Intermittent AC Problem
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,192
Likes: 7
From: Belgrade, MT
Intermittent AC Problem
Went on a 400 mile trip to the inlaws and back this weekend, having some intermittent AC problems.
First start the truck up, AC works fine, cruise at 80 with cruise on, its fine.
Get into stop and go traffic, and the compressor disengages. Start going, and between 1300 and 1700 rpms, can feel the compressor kick in and ac is great again. Can kind of half hear the compressor go, but feel it in steering wheel as well since it hesitates the PS pump I think.
Did a visual, connections seem tight, but I don't know squat about AC systems, any ideas on where to start?
Thanks
Also, this is really the first the AC has been used since last September, not a ton of call for it in MT.
First start the truck up, AC works fine, cruise at 80 with cruise on, its fine.
Get into stop and go traffic, and the compressor disengages. Start going, and between 1300 and 1700 rpms, can feel the compressor kick in and ac is great again. Can kind of half hear the compressor go, but feel it in steering wheel as well since it hesitates the PS pump I think.
Did a visual, connections seem tight, but I don't know squat about AC systems, any ideas on where to start?
Thanks
Also, this is really the first the AC has been used since last September, not a ton of call for it in MT.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,192
Likes: 7
From: Belgrade, MT
Belt
Ron,
Belt is 15 months old, about 18000 miles on it. Just went out and took a peak at it, no cracks, soft and pretty supple when i turn on it. Started truck, no slipping type sounds, but could hear the compressor engage/disengage several times.
Is there some sort of sensor or selenoid on that thing that could be sending erratic signals? like I said in the original post, I don't know anything about AC units for the most part.
Thanks for the help, keep it coming
Belt is 15 months old, about 18000 miles on it. Just went out and took a peak at it, no cracks, soft and pretty supple when i turn on it. Started truck, no slipping type sounds, but could hear the compressor engage/disengage several times.
Is there some sort of sensor or selenoid on that thing that could be sending erratic signals? like I said in the original post, I don't know anything about AC units for the most part.
Thanks for the help, keep it coming
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 286
Likes: 0
From: hesperia calif.
In traffic, you are not getting enough air flow through the condenser, the a/c compressor is building up a high head pressure, and loading up the a/c comp putting a heaver load on it, the high pressure switch is kicking on and off the a/c compressor, your fan clutch may be defective, not drawing in enough air, you could add some electric cooling fans in front of the a/c condenser to aid in cooling the condenser, blow out the radiator and condenser with compressed air, hope that helps, Chellie
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 17,988
Likes: 207
From: La La Land
Intermittently working? Take a look here:
SpringerPop's Compressor Clutch Air Gap
When they get intermittent, there's a reason.
Pop
SpringerPop's Compressor Clutch Air Gap
When they get intermittent, there's a reason.
Pop
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,192
Likes: 7
From: Belgrade, MT
Thanks!
Thanks to all that replied, now I have somewhere to start. Took a look at my AC condensor, its in decent shape, not too many smashed fins or bugs, and its only bee 80 or so, and I was running empty.
Pop, I am going to dig out my feelers gauges as soon as I get the fence fixed the horses so kindly broke while I was out of town. Will let you know soon.
Pop, I am going to dig out my feelers gauges as soon as I get the fence fixed the horses so kindly broke while I was out of town. Will let you know soon.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 26,966
Likes: 50
From: Texas
I had the same problem. I checked the air gap first, checked the freon next, then finally got around to replacing the clutch. Blows cold at idle now in the warm Texas sun.
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 286
Likes: 0
From: hesperia calif.
The clutch air gap is a good thing to check for, but as you mentioned, the problem does not happen at cruise speeds of up to 80 miles per hour, just in traffic, where there is little air flow.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 412
Likes: 0
From: Fresno, CA
The cheap low pressure gauges are useless except to see if there is any refrigerant in it. It needs a real gauge set put on it to check pressures.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,192
Likes: 7
From: Belgrade, MT
.060
We are at .060 right now, so that is my first step. Thanks for all the responses, right now its air gap, then gauges, then a clutch. Air gap is free, so thats tomorrow nights project, thanks all.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 220
Likes: 0
From: Oxford, NC
Thanks everyone for the answered OneLionHunter. Thanks to Springerpop for the tutorial. I fixed my intermitent AC, or atleast I think I did, had about a 0.055 gap and a 0.035 shim when i took it apart. Removed the shim and could just squeeze the 0.020 feeler into the air gap. Fired up the truck with the AC off, clutch was disengaged, turned AC, AC engaged, turned it off and it was diseneged. Now the real test will be my ~60 mile trip tomorrow morning and then tomorrow evening back home.
My AC would work fine when I was driving, but if I came to a stop it would continue to work until I went to take off again (never gental on the gas). If I left it off for a while it would work again a little later when I turned it on.
Chris
My AC would work fine when I was driving, but if I came to a stop it would continue to work until I went to take off again (never gental on the gas). If I left it off for a while it would work again a little later when I turned it on.
Chris
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,521
Likes: 0
Mine started to become intermittent about a month ago. Truck has 318xxx miles. Only problem ever was the wire connector to the comp. I took out a .034 shim but I really think mine maybe wore out now!
Question can the clutches be replaced without removing the compressor?
Question can the clutches be replaced without removing the compressor?
