Nice! I bought a set at a garage sale and it bent my low side valve 😒 Still using the AutoStoned manifold and vacuum. Free to rent with a $300 deposit. I'll have to get that set and a vacuum, maybe next year. I diagnosed a bad low-side switch with a multimeter...I found out that the switch contacts are normally closed when the compressor should be running. After making sure I had freon in the system, I jumped the terminals together, system ran great, recovered the freon, replaced the switch and valve, pulled a vacuum, and filled it up. Fixed for -$30- $40 after freon (that damn needle valve)
Can you tell me if tid codes for mode 6 are publicly posted or where I can get them for 99 expedition 5.4. Got what I believe to be a misfire but it is faint and only felt in drivability posing as a transmission slip. I have a few tid codes that i need to onow what they hex 41 for example.
@@weldingjunkie yeah I will probably murder the proper explanation but I believe it is a type of diagnosis protocol and not all scanners/software are capable of determining what the manufacturer meant by a certain test #. For example, I was looking for $21 which is hexadecimal 21 with ford I found it is a vacuum pressure code. I was able to reach out to Forscan and they pointed me to a Ford website that has their descriptions.
Perfect! I searched all over and couldn't find my answer, and remembered I subscribed to your channel and searched your videos and found the exact same symptom I'm having with a 2003 Navigator that I recently bought. The low pressure side goes from 10 to 55 psi and back repeatedly and I hear the compressor clicking on and off. Although I'd like to figure out why it's low on refrigerant (leak or failing part somewhere?), I'll assume for now that the car is 20 years old and maybe has never had an A/C service, so I'll recover/vacuum/refill the system. Thank you so much, so glad I remembered you! A must have channel for any Ford/Lincoln/Mercury owner/DIYer!
Nice Work! This is the weather for A/C problems! A lot of people don't know that the A/C system comes on in the winter during defrost, so if the struggled through the summer, definitely get it fixed in the fall!
Hi Brain ! First and foremost, I want to thank you for all your time and effort to make these videos. Its alot of work. You have saved my A$$ many times over the years with my Ford vehicles. I'm currently chasing a problem with my 2011 Taurus SHO A/C system. My wife drives this car everyday and tells me that at idle the A/C temp in the car starts to blow noticeably less colder air...not hot but warmer air. So, I charged the system first with PAG 46 and then followed with the R134-A. Initially the clutch wasn't coming on even though I turned the A/C turned on in the cabin to MAX with full speed on the blower fan. Within a few minutes,6-8min, the clutch switched on...as did the engine fan... At this point the 134 was able to be sucked into the low side....but only for about 1 minute, because the comp clutch switched off again. Again, a few 6-8 min later the clutched kicked on again and I was able to get the entire can of 134 into the system and the clutch stayed engaged from that point on until I turned off the car. When I went in the car to turn if off, it was super cold inside. Just to note, the gauge on the can of 134 stated about 40lbs was the pressure by the time the can was empty. Figured I was good to go. Although, the next morning, the system was acting like I never did anything to it. Acted like it did before I did the work. I drove it awhile and I could tell when the compressor switched on because the air got a bit cooler, but seconds later the air got much warmer. It was like the comp was switching off and on....like in this video. Do I have a bad low pressure switch or did all the 134 leak out of a bad seal. I am going to get a good manifold gauge set so I can get a better handle on whats happening in the system real time. How can I tell if its the switch(high or low) or a leak ? If the comp stays on it gets cold. Clearly, my limited discovery is that for some reason the comp shuts off for a while(minutes) and then switches back on again(for only a few minutes) Not sure where to go. I kinda think its the low side switch. is the low side switch down low near the comp. On this 2100 SHO I do I work on this comp area from under the car ?
Thanks Brian, Ive got 2010 explorer with rear ac Vehicle came in for no a/c cooling issue. Ambient temp is like 110F. Hooked up my gauges engine off And found 250psi low side. Started the system and the readings were: 110 low side and around 250 high I knew right away the compressor is shot. Flushed the whole system and Replaced the Compressor, condenser, orifice tube, high pressure line & cooling fan as well. Recharged the system and rechecked my readings and they were: Low side 60-70 High side around 250-300 And no cooling whatsoever.. Right away i knew there's a blockage in the system. Evacuated & Unhooked everything and flushed again "twice" Recharged and rechecked, Low side around 60 and dead slowly going down to 40's neighborhood. And cooling started coming out of the vents between 60-50F The thing i don't like about this is the new compressor doesn't cycle off..! Its running non stop.. I drove the car highway for about an hour, watching my thermometer in the center vent with my scanner showing the compressor clutch pid. And guess what, The compressor kicked off on 31F degrees coming out of the vents. I felt good coz my canin temp sensor at least works. 😃 Right away I suspected the low pressure switch mounted on the accumulator, Replaced with OE part and rechecked the cycling, but no change. My question now : Why my low pressure reading is moving dead slow to go down. ?? One thing I did not change is my receiver dryer/accumulator becoz its not available and I didn't wanna use aftermarket. Does a bad accumulator cause the system to be sucked down ever so slowly like this..?? Why is my com not cycling on and off..???? its brand new OE. ??? Do you think a partially blocked accumulator would cause such condition..?? Pls. Share your thoughts. Love your channel man 🌷
I had this same issue, turns out I was overcharged which can give similar symptoms as an undercharge. The compressor frequency cycle is dependent on evap heat load and engine RPM which is controlled by the low side pressure switch or evap temp sensor. If you are overcharged you will have higher pressure at the TXV, increased load on the engine which will use more fuel, could damage the compressor, higher pressure = higher vent temps. If your compressor does not cycle on recirculate with low to medium fan speed after the cabin has cooled most likely you are overcharged.
Metal Halide thanks man for your share I think i do. I think its overcharged yes. But the tag says 44oz and do i did. But then i look at the ambient temp and said to myself thats too much.. Engine off, static pressure I'm reading 166psi Tomorrow I'm gonna reduce that to 120psi static, close enough to ambient temp. and recheck my readings and cooling If the compressor started cycling like it supposed to be. Then you're the man 👍 I'll be posting what omes out.
But how come..? The tag sticker says 44oz. How could that possibly be too much..?? 😟 Could that be related to blockage in the system in anyway..? If i do still have blockage, its gonna be in the accumulator..coz like i said, I did not change it..i just flushed it with 401 like 4 times to get it to clrar out. But before it was CV ompletely blocked.
@@leo28a Static pressure is no indication of current charge, even with a few ounces you will read the same pressure. You have to adjust pressures with the windows down, out of direct sunlight, A/C on recirculate, fan on high, let stabilize for 5 minutes.
@@leo28a If you have any kind of restriction both your low and high side will have lower pressures because there is less pressure at the compressor, its possible to even pull a vacuum on the low side if the restriction is bad.
