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Help with A/C

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Old May 30, 2018 | 07:13 PM
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superstroked6.0's Avatar
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Help with A/C

2003 F350 4x4 6.0 blue spring egr delete, 180 amp alt.

A/C compressor will only kick in for a few seconds at a time. No cold air. Gauges show about 45 lbs both sides at 80° outside temp. When truck is started with a/c on high, high side gauge build to around 75 and low side falls to around 20. Then the compressor stops running, number equalize, and repeat. Checked air gap. Screw was way loose clutch plate flopping around. Tightened up and checked it at over .030. Took it back off pulled out only spacer and reinstalled. Air gap at about .020 now with same results.

Any ideas? Any other info needed? Thanks in advance.
 
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Old May 30, 2018 | 07:34 PM
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From: West by God Virginyuh
Have you made sure it has a refrigerant charge? Sort of sounds like it barely has enough refrigerant pressure, then once the compressor starts low side pressure drops too low and compressor shuts down. You could try one of the cans of refrigerant from auto parts store just to see if that’ll get your system to have enough refrigerant to keep the compressor running.

Keep in mind that this is the internet and I may or may not be a dumba$$.
 
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Old May 30, 2018 | 07:56 PM
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The low side sounds high but the high side is really low. I would say you have a compressor issue by that but I'm no expert. Does the cooling improve with higher RPM? Has there been anything done to the system besides adjusting the air gap?
 
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Old May 30, 2018 | 08:00 PM
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Extremely low refrigerant charge.
 
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Old May 30, 2018 | 08:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Monster-4
The low side sounds high but the high side is really low. I would say you have a compressor issue by that but I'm no expert. Does the cooling improve with higher RPM? Has there been anything done to the system besides adjusting the air gap?

No improvement with higher rpm. Nothing else done to the system.
 
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Old May 31, 2018 | 04:22 AM
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From: Spanaway
I would say evacuate the system and start from a known point. Just dumping in some of that stuff from the parts store is asking for it.
It will cost more but in the long run you know that your not going to slug the compressor that way. That puppy ys not cheap.
 
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Old May 31, 2018 | 11:49 AM
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Yea, don't use the crap that has the stop-leak in the refrigerant... it can seriously screw up a shop's recovery machine. Many shops won't touch it if you have put it in, or at the very least they will charge you for a full flush.

I would agree that you need a full evac and check for leaks. I am betting that you have a leak.

Richard
 
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