I noticed that my AC was not pumping out cold like it should. So went to advanced auto and picked up Arctic Freeze recharging can that has the gauge and everything with it. Followed the directions on can, when plugged tip on the gauge shot up to the red. I can see and hear the compressor clutch engaging and disengaging every 5 seconds or so. When it does that the gauge will go up and down all in the red. I don't know exactly what is going on, is there to much freon stuff inside or whats up. Please help advise....Thanks
---02 Ram 1500 5.9

 

Sounds like the system is overcharged.

 

If it is over charged will it not pump out cold air like it should? And if it is over charged how do I get it to the optimal level?

 

If it is overcharged, there will be too much pressure on both sides. The system operates on differential pressures...... so, too much refrigerant is as bad as not enough.

You might be able to vent some by just putting the gauge fitting on the low pressure side, without the can attached. I don't know if they have a check valve in those...... of course, venting it to the atmosphere will offend a fair number of tree huggers, and isn't really a good idea. Better would be to take it to someplace that has a machine to recover the refrigerant. Bad part of that is, they would want money......

Just depressing the valve in one of the hose fittings (high or low side) will vent refrigerant, but, keep in mind, it is gonna be COLD coming out of there, and if your skin happens to be in the way, you REALLY won't like the results.

 

if the excess does get vented out somehow, will that fix my air and make it cold like it should?

 

Getting the pressures down to where they should be is the first step. It might indeed be all that's required to make it work right.

 

Using the parts store kits, its normal to see the pressure fluctuate into the red while charging. It should go up into the red, compressor turns on, pressure drops back into the green or blue, etc. Usually, if your compressor is cycling on and off every 5 seconds, that means there isn't enough refridgerant to keep the compressor running. I just charged mine this last weekend, it was totally empty, and it cycled every 5 seconds until I got it within 4 ounces of full.

As mentioned above, if there is too much refrigerant, then it will blow warm and can damage your compressor eventually. Best way to see the system pressure, is to plug your can/recharge kit into the line, but close the valve, it should show you where the pressure level is. If its in the red without the valve open, then its overcharged.

 

You have to make sure you check the pressure while the compressor is running. With the gauge hooked up if the refrigerant is low you can watch the gauge drop way down when the compressor kicks on then when it shuts off the gauge will go back up.

 

You have to let the excess pressure off on the high side while the compressor is running, not the low side.

 

So if you let all the pressure off of the unit when it is cycling and then recharge It will run good? I've been battling this for months. I can get it to blow cold air but when it really gets hot out it won't do much except blow lukewarm air around.