I bought an F150 with many-many probs JUST so I could follow Brian and fix er up. Mechanically she's perfect. The body is severely faded and screams I AIN'T GOT NO INSURANCE look about er. THANKS BRIAN
Brain I wanted to thank you again for all your awesome videos. I've used your videos to do work on my f150. You go into such detail and show us everything we need to know to do it ourselves. Again thank you.
Just the correct information I was looking for. My 2018 F-150 output temp is only about 50 degrees and it takes a good 15 minutes to get there. Thanks!
So Educational, I can relate that because that is what I have experienced it too in one of my work last week. When you charge or add the refregerant at low side, I experience reverse effect, when charging, giving higher RPM, the low side gauge pointer rise instead of going down to indicate suction of the refrigerant, and also notice that high side gauge pointer goes down.
Brian, Great video! Both my 2002 and 2005 Focus have FOT systems so this video was very explanatory. I completely re did the 2002s AC system last summer (new compressor, condenser, dryer, and orifice tube). All new o-rings as well. I get 40F outlet air at 97F ambient. Got to do the same to the 2005 soon. Thanks! God bless Paul
Pretty good video. I will stress that the only way to know how much is in the system is to evacuate it with an a/c(like you did), static pressure does not indicate anything other then something is in the a/c system.
Looking at the static pressure I read 93 PSI which also is the same as ambient temp as well. This only holds true if the system and engine has not been run to as to increase it's temp. On 80's and 90's Fords the low cutout switch was adjustable, when the system was working fine but the customer still complained about cooling output I would adjust the low side to 28 PSI to give that extra cooling.
Great video I was told to replace my compressor and that’s it I haven’t put Freon in there since I bought it did the symptoms makes it feel like a rough idle
My 2005 F150 has a fixed orifice tube as well. Btw, the dryer and tubes going into the firewall were a bear to reinstall after doing the valve cover seals. Thanks for all the great videos!
Awesome! My 2004 150 is leaking oil on the high side tubbing and hose connection and need to replace the ac manifold. Was really hoping you have the tutorial video on how to remove and install new ac manifold on 2004 5.4l f150
Thanks my friend. This help me get cold air but my 01 town car only blows cold now. Hot air is now the problem, it's not blowing out from the dash vents only the floor and rear and not very hot. If you can give help I'd appreciate it. Keep up the good work Sir. Thanks for everything, John
I have a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 5.7 V8 Hemi and I just replaced my AC compressor the dryer and a bunch of the rubber O-rings and I tried to recharge the system myself obviously I didn't wrong and that's the problem I'm having with mine the compressor kicks on and off so I'm going to bring it to a professional to have the system vacuum rated and charge properly because I have the gauges also and they were both sitting on the low side thank you for the video it helped a lot
KNOWLEDGEABLE FordTechMakuloco Brilliant video tutorial great thank you God bless you and all your family around you FordTechMakuloco From Nick Ayivor from London England UK 🇬🇧
The temperature at the gauge is the boiling point of the refrigerant at that pressure. At the low site it is the refrigrent boiling point inside the evaporator, which mean it is the minimum temp u can get. and it should be lower the better , but not reach freeze temp or vaccumm when the engine is rev. As u realize the compressor stop when it reach around 27psi which mean boiling point at 32F is freeze, so the compressor cut it off to avoid damge. When u driving, it become cooler, because the compressor run faster and it suck more refrigerant, low site pressure drop futher as also the boiling temp, u can demostrate it just by rev the engine. Inside cabin u temp gauge show 40F , it is same as the blue gauge 34psi pointed at 40F boiling point, the lowest temp u can get at the evaporator. The red gauge is for guidance only, 175 psi around 118F which is the refrigerant condense temp at the condenser and transfer heat away.
FordTechMakuloco New Fusions use it at least here wt fleet we have mostly hybrids that use 1234yf and POE lubricant. Expeditions i think are now 1234yf New Ford Ecosport as well.
@FordTechMakuloco The 2017 Escape we have as a company car uses r1234yf. Surprisingly the car only has about 23,000 miles on it and the A/C failed to cool above ambient temps of 83 F or so. Took it to the dealership and they diagnosed "weak compressor", not encouraged with the new systems.
Great video - I've got a Ford Five Hundred , and now I have an idea of why my AC is not as potent as it should be. Bought myself some gauges - off to my garage I go... BTW - ensure that your Compressor Control Valve is not sticking. Had this problem with my car originally. Car had a full charge, but very poor A/C performance. I replaced the valve and it worked 100% better.
Thanks again for another informative video. Sometimes I already know how to do half these thing but just like watching the videos any way 😂 am I the only one
Thank you so much, that is exactly what I needed if I can connect the Set (I have Pittsburgh A/C Manifold Gauge Set) somehow to see exact reading, what is the current pressure on both sides without starting the car. For some reason no one else explains this part (including instructions). Please can you also tell why there is a Schrader Core on Blue and Red hoses (though on one side but still). On Yellow hose I understand, bcs one side can go into that 2nd hole, which is below the Observation Window, and that hole has a Schrader Valve, so the end w/Schrader Core can depress it. But Red and Blue connect to Manifold or Manifold Couplers, and there are no Schrader Valves there. Manifold coupler also has one Schrader Core with which it will depress the Schrader Valve on the port of Low or High Pressure. In instructions all the hoses are shown with Schrader Core Ends being on the manifold, where there are no Schrader Valves. Thank you again.
Texas is the same. You could practically make a living off of doing quality A/C work here. Not uncommon to see pressures in the low 300s stuck in traffic on a 100+ day.
Thanks a lot for making this video. I am seeing the same issue on my car. I think my leak is from the low side Schrader valve. I need to find the tool to replace the valve core that fits the valve in a Volvo. I am not going to recharge knowing that I have a leak. And I think the leak additives are not the way to go.
A lot of times if it takes years for system to lose refrigerant, just add some and call it good. Have a truck with 20yrs on AC never changed a thing. Kinda like an oil seep, some mechs will tear apart the block to save the owner 3 qts of oil.But charge em 1500 bucks to fix the gasket...
can’t the fixed orifice get clogged. How is that replaced. The whole line has to go. Years ago I installed a new system in a 97 Camaro. It had a screen inside to catch crap. It was so full I don’t know how anything got past it. The compressor crapped out and luckily the parts store told me about the other parts to replace. Sold the vehicle 5 years later and it was still ice cold. A Camaro with a 6cylinder has so much room to work. What a pleasure to work on.
