Sorry, I didn't see the post until now. Yeah, you are just low on freon. You should have the R-134a freon type. Yes the fitting on the larger pipe that gets cold is the low pressure side. There should also be a fitting on another smaller line that gets rather hot and that would be your high pressure side. The reason that the A/C compressor clutch keeps cycling on and off is because there is a pressure sensor that tells the computer what the pressure is. If the pressure drops off then the computer disengages the clutch because it doesn't want to burn the compressor up. If your system was full of freon it wouldn't have that pressure drop and it would stay on.

If I were you I would go to the local parts store and ask them if they have the quick A/C recharge kit because all of the parts stores here have them. It should last through the summer with that but it's not a permanent fix. Do do it correctly you would have to flush and recharge the entire system. If you lived near me I would do it for you, I have a couple of the machines at school to do the flush and recharges.

 

Thanks for your detailed and knowledgeable response. I will keep the forum apprised of any new developments I try on the Dakota, too. Right now, I'm thinking that I will change to a performance air filter, and consider modifying exhaust. If it works on my 95 sport, I might try it on my 2003 crew cab.

Thanks for the offer, too. I live in Anderson, SC.

 

Thanks again, Casper, right now I've got A/C so cold it'll freeze your antilles off. Cheap and easy, I like it.

 

Good deal. Did you get the little recharge kit from the parts store?

 

Exactly. One w/ guage, so I could tell where to stop. I even had enough left over from a 16 oz can to top off my 03 Dakota, which was on the low side of the OK range. The 95 Dakota was off the scale low. Thanks again for the accurate assessment.

 

Yep, that's the kit I was talking about,that stuff goes a long way. No problem, I'm glad I could help and that my A/C class that I took wasn't for nothing! I'm not sure why it was said above that you can't get those any longer because all of the parts stores here in Coloradohave them.

 

I think that the readers above assumed that a 95 would have the old freon, not R134a. I now know almost enough to get into trouble with the A/C system, but I think that I'll leave it alone, so long as it is cold.