This year when I tried using my A/C there is only a little cold air coming from the vents. It also seems that the fan is not blowing. I am new to air conditioners, what should I do first? It works fine last summer. Thanks guys. 91 aerostar 3 litre.

 

Does the fan seem to be blowing when you are running it on any other setting beside's A/C?


As for the actual system, at its age the compressor could be shot or you could have a leak. I would check to see if the compressor is ingauging. Turn on the truck and set it to max A/C. Crawl under the truck (carefully) and visually look at the compressor to see if the clutch is ingaged. Take a flashlight or worklight with you, it will make it easier to see.

If it is toast, it is not too tuff for a DIY to switch over to R-134a. About $38 for a conversion kit with CD video on how to.

 

You probably do have a leak I converted one of my 90 Corollas so its no big deal.

If you do decide to do it yourself just follow all the instructions that come with the kit. Coverting the system does involve replacing the compressor just to let you know.

As for recharging your R-11 system I wouldn't try the only R-11 thats out there now was recovered from old compressors and equipment and restored to like new condition however these supplys are very short and it will cost you an arm and a leg.

The first thing you would need to do is find the leak where the refrigerant escaped before you attempt to do anything else.

What I do is inject a special dye into the A/C system to track the leak then I use a UV lamp and if that area is leaking the dye glows. I always buy the pricey equipment .

Another way to do it is charge the system with another refrigerant and use a spray bottle with soap suds. However you would need a recovery system to get the refrigerant back out.

 

Yeah I just returned from doing a little checking. The fan works good on the heating setting but when I switch it to A/C it still blows on the windshield but I can only feel a little cold air coming from the side vents. I checked the fuse and it is okay. It seems like even if the A/C isn't working there should still be air blowing from these vents, shouldn't there?

 

Sounds like a vacuum problem. The air should be coming out of the vents. Try the vent setting and see what happens. On my 94 and my old 91 if I press the gas going up hill the vacuum would drop. If the A/C was running the air would stop coming out the vent and come out the defrost. I'd look at the vacuum lines under the hood.

 

The the air passages are shifted by a vacum module under the hood its a round brass colored can with a vacum hose going into it and a rod coming out the other end its up near the top of the hood and its just to the right of the blower.

 

I beleive it's called a vacuum motor or something like that. Isn't there more than one in the system? I would think there would be two. I would have to look at the EVTM which is at home.

 

This particular vacuum motor only serves to close the fresh air inlet when the MAX A/C setting is selected. There is another vacuum motor atop the HVAC plenum that operates the airflow diversion door. This is one you need to inspect and the one that occasionally stops working due to coins, paperclips, etc. from the dashboard that find their way into the operating linkage. With the straight dash '91, you can simply remove the retaining screws and pop the metal section off to inspect/repair the vacuum motor. (The screws along the windshield are difficult to access. An inexpensive, ratcheting offset Phillips screwdriver works well.

Before tearing into the dash, it would be best to test the vacuum system with a vacuum tester to see any of the lines are leaking. Those off-white(cream colored) vacuum lines under the hood are prone to becoming brittle with age and are most often the source of vacuum leaks.

On the '91 there is a complex set of vacuum valves on the other side of the selector lever for the various settings (WINDSHIELD/MIX/VENTS/AC/MAX AC). Since you have to take the cover off the instrument panel to remove the metal dash cover, you might inspect this valve assembly to see if one of the vacuum lines has come loose.