Main IndexAuto Repair Home Search Posts SEARCH
POSTS
Who's Online WHO'S
ONLINE
Log in LOG
IN









Search Auto Parts

A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly


First page Previous page 1 2 Next page Last page  View All Email This Post



mactube
User

Oct 24, 2019, 4:17 PM

Post #1 of 27 (2463 views)
A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In

After I was able to repair my a/c blend door... now the compressor only works some times ( mostly when I first turn on the AC) After a while the A/C stops working, when I turn of the engine for a while and back on , the A/C would work again.

Is it possible that the A/C turns on and off by a certain impulse maybe wrong refrigerant pressure ? Because when the blend door of my 2015 Camaro was broken, the shop that serviced the A/C and toped off the refrigerant took awfully long, even though the refrigerant was not the problem but the blend door.


Is it possible that the compressor stops working if there is too much refrigerant in the system or something, or is the compressor broken?

Here is a video of the pulley stopping ( in the back ground .. sorry a little blurry:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fkwzvv1ci4iakhv/pulley.MOV?dl=0


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Oct 24, 2019, 4:32 PM

Post #2 of 27 (2455 views)
Re: A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In

NOBODY can diagnose a refrigerant system without information like pressures.

It sounds like it's cycling from low refrigerant but without gauges attached, that's nothing but a wild guess. When we diagnose a system in the shop, the very first thing we do is evacuate and recharge with the exact weight of charge. Only then do the pressures give you any accurate info. I know you recently did that be we have no idea if it was done right or if it has leaked out.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



mactube
User

Oct 24, 2019, 5:41 PM

Post #3 of 27 (2453 views)
Re: A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In

Hi @Hammertime, ok understood !
I know there is no telling if the refrigerant has been refilled properly. But I just wanted to know if the wrong pressure might be the reason that the compressor stops sometimes.

Where can I find the proper psi for the system? The sticker under the hood only shows the amount of refrigerant in grams thats needed.

I rather buy the proper gauges and refill it myself. ( and just pay a shop to evacuate it )
Because I don't want to pay $200 just for the recharge. ... the shop that charged me less, which mostly messed it up last time.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Oct 24, 2019, 5:49 PM

Post #4 of 27 (2446 views)
Re: A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In

There is no such thing as a "proper psi". Pressures vary with temperature, blower speed, cooling fan speed and the amount of refrigerant.

Your car uses a thermostat stuck in the evaporator coil to shut the compressor off when it gets too cold which can happen when the refrigerant is low or the blower speed is turned way down.

It could also be cycling due to an electrical problem with the compressor circuit.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



mactube
User

Oct 24, 2019, 6:11 PM

Post #5 of 27 (2440 views)
Re: A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In

Ok, looks like to many factors to to isolate problem by myself !?

It's to bad I gotta take a guess for the right repair shop too.

.. I just know one thing ... there is no way that the last repair shop knew how many grams / ounces of refrigerant put in since they hooked up a huge barrel of refrigerant and just opened the valves and kept checking on the pressure.

So if the t much refrigerant in the system, or not enough.. can cause the compressor to stop... I rather fist fill up the system with the right amount of refrigerant myself to at least know if that was the problem.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Oct 24, 2019, 6:16 PM

Post #6 of 27 (2438 views)
Re: A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In

The problem with you trying to do it yourself is that you have to start with a vacuum. Without it you will have air in the system and that is non-condensable and will mess up the system.

It appears you realize that you cannot charge by pressures alone.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



mactube
User

Oct 24, 2019, 7:24 PM

Post #7 of 27 (2426 views)
Re: A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In

Ok, I will post here tomorrow if I found a good shop to diagnose the actual problem or if I will get the equipment incl. vacuum pump and at least recharge the system myself including some UV detector fluid and maybe some oil.


mactube
User

Oct 24, 2019, 7:34 PM

Post #8 of 27 (2420 views)
Re: A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In

@hammertime I have have a very important question:
How can I tell it a shop is doing a correct job and actually measures the amount of refrigerant that they put in the system?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Oct 24, 2019, 7:39 PM

Post #9 of 27 (2418 views)
Re: A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In

Any shop that legally performs AC repairs is required to own a recovery and charging station. It is illegal to vent refrigerant into the atmosphere.
If they don't have a recovery and charging station, move on.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



mactube
User

Oct 25, 2019, 2:23 AM

Post #10 of 27 (2405 views)
Re: A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In

thank you @hammertime ! great advice ... the last shop
refilled my system with this: https://www.dropbox.com/s/vvqp5z02cnx5od3/can.jpg?dl=0

so I'm assuming thats similar to what you referred to as death kit !?