Great video thank you! My 04 F250 6.8 V10 AC compressor is short cycling. I ordered a set of gauges and vacuum pump. When I recharge system should I add pag oil or does the r134a have it already ? The sticker says 2lb 10oz r134a and 9oz pag oil. Any help would be great thank you
Just changed out the fan clutch, A/C clutch (just the plate), and idlers on my '05, which helped a lot, but still not where it should be sitting at lights (on a 97 degree day). but now I notice it kicking on and off too fast like that, time for a can of A/C Pro
@FordTechMakuloco, I have a 2012 ford fusion with the A/C goes to heat by itself (manual controls). A/C is still on but will not come off heat and man many people are having the same issue. Would love it if you did a diagnostic video on this issue. Peoples fix is to turn the headlights and fog lights on or to turn it all the way cold then back it off two clicks. And this seriously works for some reason would love to know why this is and a true fix for this issue. Ford quoted me 400 for a module update but i have read people have this done and it does not fix the issue. The blend door actuator works fine does the full sweep and stops with no clicks at the end. A/C compressor is running and the lines are cold when it goes to heat by itself. Again would love to see a video on a diagnosis for this fix. love your videos you post and anytime i have a problem with my fords your videos are the first i look for to solve my issues.
Thank you so much for the wisdom and insight. If the compressor is cycling on and off do you have to vacuum or are you able to continue to add to it and it will eventually stop?
I personally like the FOT systems better since the compressor does not cycle.... at least on GM's. Our fords have TXVs. All that cycling for years has to wear on the clutch and internals. Our caravan's compressor broke internally so it would freewheel with the clutch on. I've never had a GM compressor break, just the seal wears out.
Love this channel and other videos have been so helpful for us DIY'ers, but this video doesn't seem aimed for home maintenance but for beginning professionals, as who at home has a vacuum pump set?
The recovery machine has nothing to do with this video. It is literally an example video of what it looks and sounds like when you have a low system charge and then how it looks in that same system with a proper charge, nothing else.
My sons 2011 Fusion has been blowing cool air, not cold. But enough to keep him from sweating. Maybe it’s low too. It’s been a scorching hot summer here in Chicago.
Harbor Freight is your friend. Get the manifold set it works well. 2011s probably have dye installed. Look for it with a uv kit. HF also has an electronic leak detector for ~$50. Works great.
I have a 2000 F150 and would do about anything to figure out how to access the condenser coil to clean it out. Low air flow. I don't care about looks if I need to cut through anything to access it. Can't find anything online that actually makes sense, no one knows how to explain or teach details these days. Same goes for the heater core.
Evaporator? The condenser is in front of the radiator. My used 2001 F150 blew almost no air through the evap. Get a couple of cans of foaming AC cleaner. They come with a 2 foot hose to insert into the AC drain hose. Plenum fills with cleaning foam and rinses out when you start it 1/2 hour later. I used 2 cans for good luck. Brought mine back to life. ( Many stores don't even know what you're asking for. Don't buy the AC flush - that's to clean out the system after a mechanical failure, not the evaporator fins) I got my cans at O'Reillys. Also on Amazon.
@@NYCMNYBW01T - Thanks, yes evaporator. I saw a great video on inserting a can of AC cleaner with a tube applicator into the evaporator tube hole all the way up and spray a couple times. But I cannot find this thing on my truck. Only reference online was some guy said it's just barely a nipple and didn't think anything could go inside it because it's so small (he thought was clogged). I saw poorly made videos on cutting out areas inside the cab to cut open to access and clean. Horrible directions.
Yep, that time o'year! Got the neighbor's ('04 maybe?) F-350 with a leaky condenser - he patched it with JB Weld until the new one gets here, lol. Pretty weak condenser on that truck. Looks like a stone took a little chunk out of it. Leak the size of a pin. No sniffer needed - just watch for the fog ... Also have my dad's 2 year old Frigidaire window unit here - all the refrigerant blew out the corroded condenser - unit is barely over 2 years old from its manufacture date! What a pile of crap! Gotta love 21st Century manufacturing, no matter what line it is ..
I like the big red warning label on the new units explaining that the refrigerant used is explosive and that there is a risk of fire if they leak !! Yeah that's got to be a big selling point "Here put this bomb in the window of your bedroom" I've been seriously thinking of just rebuilding the 20+ year old 12K wall unit we have rather than buying a new "efficient" unit.
@@Blazer02LS - Yeah, you'd be better off! I couldn't believe they made the condenser so thin, especially with R-410A - it has high side pressures north of 475 PSI !! Then they used the crappiest quality metal they could source. Better off grabbing an old one, and either charging it up with BBQ propane, R-12, or R-22.
Great videos, new subscriber here. Basic AC question here... AC’s are a closed system? So if you have low pressure there must be a leak somewhere? And if you repair anything on an ac system you need to pull a vacuum since the “closed” system was opened? Thanks! Love the videos
This is literally just a diagnostic video to show what it looks and sounds like when your a/c system is low on refrigerant nothing else. This is the new shop truck it has no leaks it was charged with half a pound for this video.
The system was still holding static pressure and had half a pound of refrigerant in it. Being that this truck is 15 years old and probably on its original factory charge, I can see what he didn't do a long vacuum hold test. He did totally Evacuate the system and it did show vacuum for quite some time. Even brand new compressors with minimal use will leak a micro amount at the shaft seal behind the compressor clutch. When you add 10 to 15 years of age 2 vehicle they will leak a little bit more. I see Vehicles leaking about a pound of refrigerant after 8 or 10 years of age every 3 or 5 years and they hold great vacuum. Also to recharge the system versus rebuilding and replacing the system including a new compressor is quite cost-prohibitive when the customer just wants it topped off every 4 or 5 years.
So is it ABSOLUTELY necessary to completely suck down the system BEFORE recharging??? I've always just added a can when it's low. If we MUST drain the system then I'm SOL in the future. Great vid, tho!
Big thanks to all your fantastic educational videos. I have an erractic reading on my high pressure guage. Could that mean the refrigerant control valve needs replacing on the compressor. I have garages here ( in the Philippines) wanting to just replace the whole compressor.
As a professional auto tech I will say this: A vehicle with a leak can sometimes hold a vacuum just fine but not pressure (the compressor shaft seal is a good example of this) also on older vehicles that's it is perfectly normal for some refrigerant leak out over time. When I get a vehicle in that is simply low on charge I vacuum the system, inject dye, then charge it and the customer to bring it back if it stops working. But I let it sit in the bay and run for a while and it would be evident pretty quickly if there's a large leak but in this case the dye would leak out with the refrigerant and you would see it!
Agree, I'll bet the vacuum pulls any marginal seals and o-rings tight. And pressure may be more than the psi of the vacuum depending on where the leak is.
What is your best guess for vehicles with only low charge that test out with no leaks? Most cars' A/C lines are that half metal half rubber crimped deal, and I'm assuming the refrigerant just diffuses out the rubber part over time. Kinda like the air molecules being smaller than rubber molecules, diffusing out over time through the rubber of a tire.
If the system has a low charge and it is not because of being charged improperly in the first place then there is definitely a leak most times at a connection or the condenser.
Great Video.. Can I ask you a question. My daughter has a 2017 ford explorer and she just had a new AC compression installed, belt and tensioner . When the car is on and in park the ac works fine( cold) and quite. However when she is driving the car is make a whining noise. do you know what the problem might be. If the ac compressor is bypassed there is no noise. The person that installed it thought maybe he new compressor was bad so he installed a second new one, we still have the problem any ideas? Thank you !
