Summer time in CA and it's blazing. AC compressor won't engage. Just looking to troubleshoot the best way so I can add refrigerant recently purchased. Also asking if Sub-Zero synthetic 18oz. With 1oz. "additive" is ok. Any educated information would be appreciated.
-Enos family

 

Put gauges on it first, see if it even needs a recharge.

 

Absolutely what he said.

Look at all the pipes, hoses, and connections searching for oily discharge and oily dirt 'mud' Leaks appear as that as there is oil dissolved into the circulating refrigerant. When the refrigerant leaks out and is instantly evaporated, it leaves behind an oily residue.

Biggest concern I have with those DIY filler kits is that most people but a burb of air (that is in the hose when connected) that gets put into the system. Air is non condensable at these pressures and therefore air is bad. Try to give your hose a little squirt to purge the air out before you connect it to the low pressure side. A very quick, small, squirt is all you need for that short hose.

Some of those DIY cans have a single low pressure gauge on it. If you are seeing pressure and the compressor doesn't engage, then you likely have a computer control fault. If the AC system is not running, that gauge is supposed to show what looks like very high pressure on that gauge.

If after you purge that hose with a very little squirt and connect it.... then if you show no or very little pressure, especially on a hot day, then you certainly have a leak and I wouldn't waste a can to fill it until you find/fix the leak. PLUS, it is bad for the environment and in California, perhaps illegal. Federal law states that it is forbidden to knowingly discharge refrigerant into the atmosphere other than 'minimus' required during the connection and disconnection of service equipment...

Then, once you find and fix the leak, you will need to use a vacuum pump to remove all the air and moisture from within the pipes, hoses and components (borrow from AutoZone) because air in the system is bad AND atmospheric moisture combined with R134 create corrosion within the system. Much more expensive to replace an entire AC system than to bring it to a GOOD professional (not just some guy with a machine)

I hope this helps you.

Please return and tell how this information worked for you, what you find, and how you eventually fix your vehicle (even if it is that you brought it to a mechanic / dealership for repair)
It is your feedback and final repair report that will make these forums useful to others in the future.
Many times I search and find the same exact fault that I am having, someone suggests how to fix it, the patron follows the suggestion and then never returns to say YEA! or NAY...


The forum thread just goes dead because the person fixed their fault and has not a care to offer the answer anymore. Please don't be that guy.

Cheers!

 

@FabricGATOR You're absolutely right about that last statement. I do my best to reply if advice given works or not. @Hey You has been a great help on a few of my issues and have been very greatful. I do appreciate you're time replying to these posts as time is the most expensive currency we have. Itll take me a little time to complete these suggestions as I get home late, wake up early, and have kids. But ill begin to troubleshoot your suggestions ASAP. Thanks again. 🇺🇸
-Enos Family

 

I'll have my truck sitting in some pretty warm weather tomorrow. Would it be best to wipe all components with a rag or wipe before i start up and drive home? I'll have about a 25mile drive from carpool that may take an ample ammont of time through CA traffic. Then check components again at home? Or would that be a waste of time? Honestly I feel after some fixed oil leaks I may be fooled just giving a visual without a UV dye treatment. Thank you

 

@Hey You guages as in recharge? Or I need to purchase a different guage or guage set? If so, any recommendations on my way home would help. Thank you

 

00 no, don't wipe anything away.

What you should be looking for is at the a/c system joints and connections, a more pronounced accumulation of like an oily residue, often it will collect dust and road grime and make it more pronounced. This is how we usually find suspected leaks before any leak UV dye is put in.

Unless it is a very large leak, you won't see any leak right away. We are looking for what one might consider a miniscule leak that shows itself over days, weeks, or months BUT will in actuality drain your system rather quickly, if there is a leak. They say a leaky faucet or a toilet that refills, tops up, a few times a day can waste water of a thousand gallons a year (or more)

Just a little background. I used to work in the neon sign business. Neon tubes are made of glass and then evacuated with a vacuum pump while heating with a high voltage arc. Then we put a small amount of either neon or argon gas in the sealed glass tube. I was taught that nothing in a neon arc tube is consumed and in a perfect situation, a neon tube 'should' last forever. Unfortunately, EVERYTHING LEAKS, even a glass tube.

I say that because air conditioning systems all leak to a small degree. It is highly advised to recharge (or add charge to) an air conditioning system every few years for cooling (and energy) efficiency.

Now, if your system hasn't been charged in several years and it is not getting cool, PERHAPS you can get it working again by addition of the proper refrigerant. It kinda depends on what you have. If you were to connect a pressure gauge to the low pressure side and you showed some pressure but the system does not come on, then maybe you could add refrigerant because there is still pressure that likely didn't let atmospheric air back into the closed, sealed system.

BUT

If you were to find evidence of a leak, by observing an oily or dirty joint where hoses or pipes connect to one another, then it may behoove you to consider resealing or replacing that joint before adding refrigerant. AND if you open that joint to reseal it, then you will need to vacuum the system first. Also recommended is to change the desiccant (called an accumulator drier) if it hasn't been changed just recently (and 3-7 years if a system is repaired) and / or if the a/c system has been open to the atmosphere for an extended time. [Think about that moisture absorber that you might find in a bottle of vitamins, the desiccant (accumulator drier) is like that ] and it is a complete part assembly.


There is a lot of information and variables in making an AC repair. I will try to help as I can. I gotta say it is much easier to do this while standing there with your hood open.
Cheers

 

My new to me 1500 SLT is having A/C problems where my system is fully charged (by me)(with a new accumulator drier) but my fault has something to do with the electronic control system.

Here I started by removing the charge that I presume was people adding refrigerant without the best equipment and then I put in a perfect measured charge of R-134.

After I have that, then I can start to discover and test why the system turns on and off of its own choice (usually at the most inconvenient times)...

 

Wow, great information. Yes, lots of info but but I'm gonna plug and play right now. 5:47pm in CA. Drove 26mi in 87°. Making kids dinner and ill get to it. I'll post a few pics. Thanks again fellas.

 

Some pictures








Not seeing build up as you described unless im overlooking

Would like to check fuses too if that helps