AC not working...

[flagmanruss]

I read with interest the recent thread on AC repair http://forum.mopar1973man.com/threads/6080-A-C-lines, & it brought up issues which I believe I have. History: Evaporator failed & I had it replaced about 2006 Last year it stopped working, finding no leak I mistakenly assumed the freon had leaked out & suspected the Evap again. My nephew did a quick recharge & it seemed to work briefly. Soon after, it stopped working again, I took it to AC service. The guy is actually a very impressive backyard shop (zoning is all over him to not have customers cars in the yard in addition to his own vehicles & a race car). He repeatedly evaced & refilled, reported the system was fill but plugged... an hour or so while I waited & helped from the cab. Eventually, he got it to work, I paid him & left. He seemed honest, said a filter or orafice was plugging... He thought it might hold but might not. It worked a couple of days. It was inconvenient for me as I don't live in that neighborhood. I'm going to send this to an AC shop... Knowing what I learned here, I know to ask to get the oraface tube replaced. If I have gained oil in the refill attempts, can it be separated or removed? Thanks, Russ

[Mopar1973Man]

As for knowing how much oil in the system... The only way I found to measure it is to remove the compressor and drain it and measure it. As for the condition of the oil you'll be capable of seeing if there is debris or if the oil has darkened from compressor wear.

[Haggar]

Russ,Michael and I brought up the proverbial "turd in the punch bowl" topic. How much oil is there and where....Only way to KNOW, is to weigh it (hard , or completely clean the system and put the right amount back in in the right places. But as soon as you start the system it moves. It moves freely with the freon.Don't lose sleep over the oil in the system, but you should think about it when it is worked on. If you put a new component on, add the amount of oil that should have had. if you add a lot of freon, occasionally add some oil. (you know you lost "some" oil when the freon left....) DON"T add oil everytime you add freon. DON"T add oil just because you think it is time to add some. (I would prefer a bit more oil, than less oil, but too much is bad. Every spec of oil that is not needed reduces the efficiency of the AC system some percentage...) too much oil is bad for the compressor. the oils don't go through the phase change like the freon does.As for the restriction in your system, the orifice in the dodge is between the passenger battery and air box. If you look closely (with the aluminum insulation/tape removed) you can see the crimped area that it is trapped in.you can cut that line and replace just the orifice (not suggested.... you now have two new potential leak areas) or replace that line. Ask for the old line and use a tubing cutter to cut the line and pull the orifice tube out. Post up a picture.GL HTHHag

[hex0rz]

you can cut that line and replace just the orifice (not suggested.... you now have two new potential leak areas) or replace that line. Ask for the old line and use a tubing cutter to cut the line and pull the orifice tube out.

I seriously wish that the filter was serviceable instead of having to replace the whole line. Not that the line is overly expensive, but its just one of those things to me that should have been looked into a little more...

[Haggar]

I agree 100%!!!!!!I cannot fathom why they did that! I am not so into HVAC design, that I really understand the implication of moving an orifice 12" one way or another, but I really find it hard to believe that the move would have made a huge percentage difference in the overall efficiency of the system. (I can see the discussion now... "...But boss, this system is the most efficient with the orifice EXACTLY 17.34765821 inches from the accumulator. No other position will be that efficient!!! (small break down, nervous twitching in the head/neck area, maybe even some tears...) (the real answer is probably true, but moving it 12" either way is only 0.005% less efficient..... Think about it. A fly landing on a bridge causes it to deflect.)Instead of a $2 orifice, you have to change a $30 line, move the battery and air box. I like to always look at an orifice when I am in an AC system. It can give you an idea of level of wear, contamination, etc...Hag

[Clanton24v]

eventually ill have to dive into repairing my a/c system. the compressor seized. i only get air/heat out of the defrost vents and floor vents regardless of switch position.

[Haggar]

Clanton, The most probable problem you have is a vacuum leak. Follow the vacuum tubing from the vacuum pump (located between the power steering pump and the timing cover) to the firewall on the drivers side. It Tees here and goes to drivers fender for cruise control if equipped, and to the transfer case if 4wd. It then moves across the firewall to the passenger side in the bundle with all the wires going across. it loops down and goes into the HVAC unit. (blend door is electronically controlled, mode door and recirculation are vacuum operated.) Most people have leaks. find the leaks and correct them. Second most common is a bad switch (meaning the vacuum does not get directed to the mode door.) least likely but possible bad mode door actuator. Here is a pdf of the 2001 factory manual. Look at chapter 24. pages 26, 27 and 28. (24-26, 24-27 and 24-28) http://dl.dropbox.com/u/42304/2001DodgeRam.pdf HTH Hag

[Clanton24v]

Thank you for that info it should help me get started trouble shooting

[Mopar1973Man]

Check the vacuum line on the engine side just above the exhaust pipe common for the vacuum line to sag down and get melted on the pipe. Just worked on a 2001 Dodge yesterday with the very same issue.

[Clanton24v]

That would be nice if I got that lucky.

[Haggar]

Clanton,chances are you will be. It is usually a broken vacuum line somewhere. Just gotta search for it.CheersHag