Using my manifold set- I'm recharging through the low Port ONLY- the low Port coupling is obviously open. My question is-your highport coupling is open so this way you can READ the pressure on the manifold gauge... The High valve on the manifold gauge NEEDS to be closed...BUT the coupling on the high side is OPEN for reading on the manifold gauge? Is that last part correct??
The coupling at the port on the system are turned in to open the shrader valves yes but the knobs on the manifold gauge set are closed so the sides do not mix in any way.
@@FordTechMakuloco ahh haha okay. Was reading about the manifold gauges and how they work... So what's the purpose of the high side besides reading high pressure? What happens if you turn the high side on during the recharge on the high manifold value?
This is a great series of videos ! This one in paticular got me going on the AC system in my 2006 F150. It was text book low on coolent. I charged it up based on your instructions, cabin air dropped down to 40 F I thought I was set. took it for a ride, 5 minutes down the road the air was back to ambient Temperture. What do think is my next step in troubleshooting? Thanks for your help Mike
I'm not certain if Fords install dye at factory assembly of vehicle ac systems. GM does when switching from r12 to r134a. My question depends on dye from factory installation when ac was new. As most everyone knows, loss of refrigerant in vehicle ac systems usually means a leak occurred and not a normal loss of refrigerant over time. If dye was installed then a uv light should be used during initial ac inspection when suspecting loss of ac cooling. My presumptions are that all vehicle ac systems were assembled as sealed units similar to refrigerators and freezers except they're standing in place for years. With vehicle ac systems, soft aluminum parts stress harden after repeated flexing from road shocks eventually leading to stress cracks to leak refrigerant. Salted roads allows aluminum to corrode until thin walled aluminum fails. Even crimped ac hoses give way to leaks. I wonder why no mention of leak detection is ever discussed first when dye will be released anywhere in a system that leaks from loose/damaged fittings or other issues that results in leaks. Dye will mark the area and easily found with a uv light without evacuating and recharging a system only to have a customer return to verify loss of ac cooling.
I don't think any automakers install dye during the build process, but can easily be added anytime. An AC system in a vehicle will slowly lose some refrigerant over years of use due to the way the seals are in the compressor mainly around the driven shaft and will leak out the front of the compressor which is why you'll see oily residue on the front of some compressors over the years the seals on that driven shaft move around during use and cause small amounts of refrigerant and refrigeration oil to escape. R134A's molecular properties are such that it seems to leak easier than the old R12 did, plus your R134a's system runs at much higher pressures and as a result leaks out much easier through the smallest of holes.
@@wildbill23c You're partially correct. GM started installing dye into ac systems around 2002. Dye is easier to detect using an inexpensive uv blacklight to illuminate fluorescent dye. It glows in a dark garage or after sunset to allow uv light to enhance leaks on vehicles with factory installed dye. Only a 1/4 oz of dye is needed and certainly adds little cost to manufacturing while making it easier to find a source of leaks otherwise electronic leak detectors are used. As a diyer, I found my first leak in less than five minutes parked at Home Depot early evening. Dye glows greenish yellow for GM vehicles. Since I lost ac cooling, it's a no brainer to use a uv light to find where refrigerant leaked out. my car was already ten years old with reliable ac until wear and tear damage occurred. The easiest way to determine if any vehicle has dye is simply removing one or both service valve caps and look. Dye will leak out service valves along with refrigerant and oil. It will be obvious if dye was factory installed.
So you don't check for leaks? You don't replace the orifice tube? That sounds like a "Top Off" to me. Sorry if I am missing something but the refrigerant don't just use up. Yes, even a sealed System will lose some refrigerant over the years but I still always check so to not waste refrigerant and end up with a mad customer.
Basic R-134A Manifold Gauge Set:
amzn.to/32JTGCc
FordTechMakuloco is this set any good? I was thinking of getting yellow jacket brand in the future but I’d like a cheap set too.
Nice! I bought a set at a garage sale and it bent my low side valve 😒
Still using the AutoStoned manifold and vacuum. Free to rent with a $300 deposit. I'll have to get that set and a vacuum, maybe next year.
I diagnosed a bad low-side switch with a multimeter...I found out that the switch contacts are normally closed when the compressor should be running. After making sure I had freon in the system, I jumped the terminals together, system ran great, recovered the freon, replaced the switch and valve, pulled a vacuum, and filled it up. Fixed for -$30- $40 after freon (that damn needle valve)
Can you tell me if tid codes for mode 6 are publicly posted or where I can get them for 99 expedition 5.4. Got what I believe to be a misfire but it is faint and only felt in drivability posing as a transmission slip. I have a few tid codes that i need to onow what they hex 41 for example.
drome010381 code 6 codes?
@@weldingjunkie yeah I will probably murder the proper explanation but I believe it is a type of diagnosis protocol and not all scanners/software are capable of determining what the manufacturer meant by a certain test #. For example, I was looking for $21 which is hexadecimal 21 with ford I found it is a vacuum pressure code. I was able to reach out to Forscan and they pointed me to a Ford website that has their descriptions.
Perfect! I searched all over and couldn't find my answer, and remembered I subscribed to your channel and searched your videos and found the exact same symptom I'm having with a 2003 Navigator that I recently bought. The low pressure side goes from 10 to 55 psi and back repeatedly and I hear the compressor clicking on and off. Although I'd like to figure out why it's low on refrigerant (leak or failing part somewhere?), I'll assume for now that the car is 20 years old and maybe has never had an A/C service, so I'll recover/vacuum/refill the system. Thank you so much, so glad I remembered you! A must have channel for any Ford/Lincoln/Mercury owner/DIYer!
I have been doing a/c work for about 10 years on heavy equipment and automotive.. you are spot on! 👍👍
It took me waaaay to long to realize what the channel name actually meant. Spot on! I like driving Fords, i hate fixing them.
Ford Tech Make you crazy
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Nice Work! This is the weather for A/C problems! A lot of people don't know that the A/C system comes on in the winter during defrost, so if the struggled through the summer, definitely get it fixed in the fall!
If you turn it on
I turn it off!!
