My father has just bought a New 05' F-150. The only issue is he didn't go for the 4x4 and the A/C doesn't get that cold. Do any of you have the same issue?

 

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Seems fairly common for the 05 150s and 250 to come from the factory with a low AC charge.

I was told by the dealer there is a "special service bulliten" for the condition that involves either draining and refilling the system or topping it off and testing it.

You can either take it back to the dealer or add some refridgerant yourself with a kit you can get at any auto parts store.

Mine went from no AC to very cold after the system was drained and refilled. Alls good now.

 

I have an 04 screw and I have thought lately that sometimes the ac was not as cold as it should have been. Now you really got me wondering.
Thanks!!!

 

my 04 only pulls down to 48-50 degrees nowhere near cold enough for 98 degree days

 

the average ac only blows about 40 degrees colder than the temp outside so on a 98 degree day it should blow some where around 55 - 58 degrees's if you are getting 48- 50 you are doing good. it all depends on the berameter outside

 

I had an 02 supercrew that would consistently blow 38 degrees on 100 degree days

 

Hi, texans, that info is for ammonia based systems, which can only drop it about 40 degrees, and swamp coolers that can only pull about 30 degrees below ambient.
Refrigeration systems (Freon based and pseudo Freon (r134) can do as well as a refrigerator or freezer, if given enough capacity.
Rule of thumb on these trucks, you should get 40 out put from the vents on max air.
My truck outputs 40-41 at 110 ambient air temperature.
Test it with a candy thermometer stuffed fully into the center vents, recirculation, temp set to the max cold.

Chris

 

Chris is right.....


I've been down the AC road and back with my dealer over the AC in 04. First it was leaking at the high side valve. They fixed that evacuated it and recharged it. Couldn't get to blow less that 48 at the vents. Needed a compressor. After that when they charged it they put the exact specified amount of 134 in it and got it 45 degrees. I said to the tech you need to tweek it. Little more a little less can make the difference at the vents. I finally got the head AC tech to agree with me and he's got it blowing 38-40 at vents.

It will blow 38-40 when it's 70 or 95 degrees out. Humidity doesn't effect it and it doesn't matter if you are sitting on black top parking lot in 95 degree weather just idling or running at 70 in the wind. It's working right now, but I've never seen an AC system sweat like it does. Water just runs(condensates) out of it under the truck..

Before you do anything goes spend ten bucks and buy a AC temp guage at automotive store.. It's the only way you'll know if they are getting it right..

 

Or cheat, and get a 99 cent candy thermometer at Big Lots... I have a fancy thermocouple calibrator, (A/C powered, more for computer case design work) a thermal gun (Raytek MiniTemp)
but for car A/C, two cheap candy thermometers is so much easier...
And you can stuff em in there and forget em. Till the wife adjusts it and it drops under her foot, and then, well you are only out a buck.
Chris

 

Took our 04 in and qasked about the AC, got the runaround about a tech not available etc, had a thermo stuck in the vent was 60-70 a idle with the service writer looking in the window, all vents but the center and driver closed. Told me that was good, to run in recirc as it will cool better then on normal ac. tried it and it went down to 40-50 so I dont know, opened the passenger vent after a while and it rose to 50-55.

seems my f350 is about the same, the new freon is just not as good as r12 no matter what ya do.

 

No, no ,no bring it back after you get a temp gauge at a auto store. I don't know about candy gauges like Chris is talking about.

Look at it this way if you think R134 isn't as good as R12. Every new refrigerator or freezer in you house is fired with R134... Are they cold?? These 04-05 trucks have condensors in front of the radiators big enough you should be able to hang meat in these trucks....

All the vents open and blowing at 3/4 throttle fan it should be blowing 40-42. Doesn't matter if you are recirculating the air or pulling it from outside. At least it doesn't change my tenps at the vents. Get crazy about it with them. There's been allot of compressor problems.

I mean I had to get to point of asking them...let stick my gauge in some new trucks on the lot. Never got that far because I was saying if this is Ford's AC I'm trading out of this thing to a Chevy. I don't know if Chevy's are any better, but it get's their attention..

Now with the gauge I bought I take it with me in my buddy's trucks. 03 Dodge a buddy has blows 43-44. Another buddy with a 04 150 blows 41-42. My wife's 97 Grand Marquis blows 37-38...it's cold. My 88 Bronco that I use a mix of propane and isobutane(Enviro-Safe) will blow 32 at vents at 60mph, but thats an old R12 system. I can stiffen a wet rag hanging in front of the vents with it.. Thats too cold... EV is an aftermarket direct conversion to R12 or R134, but unless you know AC systems and have the gauges and understand the different lube oils it's not something you should be doing with a new truck under warranty..

Believe me, I'm an AC nut and I wasn't putting up with them telling me my 04 38,000 Ford 150 would only blow Heiniken cold(45-48)... I'm still tempted to recharge it with the Enviro-Safe, but its leased...

 

Hi Dunk, the 'candy thermometers' are a low end version of the fancy A/C thermometer, doesn't come with the shirt pocket sleeve and clip. They look the same. Round quarter diameter head, with dial gauge, six inch long 'spike' shaft for stuffing in things. I had three or four of the nice ones, but they grew wings and left.
I bought some of the cheap ones, and they were about as accurate.

On R134 not working as well as R12, it's true, but like Dunk says, it's just not important.
The condensers are much bigger now, the valving is better.
Also they cycle faster and longer.
So you get a couple degrees less at the vent, but they increase the blower speed, taking advantage of the higher volume.
Net result, the new ones are very good.

The test is with all vents fully open, the blower at max, set to re-circulate.
On the manual A/C, that’s the little button opposite the compressor release button.
Outside air will louse up the test procedure and give you false highs or lows.
The temp must be set at maximum cool, all the way into the blue, or with Climate Control, lowest temperature.
Then, if the puppy won't draw er down to low 40 degree range there is something wrong.
Allow a couple degrees for inaccurate measure, and of course, give it a few minutes to work its way down. The air in the cab might be starting at way over 100.


I really don't care if the shop says 48 or 80 is OK, there is no way Ford built these trucks to run that hot inside. My truck and my neighbors run 40 at 109 (day I tested his and mine). so no reason to think yours shouldn't.
Chris