2011 Fusion low side low, high side high, short cycle

[tony1963]

Whenever someone disagrees with your perspective, you label it "bad advice" and use words like "hack". I, for one, don't do things like that.

The OP has a few perspectives here, one which will cost a lot of cash to deal with, another very few dollars. As I clearly stated, if the few ounces are gone in a short time, then it is time to reopen your investigation.

While you might refer to me as "the bad advice fairy", I could certainly think of a few terms to describe your behavior on this board.

[bohica2xo]

That's because you are a hack, Tony. Your methods are the same every used car dealer uses to move something down the road.

Expensive?

A black light bulb is $10 at home depot today, or $6 on Amazon in a couple of days.

A 12 year old car with 150,000 miles on it has been driven a mere 12,500 per year. In that time it probably has a little oil and road grime on all of the underhood surfaces.

However the only oil with dye in it is the refrigeration system. If it has developed a leak of any size recently, that will be visible with the light.

Addressing any leak requires recovery anyway. Best to decide if it has developed one first.

Your suggestion to go after every oily connection with a package of O rings will mean a lot of labor on a Fusion. And might not fix the problem anyway.

1) Look for leaks with the simple tool first. Don't forget the shaft seal on the compressor.

2) Recover the refrigerant.

3) Fix any leaks you have identified.

4) Evacuate and check for leaks. Recharge by weight.

[tony1963]

Actually, I sold the dealership in 2019 and moved to Sunny Florida in an exclusive community. During my time at the dealership, we never patched anything and never shortcut any repairs. To suggest otherwise is defamatory as you have no evidence.

On the repair side of the world, we did have strict policies on AC work. If the system had a detectible, we wouldn't add refrigerant just to get it to "blow cold". We replaced evaporator cores left and right on many mid 90s era vehicles. If the system needed work, that work had to be done before any refrigerant would be added.

When I sold the dealership our standard labor rate was $165/hr and we added a 20% surcharge for any vehicle that came from a rusty climate. Being in Alabama most of the vehicles were clean and easy to service. Had this customer came to our dealership, our service manager, after hearing the story, would have recommended adding a few ounces of refrigerant had no leaks been detected. No, we wouldn't have recovered the system and ran up a $600 invoice when our professional judgement would not have supported that as "mechanical necessity".

I will not sit quietly as you describe my 20-year ownership as being a "hack". Maybe you forgot that I retired the first time at the ripe old age of 34 in 1998 after being handsomely paid for my healthcare financial turnarounds. I then took my cash, not 10 cents of debt, but MY CASH and opened a dealership.

I would have to characterize you as a bitter old man, mad at the world. Let the OP decide his or her course of action.

ES

[Tim]

During my time at the dealership, we never patched anything and never shortcut any repairs. To suggest otherwise is defamatory as you have no evidence.

Just like politics, everyone has an opinion. I would never recommend a rebuilt compressor on every job. I would call that a shortcut. A rebuild should only be used when no other option is available!

[aribert]

In your first post you note pressures over 300 psi on the high side. But on the full load test you got 270 psi. Has anything been changed between those tests?

After the most recent drive and gage check, the high side started of at 255 and climbed to 300 over 10 minutes (while low side dropped from 20 to 17 psi in those same 10 minutes). Engine compartment was hot soaked from driving (same as the first check at the start of this thread). Before restarting the engine for the gage check, the static pressure was 110 psi, the temp of the condenser inlet/exit tubes was 90 F. The previous (second) gage check the car came out of the garage at ambient prior to beginning the gage check, the static press prior to starting was 84 psi.

At 150k miles without service, and a slightly low evaporator pressure my first move would be to recover the system and weigh the remaining charge.

All systems leak. A tiny amount of refrigerant loss over 12 years and 150k miles is to be expected. Being just slightly undercharged is pushing your low side down, and causing the short cycling.

I would not open the system. Those cars have block type expansion valves that have proven to be very reliable. That car should have some dye in the system from the factory. Go over the system in the dark with a blacklight. I prefer a 110v blacklight in my droplight - as many watts as you can buy at the big box store.

I have an incandescent black light (only 60w, bought a a party supply store back in the day, not certain how "good" it is) and have not seen any signs of a leak.

[tony1963]

You likely do not have a "leak" other than very small amounts over time. Yes, all systems leak.

At this point, do what you believe is best. I would lay a bet that you won't find anything with the black light anyway. In my shop, we used an electronic leak detector as well as looking for evidence of a fresh oily residue. No, we didn't use dye.

Seemed to do just fine over a 20-year history.

[bohica2xo]

Aribert:

Those old incandescent bulbs are just fine. They spew a broad range of UV light, and have plenty of power.

Looks like normal attrition, with no recent larger leak. Recover the system and recharge it to the proper weight. The system is tiny, only holds about 22 ounces as I recall.

[tony1963]

Yes, the OP has a few perspectives now and can choose as they see fit.

Best wishes and hope it all goes well.

[aribert]

Yes, the OP has a few perspectives now and can choose as they see fit.

Best wishes and hope it all goes well.

Thank you all!