'01 Ranger A/C problems

Greetings:

Vehicle is a '01 Ranger V-6 3.0, XLT extended cab with about 82K on it.

I think I did something wrong! I tried to re-charge the A/C with a store bought system which came with a guage, hose, etc. Before I hooked up the new can, I released the pressure in the system, perhaps foolishly(?), but nonetheless, I did it thinking that the old stuff should come out to "make room" for the new stuff. (I depressed the large Schrader valve where the re-fill hose goes). I then followed the directions, started the motor, turned the A/C on high and attempted to re-charge it. Problem is, the compressor never went on, as it always did prior to my release of pressure in the system. I'm now reluctant to try to fill it since the compressor isn't (or doesn't appear to be) running. Did I do something expensive? I'm no mechanic, but hell, I thought something as simple as this would be, well...simple. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Reply to
JF
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You need a set of gauges and a vacuum pump. I bought both at a good price off of E-Bay. Then you can charge the A/C properly.

Reply to
75yrs.experience

You need to take the truck to the professionals at the AC shop. The AC system has a High Pressure and Low Pressure switch (these can be the same physical switch) to keep the system from operating when the pressure in it is too high or too low. Both of these conditions is fatal, so the system has a failsafe that prevents it from operating in conditions that will destroy it. You let the pressure out, so the system is protecting itself from you.

The _next_ time you want to work ont he AC, you should read the can first.

1.) if the system does not have room for more of whatever is in the can, then you don't need any of whatever is in the can. 2.) if the system needs some of what is in the can, there is already room for it, that is the definition of needing some of whatever is in the can. 3.) the directions on the can that has whatever is in it tells you how to use it. Clearly you did not follow the directions because they do not tell you to evacuate whatever is in the system so you can put whatever is in the can into the system.

When you buy cans of whatever the cans hold, there are only two things you can do wrong -- evacuate all of whatever is in the system so you can fit whatever is in the car into the system, and push too much of whatever is in the can into the system on top of whatever the system already has in it.

The guage that comes with the can of whatever is in the can is supposed to keep you from doing either of thest two things, that's why they give you the guage.

You should have connected the guage to the schrader valve, then started the engine and turned the AC on high. The guage would have told you if the system was charged sufficiently, or if it needed a can of whatever the can holds.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

Charging the AC properly means waaaaay more than having a high pressure and a low pressure guage from eBay.

Frankly, the cans of R134a that have the guage for the Low Pressure Side is sufficient to recharge a system that is charged properly, but is merely low on refridgerant. If your car is not blowing as cold as you might wish, then the Low Pressure Guage is enough to tell you if you can fix the system by adding a can of R134a.

If the system is DOA, then you cannot do enough at home, even with the guages you bought off of eBay, to make it work.

And, if one has the aptitude to use the guages from eBay, and get the system charged right, then one is not apt to allow whatever is in the system to escape in to the atmosphere on purpose, AND THEN scratch his head about why the clutch does not cycle anymore.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

After using the services of three different shops, with dismal results I decided to take care of my own problems. The A/C quit blowing cold after

30 days. None of the three shops kept my A/C running for more than 30 days.

So, being retired with lots of spare time, I took it on myself to fix my A/C. I bought the gauges and a vacuum pump from E-Bay for under $75.00 (after spending over $1500.00 with the three A/C shops). I bought 3 cans of freon recharged the A/C. It has been running ice cold for over 6 months so far.

And the problem was so obvious. Dirt in the valve on the low side let the A/C system lose the freon.

Reply to
75yrs.experience

Sure. You can fix it. Maybe I can fix it. But the OP released the freon to the atmosphere, and then wondered why the Low Pressure Switch was doing its job.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

No freon, No vacuum, the system shut down.

Reply to
75yrs.experience

"75yrs.experience" on Tue, 27 Sep 2011

20:51:22 -0400 typed in alt.trucks.ford the following:

Good point.

Thanks for the advice. My A/C decided it didn't want to get "cold". Of course, now that 'winter' has arrived, that is not a problem.

tschus pyotr

Reply to
pyotr filipivich

On Tue, 27 Sep 2011 17:02:18 -0700, Jeff Strickland rearranged some electrons to say:

Doesn't anyone know how to spell gauge?

Reply to
david

You know that, and I know that. The OP, on the other hand, does not know that.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

Guage, gauge. What's a keystroke among friends?

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

Well after being duly beat up here I went out to check it again. Put the gauge on, pressure still read "low", of course. Followed directions on can and miracle of miracles, it's all good. It appears to have filled, the compressor kicked in and I now have cold air blowing from all vents. Just in time for our Indian Summer!

Reply to
JF

Cool, no pun intended.

The lesson here is that when the system functions but needs to be charged, all you do is connect the gauge and see if the pressure is low. If yes, then by definition there is room for more of whatever they put in the can. You do not need to make the effort to release more from the system, all you do is push more in.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

"Jeff Strickland" on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 08:31:36

-0700 typed in alt.trucks.ford the following:

He knows it _now_.

pyotr

Reply to
pyotr filipivich

JF on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 09:48:02 -0700 (PDT) typed in alt.trucks.ford the following:

Let the rejoicing begin.

In other words - yeah team.

Reply to
pyotr filipivich

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