Hi Brain ! First and foremost, I want to thank you for all your time and effort to make these videos. Its alot of work. You have saved my A$$ many times over the years with my Ford vehicles. I'm currently chasing a problem with my 2011 Taurus SHO A/C system. My wife drives this car everyday and tells me that at idle the A/C temp in the car starts to blow noticeably less colder air...not hot but warmer air. So, I charged the system first with PAG 46 and then followed with the R134-A. Initially the clutch wasn't coming on even though I turned the A/C turned on in the cabin to MAX with full speed on the blower fan. Within a few minutes,6-8min, the clutch switched on...as did the engine fan... At this point the 134 was able to be sucked into the low side....but only for about 1 minute, because the comp clutch switched off again. Again, a few 6-8 min later the clutched kicked on again and I was able to get the entire can of 134 into the system and the clutch stayed engaged from that point on until I turned off the car. When I went in the car to turn if off, it was super cold inside. Just to note, the gauge on the can of 134 stated about 40lbs was the pressure by the time the can was empty. Figured I was good to go. Although, the next morning, the system was acting like I never did anything to it. Acted like it did before I did the work. I drove it awhile and I could tell when the compressor switched on because the air got a bit cooler, but seconds later the air got much warmer. It was like the comp was switching off and on....like in this video. Do I have a bad low pressure switch or did all the 134 leak out of a bad seal. I am going to get a good manifold gauge set so I can get a better handle on whats happening in the system real time. How can I tell if its the switch(high or low) or a leak ? If the comp stays on it gets cold. Clearly, my limited discovery is that for some reason the comp shuts off for a while(minutes) and then switches back on again(for only a few minutes) Not sure where to go. I kinda think its the low side switch. is the low side switch down low near the comp. On this 2100 SHO I do I work on this comp area from under the car ?
Thanks Brian,
Ive got 2010 explorer with rear ac
Vehicle came in for no a/c cooling issue. Ambient temp is like 110F.
Hooked up my gauges engine off
And found 250psi low side.
Started the system and the readings were:
110 low side and around 250 high
I knew right away the compressor is shot.
Flushed the whole system and Replaced the
Compressor,
condenser,
orifice tube,
high pressure line &
cooling fan as well.
Recharged the system and rechecked my readings and they were:
Low side 60-70
High side around 250-300
And no cooling whatsoever..
Right away i knew there's a blockage in the system.
Evacuated & Unhooked everything and flushed again "twice"
Recharged and rechecked,
Low side around 60 and dead slowly going down to 40's neighborhood.
And cooling started coming out of the vents between 60-50F
The thing i don't like about this is the new compressor doesn't cycle off..!
Its running non stop..
I drove the car highway for about an hour, watching my thermometer in the center vent with my scanner showing the compressor clutch pid.
And guess what,
The compressor kicked off on 31F degrees coming out of the vents.
I felt good coz my canin temp sensor at least works. 😃
Right away I suspected the low pressure switch mounted on the accumulator,
Replaced with OE part and rechecked the cycling, but no change.
My question now :
Why my low pressure reading is moving dead slow to go down. ??
One thing I did not change is my receiver dryer/accumulator becoz its not available and I didn't wanna use aftermarket.
Does a bad accumulator cause the system to be sucked down ever so slowly like this..??
Why is my com not cycling on and off..????
its brand new OE. ???
Do you think a partially blocked accumulator would cause such condition..??
Pls. Share your thoughts.
Love your channel man 🌷
I had this same issue, turns out I was overcharged which can give similar symptoms as an undercharge. The compressor frequency cycle is dependent on evap heat load and engine RPM which is controlled by the low side pressure switch or evap temp sensor. If you are overcharged you will have higher pressure at the TXV, increased load on the engine which will use more fuel, could damage the compressor, higher pressure = higher vent temps. If your compressor does not cycle on recirculate with low to medium fan speed after the cabin has cooled most likely you are overcharged.
Metal Halide
thanks man for your share
I think i do.
I think its overcharged yes.
But the tag says 44oz and do i did.
But then i look at the ambient temp and said to myself thats too much..
Engine off, static pressure I'm reading 166psi
Tomorrow I'm gonna reduce that to 120psi static, close enough to ambient temp.
and recheck my readings and cooling
If the compressor started cycling like it supposed to be. Then you're the man 👍
I'll be posting what omes out.
But how come..?
The tag sticker says 44oz.
How could that possibly be too much..?? 😟
Could that be related to blockage in the system in anyway..?
If i do still have blockage, its gonna be in the accumulator..coz like i said, I did not change it..i just flushed it with 401 like 4 times to get it to clrar out.
But before it was CV ompletely blocked.
@@leo28a Static pressure is no indication of current charge, even with a few ounces you will read the same pressure. You have to adjust pressures with the windows down, out of direct sunlight, A/C on recirculate, fan on high, let stabilize for 5 minutes.
@@leo28a If you have any kind of restriction both your low and high side will have lower pressures because there is less pressure at the compressor, its possible to even pull a vacuum on the low side if the restriction is bad.
Middle of winter here in Australia, love your channel
I use mine more now than in summer.
I bought an F150 with many-many probs JUST so I could follow Brian and fix er up. Mechanically she's perfect. The body is severely faded and screams I AIN'T GOT NO INSURANCE look about er. THANKS BRIAN
This man is a damn good mechanic and super smart. His videos are always helpful
Thanks for adding the symptoms for the txv “expansion valve” system and some break down how how those compressor works. Good stuff
Mr. you have the best video out there explaining the AC system on a car , straight-to-the-point very well explain thanks a lot
Nice. As a DIYer learned rhis with allot of homework and a passion for fixing cars. great video.
Very helpful . I do HVAC but never messed with my cars AC. Now I have an idea of how to charge it
Thanks for the video. You're the best ford tech i know.
Really like ac videos. You make the best step by step videos. Thanks for taking the time.
Thank you Brian. Good job. Have a blessed and safe week.
Brain I wanted to thank you again for all your awesome videos. I've used your videos to do work on my f150. You go into such detail and show us everything we need to know to do it ourselves. Again thank you.
Just the correct information I was looking for. My 2018 F-150 output temp is only about 50 degrees and it takes a good 15 minutes to get there. Thanks!
So Educational, I can relate that because that is what I have experienced it too in one of my work last week. When you charge or add the refregerant at low side, I experience reverse effect, when charging, giving higher RPM, the low side gauge pointer rise instead of going down to indicate suction of the refrigerant, and also notice that high side gauge pointer goes down.
Brian,
Great video! Both my 2002 and 2005 Focus have FOT systems so this video was very explanatory. I completely re did the 2002s AC system last summer (new compressor, condenser, dryer, and orifice tube). All new o-rings as well. I get 40F outlet air at 97F ambient. Got to do the same to the 2005 soon. Thanks!
God bless
Paul
Pretty good video. I will stress that the only way to know how much is in the system is to evacuate it with an a/c(like you did), static pressure does not indicate anything other then something is in the a/c system.
Looking at the static pressure I read 93 PSI which also is the same as ambient temp as well. This only holds true if the system and engine has not been run to as to increase it's temp. On 80's and 90's Fords the low cutout switch was adjustable, when the system was working fine but the customer still complained about cooling output I would adjust the low side to 28 PSI to give that extra cooling.
Thank God, my 97 f250 OBS the evaporator is completely in the engine bay. The evaporator took a about an hour to change.
Great video I was told to replace my compressor and that’s it I haven’t put Freon in there since I bought it did the symptoms makes it feel like a rough idle
My 2005 F150 has a fixed orifice tube as well. Btw, the dryer and tubes going into the firewall were a bear to reinstall after doing the valve cover seals. Thanks for all the great videos!
