Rear ac inop

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May 19, 2014 | 02:45 PM

jetfiremuck

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Mountain Pass

Joined: Oct 2002

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From: Jaqcksonville

Rear ac inop

97 aerostar rear ac stopped working. Blower runs fine. Checked solenoid has power and clicks when plug pulled and refitted. Liquid line is hot to solenoid and somewhat warm after the solenoid. Return line from evap is at room temp.
Front is 40f at register. Am I looking at bad solenoid or blocked orifice tube.
Solenoid is nla. Orifice not so. Any ideas. Still on original evaps comp etc.

May 19, 2014 | 05:07 PM

xlt4wd90

Lead Driver

Joined: Sep 2003

Posts: 7,015

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From: SoCal

Your assessment is probably correct; very likely clogged line or orifice tube. The drag is that you have to discharge the entire system, clean it out, replace the clogged parts, evacuate and refill. If you haven't before, this would be a good time to replace the dryer/accumulator. If you find crud in the lines, usually in the filter for the orifice tube, you want to to a complete flush of the system. You can get cleaning fluids to do this, usually used with compressed air. Some parts, such as the condenser and evaporators, can not be flushed, and will need to be replaced.

I heard of this "black death" that can happen to some compressors, where their internals break down and crud gets pumped through the entire system. The only way to fix that is to replace all the parts. Hope you don't have that.

May 19, 2014 | 05:27 PM

Jose A.

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Apr 2003

Posts: 1,460

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From: Florida

most a/c technicians don't want to work on these Ford systems because they can never get them right, you need someone willing to tackle the job without whinning about it, if they start whinning about it, tell them "thanks" and go elsewhere, because chances are they will not do the job right and you'll end up paying anyway.

Find domeone who KNOWS the Ford system, not someone who complains about it.

May 20, 2014 | 04:54 PM

xlt4wd90

Lead Driver

Joined: Sep 2003

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From: SoCal

When I worked on my system, I was bitching and whining all throughout the process. But I think I did a good job, as 5 years later, it's still working, and that's longer than the AC has ever worked in that van.

May 23, 2014 | 11:56 AM

jetfiremuck

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Mountain Pass

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From: Jaqcksonville

Update. Before starting a tearout, I checked rear solenoid by pulling fan motor and running ac. Can hear freon hissing past orifice tube so all ok. However I notice that only the lower portion of the evap gets cold. There was a build up of dust and crud on the core so i cleaned the fins etc. Anyway removed orifice tubes front and rear. Some black particles from black death in front orifice tube but screen was clear for most of its length. Rear orifice was clean. Cleaned with brake cleaner and refitted. Replaced dryer assy with new ford unit vac and recharge. It mus be rear evap clogged somehow!!! But how if orifice was clean before removal. Ill order one anyway .

May 23, 2014 | 03:16 PM

96_4wdr

Post Fiend

Joined: Apr 2005

Posts: 5,720

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From: Washington state

does the compressor look new? If not, then compressor replacement time, some black death means the compressor vanes/chamber have already started to break down. If someone put a new replacement on prior to your purchase, you may be able to prevent it's failure by doing a complete parts replacement, coolant, oil.

The coolant line in many years of the AS has larger metal inline crimped on filters. Line HAS to be replaced. Helped several friends-relatives over the years getting their a/c going after black death. Trying to flush parts after Black Death is waste of time long term. Most go out again less than a year. New parts including lines only.

20 years and mine is still running like factory new front and rear with NO service. still can drive me out of the van on a 100d day.
Just the worst front floorboard cooling, roast the skin off the feet heavy towing. Main reason I quit towing trailer with it.

May 23, 2014 | 06:40 PM

jetfiremuck

Thread Starter

Mountain Pass

Joined: Oct 2002

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From: Jaqcksonville

Ive owned the van since 30k now at 417k. Ac never opened until i needed to replace suction and liquid line from compressor. The crimp on the suction line rusted creating leak. Compressor is not noisy at idle and shows 40f at dash register. Think Ill order a rear evap core and see how I go. Ac pressures are 50psi low side and 240 hiside. Still dont figure the evap cold at the bottom and warm at top.