dye crap in there. Idk why because there is no leak. My evaperator was plugged solid with lint mud and no air would blow through it. I bought a 20 dollar tube Idk why. I had cash that day and said y not. It's like 39 degrees on the little gauge on high fan and max ac. I had to perminately fix the max ac door open with a zip tie. It's good like that. but when I drive on a really hot day like 105 it blows 50 or a lil more. Maybe all I need is window tint?
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I hooked my ac gauges up put under hood and up by the windshield under the wipers so I could see what went on. The pressure stayed at a constant 25 psi unless I was idling at a stop light. It's about 90 today. My hi side was a steady 200-225. I guess that's perfect since it never clutch cycled once. I'm going to get tint that's all there is to it!
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Hmmm... I just did some research on older r12 ac units and they have a stuff called r12a. It is a pure form of bbq gas propane.. regular propane is less refined and can also be used in vehicle ac's and generally has cooler temperatures at the vents. Less head pressure, uses only 1/3 the amount in weight from r134a, compatible with pag and ester oil won't eat the hoses and o rings from inside out like r134 has a tendency to do it doesn't seem to care what orifice tube to use.... the reason it is illegal to use is because it is flammable. Now let's think about this. It can't blow up inside the ac compressor. I have a big bumper so the condensor is protected in case of any kind of wreck. And I have no leaks... I think I'm fairly safe and maybe just crazy enough to try it... ;-) I am in the process of building a homemade cheap reclaim unit. So when I get that built I might vac the system and add a little propane to see what it will do.. and don't try telling me that's not the greatest idea in the world because I already know that! I'm still going to think about it and do some more research on this subject.
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From: Texas
Hmmm... So when I get that built I might vac the system and add a little propane to see what it will do.. and don't try telling me that's not the greatest idea in the world because I already know that! I'm still going to think about it and do some more research on this subject.
Keep us posted on the progress and be sure to take before and after temp readings from the vents for us.
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Ashland City, TN
if you have manafold gauges, refer to chart for the desired tempature you desire for the coolant your using.
be sure your system can handle that pressure as well.
You can charge a system by pressure readings, or by weight of coolant.
IIRC, the chart style to get your pressure requires a bit of math, and I do not recall the math at the moment, nor do I have my pocket chart.
be sure your system can handle that pressure as well.
You can charge a system by pressure readings, or by weight of coolant.
IIRC, the chart style to get your pressure requires a bit of math, and I do not recall the math at the moment, nor do I have my pocket chart.
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I believe the ranger ac mod refers to a valve to rout the boiling hot radiator water around instead of through the heater core in the ac box. I might have to either just rout around my heater core or do this mod to my truck (: it is a bad idea to put a valve there because believe it or not the water pump will build 50+ psi inside the block with that hose not circulating. Blow freeze plugs and head gasket!
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Gambrills
I believe the ranger ac mod refers to a valve to rout the boiling hot radiator water around instead of through the heater core in the ac box. I might have to either just rout around my heater core or do this mod to my truck (: it is a bad idea to put a valve there because believe it or not the water pump will build 50+ psi inside the block with that hose not circulating. Blow freeze plugs and head gasket!
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I put a new motor in a truck one time and I didn't hook all the hoses up yet. I just had a short piece of hose with a bolt for a plug and hose clamps on that port on the head where the heater hose plugs in. Anyways when I revived the motor up to 2500 for a bit the water pump built so much pressure that it blew that bolt out and shot hot water like 20-30 feet in the air. And the bolt over the neighbors fence! I'm glad I wasn't in the way! I'm also glad that blew before something else did! And there was no pressure on the radiator cap. all that pressure came from the water pump. I have seen people pinch the water line off with a c clamp or pliers but I would not recommend that... to each his own
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: AZ
You say that you bought a $20 variable tube, was that for the water drain? I've noticed mine is not draining like it should be, sometimes when I stop it will drain and other times when I stop there will not be any water under the truck. When it was draining one time I got a flashlight and shined it up there and it was dripping out of the bottom of the evaperator assembly on the seam. I couldn't tell where the drain was because water was dripping in my face, where is it?
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The variable orifice tube I am talking about is the orifice that goes in the high pressure freeon line just before it enters the evaporator core. The water dripping on the clipboard that you are talking about is due to the drain somehow got plugged up and is no longer draining outside on the ground where it is supposed to. I'm not sure exactly how it works. But someone else will chime in and help you out.
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It just depends on humidity and viewpoint wehether the ac will drip water or not. And also the fan clutch has a lot to do with the ac working correctly. If you feel the ac pipe that comes from the condensor in the front going to the firewall on the passenger side and it is too hot to touch then there is usually a problem with your fan clutch or your condensor is dirty.