Good refresher. Been awhile since I've done this.
Awesome! My 2004 150 is leaking oil on the high side tubbing and hose connection and need to replace the ac manifold. Was really hoping you have the tutorial video on how to remove and install new ac manifold on 2004 5.4l f150
Thanks my friend. This help me get cold air but my 01 town car only blows cold now. Hot air is now the problem, it's not blowing out from the dash vents only the floor and rear and not very hot. If you can give help I'd appreciate it. Keep up the good work Sir. Thanks for everything, John
Thank you bro!! I have learned SO Much from you and your channel!! 👍💯
Very nicely explained, good job!
Oh wow! I never about knew/noticed the crimp on the lines. Love your videos! 👏👏👏
You helped me thank you so much my Freightliner cascadia big rigs is running cool now
I have a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 5.7 V8 Hemi and I just replaced my AC compressor the dryer and a bunch of the rubber O-rings and I tried to recharge the system myself obviously I didn't wrong and that's the problem I'm having with mine the compressor kicks on and off so I'm going to bring it to a professional to have the system vacuum rated and charge properly because I have the gauges also and they were both sitting on the low side thank you for the video it helped a lot
KNOWLEDGEABLE FordTechMakuloco
Brilliant video tutorial great thank you
God bless you and all your family around you FordTechMakuloco
From Nick Ayivor from London England UK 🇬🇧
Thanks for explaining with detail.
The temperature at the gauge is the boiling point of the refrigerant at that pressure. At the low site it is the refrigrent boiling point inside the evaporator, which mean it is the minimum temp u can get. and it should be lower the better , but not reach freeze temp or vaccumm when the engine is rev. As u realize the compressor stop when it reach around 27psi which mean boiling point at 32F is freeze, so the compressor cut it off to avoid damge.
When u driving, it become cooler, because the compressor run faster and it suck more refrigerant, low site pressure drop futher as also the boiling temp, u can demostrate it just by rev the engine.
Inside cabin u temp gauge show 40F , it is same as the blue gauge 34psi pointed at 40F boiling point, the lowest temp u can get at the evaporator. The red gauge is for guidance only, 175 psi around 118F which is the refrigerant condense temp at the condenser and transfer heat away.
Stay Cool Brian
I got my MACS certification two days ago. Can't wait Till you make some 1234yf videos 👍👍
Eventually, Ford has been slow to adopt 1234yf. I just had a 2018 Explorer still R-134A.
@@FordTechMakuloco so far I've only seen them in hybrids Brian
FordTechMakuloco New Fusions use it at least here wt fleet we have mostly hybrids that use 1234yf and POE lubricant. Expeditions i think are now 1234yf New Ford Ecosport as well.
@FordTechMakuloco
The 2017 Escape we have as a company car uses r1234yf. Surprisingly the car only has about 23,000 miles on it and the A/C failed to cool above ambient temps of 83 F or so. Took it to the dealership and they diagnosed "weak compressor", not encouraged with the new systems.
@@watershed44 hey buddy does it have service ports
As always, very educative!
It should be noted that the 2nd generation F250s have the same fixed orifice tube metering system as well...
You do awesome videos and I do one heck of a talented mechanic thanks for all the videos appreciate it
Good video. My 04 fl50 is doing that exactly guess it’s time to get recharged.
Great video - I've got a Ford Five Hundred , and now I have an idea of why my AC is not as potent as it should be. Bought myself some gauges - off to my garage I go...
BTW - ensure that your Compressor Control Valve is not sticking. Had this problem with my car originally. Car had a full charge, but very poor A/C performance. I replaced the valve and it worked 100% better.
Yeah your vehicle is one of the few Fords that have that valve.
Thanks again for another informative video. Sometimes I already know how to do half these thing but just like watching the videos any way 😂 am I the only one
Helpful video even if you don't own a ford.
Thank you so much, that is exactly what I needed if I can connect the Set (I have Pittsburgh A/C Manifold Gauge Set) somehow to see exact reading, what is the current pressure on both sides without starting the car. For some reason no one else explains this part (including instructions). Please can you also tell why there is a Schrader Core on Blue and Red hoses (though on one side but still). On Yellow hose I understand, bcs one side can go into that 2nd hole, which is below the Observation Window, and that hole has a Schrader Valve, so the end w/Schrader Core can depress it. But Red and Blue connect to Manifold or Manifold Couplers, and there are no Schrader Valves there. Manifold coupler also has one Schrader Core with which it will depress the Schrader Valve on the port of Low or High Pressure. In instructions all the hoses are shown with Schrader Core Ends being on the manifold, where there are no Schrader Valves. Thank you again.
Great video, but 1. How to responsibly vacuum and dispose of refrigerant, and 2. A side by side of the gauges for before and after comparison. Thanks.
You should come to Arizona and see the pressures they operate at out here on a hot afternoon start up.
Lol
I've been there working before during the tour across America. My sister lives down there.
Texas is the same. You could practically make a living off of doing quality A/C work here. Not uncommon to see pressures in the low 300s stuck in traffic on a 100+ day.
Great Video, Looking forward to seeing more.
Man I can watch your videos all day long ! Until the wife says “go fix my escape”! 🤣👍
Thanks a lot for making this video. I am seeing the same issue on my car. I think my leak is from the low side Schrader valve. I need to find the tool to replace the valve core that fits the valve in a Volvo. I am not going to recharge knowing that I have a leak. And I think the leak additives are not the way to go.
A lot of times if it takes years for system to lose refrigerant, just add some and call it good. Have a truck with 20yrs on AC never changed a thing. Kinda like an oil seep, some mechs will tear apart the block to save the owner 3 qts of oil.But charge em 1500 bucks to fix the gasket...
can’t the fixed orifice get clogged. How is that replaced. The whole line has to go. Years ago I installed a new system in a 97 Camaro. It had a screen inside to catch crap. It was so full I don’t know how anything got past it. The compressor crapped out and luckily the parts store told me about the other parts to replace. Sold the vehicle 5 years later and it was still ice cold. A Camaro with a 6cylinder has so much room to work. What a pleasure to work on.
Great video thank you! My 04 F250 6.8 V10 AC compressor is short cycling. I ordered a set of gauges and vacuum pump. When I recharge system should I add pag oil or does the r134a have it already ? The sticker says 2lb 10oz r134a and 9oz pag oil. Any help would be great thank you
Just changed out the fan clutch, A/C clutch (just the plate), and idlers on my '05, which helped a lot, but still not where it should be sitting at lights (on a 97 degree day). but now I notice it kicking on and off too fast like that, time for a can of A/C Pro
Thank you, very helpful!!
Yama... hama...its raining cats and dogs out there 🤣😅😂 thanks for the fast, and informative troubleshoot on this.
Great informative video Ford tech
Good information, well presented.
Thanks for your videos.
Thanks for the great video! I'm looking forward to the rest of this video series.
Great job very helpful you made me smarter thank you
Very informative video! Thanks!!