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Oct 25, 2019, 3:23 AM

Post #11 of 27 (2399 views)
Re: A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In

? That's just a pic of a bottle to receive refrigerant and dispense it THRU other equipment. Not a "Death Kit" shown by itself. Point has been all along you don't know how much is in it. As HT said pressures alone are NOT the end story but helpful.
With a complaint you empty a system, count what came out, pull a vacuum for A/C specs then charge to know capacity. Then you can know if it works properly if only for a short while.


Right now I don't think there's any clue how much is in it primal to moving on if it works or does anything at all,


T



Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Oct 25, 2019, 4:32 AM

Post #12 of 27 (2396 views)
Re: A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In

Yes, that is just a reusable refrigerant tank, normally used as part of a charging station.

Here is a death kit






~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



mactube
User

Oct 25, 2019, 12:19 PM

Post #13 of 27 (2388 views)
Re: A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In

yup ... that can plus a regular gauge : https://www.dropbox.com/s/khbh4771w0hnh8h/gauge.jpg?dl=0

so besides that being more accurate and a additional gauge for low and high the guesstimated recharger is probably as good as with what you guys called " Death Kid " in my other post.
( which I bought from Autozone)

I watched a evacuation and recharge on youtube with a Cooltech 34288, that gives me an idea of the total process along with what you guys described ... thanks so I know this is not a job with a few simple steps for a DIY death kid or a shop with only a recharge can an better gauge.

So I will take the car to Pep Buys next week ( yeah, sorry I know you guys don't like these franchises)
.. but I will check first if they have a proper Recover & Recharge station first..
Unless you can recommend a shop in the Los Angles Area.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Oct 25, 2019, 12:49 PM

Post #14 of 27 (2386 views)
Re: A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In

Regular gauges can work for charging when used with a vacuum pump and refrigerant scale.

PepBoys will definitely have the right equipment. They do everything by the book.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



mactube
User

Feb 5, 2021, 3:45 AM

Post #15 of 27 (1822 views)
Re: A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In

Hi @HammerTime and @TomGreenleaf I’ back here with
another Gauge reading on my 2015 Camaro ( See Video )

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IpRY7fn-nOYx4jqCWKxDQM2u7B7F_Q0v/view?usp=sharing

I remember getting date from you guys Pressure in around 65F Ambient Temperature for the Low Side to be around 30PSI and High Side about 140F.

The Gauge Reading doesn’t seem to be too far off but as you see, the Low Side keeps rising, until the compressor klicks off, then the pressure will drop. Do you think there is something wrong with the this ? or is it fine ?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Feb 5, 2021, 4:39 AM

Post #16 of 27 (1818 views)
Re: A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In

Not sure what's going on there but it appears the high side gauge is not working at all. Maybe there is a problem with the shraeder valve or the gauge tap is not open. Judging by the low side reading only the system appears to be very low on refrigerant also.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Feb 5, 2021, 5:41 AM

Post #17 of 27 (1812 views)
Re: A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In

Quote ">Pressure in around 65F Ambient Temperature<"
Try to get pressure in PSI and Temperatures in F in order. I can read thru that. #1, it's too cold (65F) to do A/C with your set up. You could vac and charge a known weight then see how it performs. You need accurate temperatures to know what to expect for pressures. 65F (Fahrenheit) is not the day's temp or a thing on some local tree it's only the air entering a grille that a condensers sees at the temp.
Gauges + readings: Dang Acme couplers don't always connect well yours is either not connected or the use of the manifold knobs isn't right? It's imperative along with temps for A/C to know both at an instant.
Mactube: Do you wish to start another thread on this that's more current? It's been since last Fall isn't Spring yet where I am doesn't matter for me it matters for when is best to work on A/C also no telling what new problems happened since October!
Tom



mactube
User

Feb 5, 2021, 3:41 PM

Post #18 of 27 (1794 views)
Re: A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In

 
@HammerTime ok, I will add "some more” refrigerant .. carefully to not overcharge the system and see what will happen. I don’t want to evacuate the whole system again to to waste the refrigerant. ( but if I have to, I will.. )

The system actually cools ok : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e43q2qBWLU6XDF4nqQcPU_Pcs9AYuLc3/view?usp=sharing

@TomGreenleaf I didn’t know, that the Ambient Temp. is different from the Weather/Outside Temp. .. Thanks !

Yes, its very much possible that the Gauge/Hose connector is not connected right.. Will try again soon

I will also start a new thread soon with some other problems I I just got fixed and cover this issue here too.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Feb 5, 2021, 4:03 PM

Post #19 of 27 (1784 views)
Re: A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In

@ mactube: ? If system is working properly why are you working on it? It would cycle if that cold outside it doesn't need to cool you - just open a window? 65F is as cool as vehicles go to cool interiors.

