Automotive Air Conditioning Information Forum

I've cleaned the condenser twice now with simple green and feel confident that its clean.


Tested temps and pressures again today

Current ambient temp is 97

At idle:
Low 65psi
High 325psi
Vent temp 72

At 1800 rpm while parked
Low 75 psi
High 425psi
Vent 62


Since the system being over charged is a distinct possibility. How should I proceed for am accurate diagnosis?

Fhlferg wrote:Since the system being over charged is a distinct possibility. How should I proceed for am accurate diagnosis?

Sounds overcharged or air in the system. Have a shop pull out the refrigerant and weigh it, and then the shop can add the correct amount for this vehicle.

Ok, so i had the system evacuated and recharged with 42oz of r134a.

Additionally, i decided to clean up the impact marks on the condensor and straighten the fins. There was quite a bit more of it than i originally thought. There was also still quite a bit of dirt and tiny rocks in it, so after straightening i cleaned ut a third and fourth time with undiluted simple green and rinsed thoroughly.

Here is the before and after photo....
https://photos.app.goo.gl/mJbbakaVwCVcU1Lx1

There is still an area behind the bumper where it gets air that is still pretty beat up. I did what i could with it there, but there's an area about 4" x 8" that was pretty well beyond straightening. What i was able to fix there was definitely an improvement, just not as good as the upper 3/4's of the unit in the picture.

After straightening, cleaning and recharhing there is certainly an inprovement, but still not as good as I would expect.

Here is the data after all of that:
88 ambient temp

At idle
Low 43psi
High 220psi
Vent temp when set to ac is 65 deg
Vent temp when set to max ac is 54 deg

When driving now, it colder than it has been when sitting at the red light but still not super cold. And there's a definite temp drop when moving down the road, but again, it won't come close to freezing you out our anything.

What should I look at now?

Fhlferg wrote:Here is the data after all of that:
88 ambient temp

At idle
Low 43psi
High 220psi
What should I look at now?

Post the pressures at about 1800 rpm after a couple of minutes at that rpm. Pressures at idle don't tell a ton.