@FordTechMakuloco, I have a 2012 ford fusion with the A/C goes to heat by itself (manual controls). A/C is still on but will not come off heat and man many people are having the same issue. Would love it if you did a diagnostic video on this issue. Peoples fix is to turn the headlights and fog lights on or to turn it all the way cold then back it off two clicks. And this seriously works for some reason would love to know why this is and a true fix for this issue. Ford quoted me 400 for a module update but i have read people have this done and it does not fix the issue. The blend door actuator works fine does the full sweep and stops with no clicks at the end. A/C compressor is running and the lines are cold when it goes to heat by itself. Again would love to see a video on a diagnosis for this fix. love your videos you post and anytime i have a problem with my fords your videos are the first i look for to solve my issues.
explained well ,yester day had45l265h it was 100 out .fot 78 caddy 134a conv.
Thank you so much for the wisdom and insight. If the compressor is cycling on and off do you have to vacuum or are you able to continue to add to it and it will eventually stop?
As always another great video! Thank you!
Great video
Your videos have helped me out with my Nissan Armada, so thank you. Also, we're in the same freakin' town. Small world!!
another great video, knowledgeable and clear, great help!
I personally like the FOT systems better since the compressor does not cycle.... at least on GM's. Our fords have TXVs. All that cycling for years has to wear on the clutch and internals. Our caravan's compressor broke internally so it would freewheel with the clutch on. I've never had a GM compressor break, just the seal wears out.
Liking the videos Brian, keep the videos coming
Hello and thank you for this video very informative and helpful :-)
Great video, as always!!
Thank you.
Thanks for the info I need to check the system on my 2010 f150. The AC does not blow cold untill you get to high way speeds.
Make sure the condenser has good air flow, no debris like bugs, leaves, paper and grass for starters.
Love this channel and other videos have been so helpful for us DIY'ers, but this video doesn't seem aimed for home maintenance but for beginning professionals, as who at home has a vacuum pump set?
The recovery machine has nothing to do with this video. It is literally an example video of what it looks and sounds like when you have a low system charge and then how it looks in that same system with a proper charge, nothing else.
@@FordTechMakuloco 10-4, thanks for follow-up
Many parts stores have vacuum pumps and gauge sets as loaner tools. Unless you decide to get into AC work a lot buying them isn't a great idea.
My sons 2011 Fusion has been blowing cool air, not cold. But enough to keep him from sweating. Maybe it’s low too. It’s been a scorching hot summer here in Chicago.
Could be an issue with the Schrader Valves. There was an issue in 2011 on the ports. It affected LOTS of vehicles, and not just FMC.
Harbor Freight is your friend. Get the manifold set it works well. 2011s probably have dye installed. Look for it with a uv kit. HF also has an electronic leak detector for ~$50. Works great.
I have a 2000 F150 and would do about anything to figure out how to access the condenser coil to clean it out. Low air flow. I don't care about looks if I need to cut through anything to access it. Can't find anything online that actually makes sense, no one knows how to explain or teach details these days. Same goes for the heater core.
Sweet project cars has a video showing how they clean condensers thru the drain line. They include links to all supplies.
Evaporator? The condenser is in front of the radiator. My used 2001 F150 blew almost no air through the evap. Get a couple of cans of foaming AC cleaner. They come with a 2 foot hose to insert into the AC drain hose. Plenum fills with cleaning foam and rinses out when you start it 1/2 hour later. I used 2 cans for good luck. Brought mine back to life.
( Many stores don't even know what you're asking for. Don't buy the AC flush - that's to clean out the system after a mechanical failure, not the evaporator fins) I got my cans at O'Reillys. Also on Amazon.
@@NYCMNYBW01T - Thanks, yes evaporator. I saw a great video on inserting a can of AC cleaner with a tube applicator into the evaporator tube hole all the way up and spray a couple times. But I cannot find this thing on my truck. Only reference online was some guy said it's just barely a nipple and didn't think anything could go inside it because it's so small (he thought was clogged). I saw poorly made videos on cutting out areas inside the cab to cut open to access and clean. Horrible directions.
Yep, that time o'year! Got the neighbor's ('04 maybe?) F-350 with a leaky condenser - he patched it with JB Weld until the new one gets here, lol. Pretty weak condenser on that truck. Looks like a stone took a little chunk out of it. Leak the size of a pin. No sniffer needed - just watch for the fog ...
Also have my dad's 2 year old Frigidaire window unit here - all the refrigerant blew out the corroded condenser - unit is barely over 2 years old from its manufacture date! What a pile of crap! Gotta love 21st Century manufacturing, no matter what line it is ..
I like the big red warning label on the new units explaining that the refrigerant used is explosive and that there is a risk of fire if they leak !! Yeah that's got to be a big selling point "Here put this bomb in the window of your bedroom"
I've been seriously thinking of just rebuilding the 20+ year old 12K wall unit we have rather than buying a new "efficient" unit.
@@Blazer02LS - Yeah, you'd be better off! I couldn't believe they made the condenser so thin, especially with R-410A - it has high side pressures north of 475 PSI !! Then they used the crappiest quality metal they could source. Better off grabbing an old one, and either charging it up with BBQ propane, R-12, or R-22.
Great videos, new subscriber here. Basic AC question here... AC’s are a closed system? So if you have low pressure there must be a leak somewhere? And if you repair anything on an ac system you need to pull a vacuum since the “closed” system was opened? Thanks! Love the videos
My compessor is constantly on so also the fan condenser, however not cold enough.
good video but why no check for leaks ???
This is literally just a diagnostic video to show what it looks and sounds like when your a/c system is low on refrigerant nothing else. This is the new shop truck it has no leaks it was charged with half a pound for this video.
You already know something is leaking just not sure where or how much it leaks. :>)
The system was still holding static pressure and had half a pound of refrigerant in it. Being that this truck is 15 years old and probably on its original factory charge, I can see what he didn't do a long vacuum hold test.
He did totally Evacuate the system and it did show vacuum for quite some time.
Even brand new compressors with minimal use will leak a micro amount at the shaft seal behind the compressor clutch.
When you add 10 to 15 years of age 2 vehicle they will leak a little bit more.
I see Vehicles leaking about a pound of refrigerant after 8 or 10 years of age every 3 or 5 years and they hold great vacuum.
Also to recharge the system versus rebuilding and replacing the system including a new compressor is quite cost-prohibitive when the customer just wants it topped off every 4 or 5 years.
Solid ... what about PAG oil? When to add PAG ?
So is it ABSOLUTELY necessary to completely suck down the system BEFORE recharging??? I've always just added a can when it's low. If we MUST drain the system then I'm SOL in the future. Great vid, tho!
If you fixed the leak and you need to recharge, pull a vacuum before recharging. If its just low on freon, add some
Good video, but I have one question where did the refrigerant go, was there a leak and if not can you explain the loss of refrigerant.
