My A/C unit runs cold for about 5 minutes at a time and then kicks out. Was recharged last year and just the other day ran for a good 30 minutes ice cold! If it was leaking refrigerant wouldn't it eventually just not work at all? Could something else be causing the compresser to kick out?

 

check ur clutch. i had a simmilar problem. turned out my clutch was seizing. U should also have someone run a vacum on the ac lines. U might be leaking fluid from there.

 

Probably the low-pressure switch causing it to cycle. Put a gauge on it.
Eventually, yes. Sounds like you're getting there bit by bit.

There are any number of other things that could cause it, but low refrigerant is the most likely.

 

Used to have a 84 E-150 that acted similar. It was supposed to have a 35 amp fuse and a previous owner had replaced it with a 30 amp circuit breaker. After I put the proper fuse in, no further problems.

 

Yes, a low refrigerant level will cause your AC to stop cooling. In my case, it was merely the AC cycling switch on the compressor that was bad. You can check it with a jumper wire from the battery. I will go through 2-4 switches per year on my Z-71, so 1 per two years on my Ford ain't bad!!