OK, There are thousands of posts about A/C issues on this forum, but I couldn't find one detailing my exact problem. So here it is....


Make...

2001 Ram 1500 4x4 5.9l

What had been done...

I have replaced ALL parts of the HVAC system (condensor, compressor, lines, orfice tube, accumulator, evaporator core, pressure switches, etc.). There is not anything on the system left, not even the relays or fuses. Full system evac and recharge. Oil added to compressor proir to doing so. Insulated the cold lines. Drank a beer or 12. Low pressure is 40-50psi (correct for temperature). High side not tested as I do not have the gauge however, the service shop that charged it said all was well.

Problem...

-System cools to about 70 degrees and nothing more. (I live in Tampa in August!)

Symptoms... (other than not cooling correctly)...

-Compressor makes a grumbling noise when clutch first engages for about 3 seconds then goes quiet. Clutch still enaged.
-The right line (compressor to condensor) on the compressor gets very hot, so hot I cannot touch. Can cool it with a hose to the condensor.
-The right line (compressor to condensor) where connected to the compressor has pressurized, and broke the seal, spitting A/C oil on the engine for about a second. It does this when I bring the RPM's up to 1500 to 2000 rpm. It wont always do this. It has happened twice.

My thoughts...

- Its hot outside
- To much oil? Not enough oil?
- Nothing else to replace. Possible bad compressor out of the box?
- If the high side is too high on pressure, what causes that?
- Should I have drank those 12 beers?

Please help! I am almost out of money, and there is nothing else to replace!!!

 

Nothing in the system should be spitting oil anywhere! You have a leak, simple as that.

 

No leaks util after increasing idle. Once I increase idle, and it only has happened a few times, did it seem to have too much pressure, causing it to blow from between the line and compressor. When I had it charged, it held a vaccuum and also perfect pressure. It still does except for the few times it has done this. How much pressure is on the high line to make it do this?

 

your pressure may be too high. it should not spit anything out.

drink all the beer you want, but don't drink and drive and don't drink too much and wrench...

the high and low sides are connected via the whole system, and the pressures vary depending on volume of refrigerant. high pressure should be 250 or so, low should be 25-35.

hot line should be very hot. cold line should be very cold, and the evap core between them (behind the firewall) should be very cold. if the cold line is not cold - then thats' the problem.

if the cold line is very cold, and your AC air is not cold, then you have a malfunction in the blend door, which is passing your cabin air over the hot *** heater core, instead of the nice cold evap core. if you cannot fix the blend door, then bypass the heater core in the summer as a seasonal repair.....

 

@80 ambient it should not be too much above 220 on the high side.

 

The blend door has nothing to do with the fact oil is coming out of the line. Although I agree with DV. So you may have overcharged the system due to the wild vent prob. https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...ild-vents.html

 

Also make sure you have the right hose. Because the orifice tube is an integral part of the hose and not replaceable on a 2001.

 

Cold line is cold, and wet, going into the firewall. Coming out (return I assume) is cold as well. I have insulated these lines. The hot line is VERY hot.

Upon evap/heater core replacement, I verified that the blend door was in line and functioning. All vaccuum lines operating this is working great. The easiest way to narrow this as being a problem is based on two things. 1. It does not geting cold after running for five minutes before heater core has time to get hot, and 2, it is blowing oil periodicly.

I am in the middle of seeing if indeed the oil blow is indeed coming from the lines, where they connect to the compressor. When it blows, it makes a mess, making it hard to 100% determine. For all I know at this point, it could be coming out of the compressor, where is is sealed together. Either way, it looks like the high side has too much pressure. If this is the case, what causes to much pressure? Overcharged? If so, I can bleed/capture the excese.

 

One more thing.... thank you guys for such quick replies!!!!

 

too much pressure is from overcharging the system.
you start with a vacuum, which i suppose is less than zero pressure, but more importantly you remove the air, moisture, etc.
the system is charged with the proper amount of refrig and oil. that amount is identified on the system labels under the hood.
the refrigerant can compress and evaporate and the compressor is the engine that moves everything around.

any leaks are a no no.

if you have a recharge kit with a gauge, you can use the gauge to test the pressure - and as needed, vent or add more refrigerant. be aware that pressures go WAY up with higher temperatures, so make sure you're in the middle of the gauge at high temp. if you vent some refrigerant, vent it into a rag (its an oily mess), keep your fingers out of the way (its very cold), and don't inhale it.

it should never leak. and if it does, then its likely going to blow the seal and leak out your refrigerant.

did you do all this yourself, or have a shop do it. a good AC shop knows all this...