This vehicle was charged with half a pound of refrigerant on purpose for video demonstration purposes only.
Big thanks to all your fantastic educational videos. I have an erractic reading on my high pressure guage. Could that mean the refrigerant control valve needs replacing on the compressor. I have garages here ( in the Philippines) wanting to just replace the whole compressor.
Great vids... how I wish you were also a Dodge Tech too!!
Another Great Video... Thx...
Very good 👍👍
When a vehicle comes in like this with a low charge, do you just recharge it and send it out, or do you perform leak tests and such?
You would be able to tell if there was a leak by the vacuum reading on the recovery machine after you discharge the system.
As a professional auto tech I will say this:
A vehicle with a leak can sometimes hold a vacuum just fine but not pressure (the compressor shaft seal is a good example of this)
also on older vehicles that's it is perfectly normal for some refrigerant leak out over time.
When I get a vehicle in that is simply low on charge I vacuum the system, inject dye, then charge it and the customer to bring it back if it stops working.
But I let it sit in the bay and run for a while and it would be evident pretty quickly if there's a large leak but in this case the dye would leak out with the refrigerant and you would see it!
@@lustfulvengance I was about to say they same thing
As a refrigeration mechanic, I’ll say the same thing. You can’t leak test buy pulling a vacuum
Agree, I'll bet the vacuum pulls any marginal seals and o-rings tight. And pressure may be more than the psi of the vacuum depending on where the leak is.
What is your best guess for vehicles with only low charge that test out with no leaks? Most cars' A/C lines are that half metal half rubber crimped deal, and I'm assuming the refrigerant just diffuses out the rubber part over time. Kinda like the air molecules being smaller than rubber molecules, diffusing out over time through the rubber of a tire.
Yes you are 100% correct! Also the shaft seal on the compressor is not a perfect seal!
If the system has a low charge and it is not because of being charged improperly in the first place then there is definitely a leak most times at a connection or the condenser.
Great Video.. Can I ask you a question. My daughter has a 2017 ford explorer and she just had a new AC compression installed, belt and tensioner . When the car is on and in park the ac works fine( cold) and quite. However when she is driving the car is make a whining noise. do you know what the problem might be. If the ac compressor is bypassed there is no noise. The person that installed it thought maybe he new compressor was bad so he installed a second new one, we still have the problem any ideas? Thank you !
Using my manifold set- I'm recharging through the low Port ONLY- the low Port coupling is obviously open. My question is-your highport coupling is open so this way you can READ the pressure on the manifold gauge... The High valve on the manifold gauge NEEDS to be closed...BUT the coupling on the high side is OPEN for reading on the manifold gauge?
Is that last part correct??
The coupling at the port on the system are turned in to open the shrader valves yes but the knobs on the manifold gauge set are closed so the sides do not mix in any way.
@@FordTechMakuloco ahh haha okay. Was reading about the manifold gauges and how they work... So what's the purpose of the high side besides reading high pressure? What happens if you turn the high side on during the recharge on the high manifold value?
@@FordTechMakuloco just to clarify- all coupling on the vechical are open during recharge?
This is a great series of videos ! This one in paticular got me going on the AC system in my 2006 F150. It was text book low on coolent. I charged it up based on your instructions, cabin air dropped down to 40 F I thought I was set. took it for a ride, 5 minutes down the road the air was back to ambient Temperture. What do think is my next step in troubleshooting?
Thanks for your help
Mike
I'm not certain if Fords install dye at factory assembly of vehicle ac systems. GM does when switching from r12 to r134a. My question depends on dye from factory installation when ac was new. As most everyone knows, loss of refrigerant in vehicle ac systems usually means a leak occurred and not a normal loss of refrigerant over time. If dye was installed then a uv light should be used during initial ac inspection when suspecting loss of ac cooling. My presumptions are that all vehicle ac systems were assembled as sealed units similar to refrigerators and freezers except they're standing in place for years. With vehicle ac systems, soft aluminum parts stress harden after repeated flexing from road shocks eventually leading to stress cracks to leak refrigerant. Salted roads allows aluminum to corrode until thin walled aluminum fails. Even crimped ac hoses give way to leaks. I wonder why no mention of leak detection is ever discussed first when dye will be released anywhere in a system that leaks from loose/damaged fittings or other issues that results in leaks. Dye will mark the area and easily found with a uv light without evacuating and recharging a system only to have a customer return to verify loss of ac cooling.
I don't think any automakers install dye during the build process, but can easily be added anytime. An AC system in a vehicle will slowly lose some refrigerant over years of use due to the way the seals are in the compressor mainly around the driven shaft and will leak out the front of the compressor which is why you'll see oily residue on the front of some compressors over the years the seals on that driven shaft move around during use and cause small amounts of refrigerant and refrigeration oil to escape. R134A's molecular properties are such that it seems to leak easier than the old R12 did, plus your R134a's system runs at much higher pressures and as a result leaks out much easier through the smallest of holes.
Yes Fords come with dye from the factory.
@@FordTechMakuloco Must be certain ones none of mine did.
@@wildbill23c You're partially correct. GM started installing dye into ac systems around 2002. Dye is easier to detect using an inexpensive uv blacklight to illuminate fluorescent dye. It glows in a dark garage or after sunset to allow uv light to enhance leaks on vehicles with factory installed dye. Only a 1/4 oz of dye is needed and certainly adds little cost to manufacturing while making it easier to find a source of leaks otherwise electronic leak detectors are used. As a diyer, I found my first leak in less than five minutes parked at Home Depot early evening. Dye glows greenish yellow for GM vehicles. Since I lost ac cooling, it's a no brainer to use a uv light to find where refrigerant leaked out. my car was already ten years old with reliable ac until wear and tear damage occurred. The easiest way to determine if any vehicle has dye is simply removing one or both service valve caps and look. Dye will leak out service valves along with refrigerant and oil. It will be obvious if dye was factory installed.
@@fdryer5116 None of my GM vehicles ever had dye, and none of my Fords did either. Maybe a dealer add-on option but sure wasn't factory.
Nice job bro 👍 keep up the good work God bless
Great informative video!👍👍👍
I like Homer and Maggie on top of the dash
Bart!
FordTechMakuloco
Missed that lol
your method to replace the air with refrigerant in the gauge lines would be helpful?
Being a professional commercial shop of course I use a recovery machine which is pretty much automated.
I’m interested to see what happens when a vehicle has dual systems. Ford has a FOT in front and a TXV in the rear.
Same
So you don't check for leaks? You don't replace the orifice tube? That sounds like a "Top Off" to me. Sorry if I am missing something but the refrigerant don't just use up. Yes, even a sealed System will lose some refrigerant over the years but I still always check so to not waste refrigerant and end up with a mad customer.
This vehicle was charged with half a pound of refrigerant on purpose for video demonstration purposes only.
@@FordTechMakuloco got ya! I just wanted to make sure I am understanding.
He has other videos where he shows how to check for leaks.