I take it this is a CCOT system and or if not about the same.
The temp and pressures of anything to do with refrigerants is #1 important. Those gases, this 134a, wont flow where you stored it nor do others. BTW, been below zero F here I'm NOT heating up "products" to use them for a while still. Nor does anyone I know and this is MA if problem was a collision get an extension for a while or some will heat whole area so it can be dealt with but never know if it works it's "flipping cold out" so how would you know?

Buy refrigerant NOW (I have all I need forever) it's in the way get rid of it low costs to dump it for something else - it's costs to move it out of the way.

Hammer's area keeps on my doesn't so different scenes for this.
Back: Just put some in a party balloon and watch it explode when warmed up and it will expand 5X by 80F or so. Temps matter as well as pressures. It makes a Rubix cube of what to expect when is why I'm making the point.

Not now without lots more equipment you must know real temps or results are not valid without top dog equipment + still can't know performance,

Tom


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Feb 5, 2021, 5:46 PM

Post #20 of 27 (1780 views)
Re: A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In


Quote
@HammerTime ok, I will add "some more” refrigerant .. carefully to not overcharge the system and see what will happen. I don’t want to evacuate the whole system again to to waste the refrigerant. ( but if I have to, I will.. )


As Tom said, that is a problem if you are in cold weather. It's bad enough to try to charge a system using pressures but to do it in cold weather is even worse. The cold weather alone will distort all your pressure readings. Don't do anything until you get an accurate high side reading and the temp is warmer. I'm in South Florida and it's even too cold here to work on AC.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



mactube
User

Feb 6, 2021, 5:08 AM

Post #21 of 27 (1765 views)
Re: A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In

 
@Tom Greenleaf The reason why I started working on it, was because the blend door was broken again on this camaro, so the first thin I checked was the system for refrigerant, had where was little to nothing in the system. So I added 12oz , before I wanted to to add the other 6 recommended oz, I wanted to check the pressure when I installed the new blend door. Will testing I noticed, that the A/C was putting out pretty cold air, but the pressure reading didn’t look right so to make sure I don’t damage the system I want to have the right pressure on it even though the Couling is sufficient. @hammertime .. thx didn’t now you can’t / should not work on A/Cs in the winter even it its just to check ….


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Feb 6, 2021, 5:40 AM

Post #22 of 27 (1763 views)
Re: A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In

I recall a blend door problem fixed AND you wish to know if it's still fixed? It needed refrigerant and you added some just that you don't think quite enough! NO, you can't just add till it really will choke or blow out it's cold! Cold makes the gas a liquid way too easily with much less pressure at those temps.


Fun facts: R-134a is a liquid without pressure at about -28F could pour it into something just don't touch it. It can only stay a liquid with added pressure when temps are above that. There's a graph I'll try to find and put here this is going on too long without you understanding without machines that vacuum system out 100% then add by the ounce to the known amount. Already said, at 65F you still don't know if it works that's all you get on a hot day inside air temp not at center vents are lower same as a dwelling air for a room to cool you don't want it 42F in the room. If you want that it's a different game - refrigeration for another purpose.


I don't own the dang equipment know folks who do. It's been over 15 years since I've even thought about it just wait it's not much longer. I did fix a car that was crunched in an accident folks visiting from FLORIDA wanted it 100% ready for the run back home. I heated my shop for a whole day to 100F car in it and all to know it was working when I finished! Never again, that was a pest to do.
I'll try to find the charts and post them here on an edit as soon as I find them - here no less in a thing I wrote, T


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Feb 6, 2021, 5:48 AM

Post #23 of 27 (1751 views)
Re: A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In

Web giving me fits so just look for those charts top post here + scroll down for charts. See how much temp and pressures are dependent on each other and what you see at a REAL 65F the problem is the air coming in grille is probably lots colder for most folks from overnights, T



mactube
User

Feb 7, 2021, 2:48 AM

Post #24 of 27 (1731 views)
Re: A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In

@TomGreenleaf .. understood, I’ll love it alone, till it gets hot again and then test the system!

Sorry for the confusion… I have 2 Camaro and both of them had the blend door problem which seams to be a common problem with Camaro of the 5th generation. I will still put up a post about the latest ( DIY )repairs I have done where Where I Save myself a about 7k.


mactube
User

Feb 7, 2021, 3:00 AM

Post #25 of 27 (1729 views)
Re: A/C - compressor / pulley stopping intermittenly Sign In

Again sorry I went by this chart and thought the Ambient reflects the actual weather temperature …

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fp_7H65gD5teYlYnDPaapkETdsheNt86/view?usp=sharing






First page Previous page 1 2 Next page Last page  View All Email This Post
 
 


Feed Button




Search for (options) Privacy Sitemap