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It takes a while for my AC to blow cool air after starting the truck, notice I said "cool air" so I bought a can of 134A with a gauge from Autozone and after hooking it up the gauge was in the red, overcharged I think it said. I bled the system down to where the gauge was in the green and it seems to blow a little cooler but definitely not cold.
So I added a few more squirts of 134A and it blows warmer but the gauge stays in the green. It's pushing 115°F here in Phoenix so it's barely tolerable inside my truck. I don't even give people rides right now because I want all AC vents pointing at me, lol. The AC compressor seems to be cycling correctly so I don't understand how the gauge can be in the green but still blow Luke cool air.
It takes a while for my AC to blow cool air after starting the truck, notice I said "cool air" so I bought a can of 134A with a gauge from Autozone and after hooking it up the gauge was in the red, overcharged I think it said. I bled the system down to where the gauge was in the green and it seems to blow a little cooler but definitely not cold.
So I added a few more squirts of 134A and it blows warmer but the gauge stays in the green. It's pushing 115°F here in Phoenix so it's barely tolerable inside my truck. I don't even give people rides right now because I want all AC vents pointing at me, lol. The AC compressor seems to be cycling correctly so I don't understand how the gauge can be in the green but still blow Luke cool air.
With air conditioning systems, there are many variables to take into consideration. IMHO, the A/C system is one of the most delicately balanced systems on a vehicle. If you have too much - or too little - of anything, you are going to have problems. I've had a refrigerant license for many years and although retired, I still do a lot of A/C work for shops that I have become acquainted with during my tenure with Rolls-Royce in Palm Springs.
Too much oil, not enough or too much refrigerant are very common issues, as is the introduction of air into the system when charging with cans. But, probably the number one issue I see is lack of adequate airflow.
Now, speaking specifically of our Ford trucks, let me tell you a few things that I see often. Most of the time, the fan clutch is bad and/or the owner replaces it with a cheap, aftermarket unit to keep costs down. The next thing I see is damaged and/or plugged condenser fins and plugged radiator fins, including the build up of garbage in the gap between radiator and condenser. Frequently, I see the rubber baffles around the radiator torn or missing completely. ALL of these are vital to proper cooling system operation.
I was recently asked to look at a Lincoln LT truck for the local Ford dealer with an A/C complaint, despite a new compressor and drier and correctly, measured oil and refrigerant charge. I immediately noticed all the rubber baffles missing around the radiator, apparently discarded during a radiator replacement. Next was the lower 2/3rds of the condenser was smashed from rocks/objects kicked up on the freeway, so the truck only had about half a condenser. And finally, there was a pile of trash between the radiator and the condenser. All of these things added up to reduced airflow, high A/C system pressures and poor cooling performance.
IMHO, the F250's really need an auxiliary cooling fan because the engine driven fan does not produce adequate airflow at idle for proper A/C system performance.
I have driven my daily-driver, 2006 Mustang GT in Death Valley, with 114-116 degree temperatures, and enjoyed excellent A/C performance. The #1 reason for this is that I am running a new (undamaged) condensor and I have an electric fan that I can adjust to maintain proper airlfow. Now, having said that, I also use a .047" orifice tube and we use nothing but heavy PAG 100 or 150 out here in California, so the system is not stock, but the operating principles of correct quantities of oil/refrigerant and adequate airflow still apply.
Make sure you have checked everything outlined above. Having the A/C system evacuated and recharged by a shop with an A/C service machine (that can weigh/measure oil and refrigerant charges) is invaluable. Also, you may want to condier a supplemental electric cooling fand of not less than about 2,400cfm.
With air conditioning systems, there are many variables to take into consideration. IMHO, the A/C system is one of the most delicately balanced systems on a vehicle. If you have too much - or too little - of anything, you are going to have problems. I've had a refrigerant license for many years and although retired, I still do a lot of A/C work for shops that I have become acquainted with during my tenure with Rolls-Royce in Palm Springs.
Too much oil, not enough or too much refrigerant are very common issues, as is the introduction of air into the system when charging with cans. But, probably the number one issue I see is lack of adequate airflow.
Now, speaking specifically of our Ford trucks, let me tell you a few things that I see often. Most of the time, the fan clutch is bad and/or the owner replaces it with a cheap, aftermarket unit to keep costs down. The next thing I see is damaged and/or plugged condenser fins and plugged radiator fins, including the build up of garbage in the gap between radiator and condenser. Frequently, I see the rubber baffles around the radiator torn or missing completely. ALL of these are vital to proper cooling system operation.
I was recently asked to look at a Lincoln LT truck for the local Ford dealer with an A/C complaint, despite a new compressor and drier and correctly, measured oil and refrigerant charge. I immediately noticed all the rubber baffles missing around the radiator, apparently discarded during a radiator replacement. Next was the lower 2/3rds of the condenser was smashed from rocks/objects kicked up on the freeway, so the truck only had about half a condenser. And finally, there was a pile of trash between the radiator and the condenser. All of these things added up to reduced airflow, high A/C system pressures and poor cooling performance.
IMHO, the F250's really need an auxiliary cooling fan because the engine driven fan does not produce adequate airflow at idle for proper A/C system performance.
I have driven my daily-driver, 2006 Mustang GT in Death Valley, with 114-116 degree temperatures, and enjoyed excellent A/C performance. The #1 reason for this is that I am running a new (undamaged) condensor and I have an electric fan that I can adjust to maintain proper airlfow. Now, having said that, I also use a .047" orifice tube and we use nothing but heavy PAG 100 or 150 out here in California, so the system is not stock, but the operating principles of correct quantities of oil/refrigerant and adequate airflow still apply.
Make sure you have checked everything outlined above. Having the A/C system evacuated and recharged by a shop with an A/C service machine (that can weigh/measure oil and refrigerant charges) is invaluable. Also, you may want to condier a supplemental electric cooling fand of not less than about 2,400cfm.
Hope this helps...
Thank you for sharing your AC experience, it's appreciated. I'll take your advice and check for bent fins and trash and will probably install a cooling fan before taking it to a shop. Reason being is these shops here in Phx are notorious for ripping people off and/or for simply not doing what they're being paid to do. I know there are.some good shops I've just yet to find one, lol.
