Automotive Air Conditioning Information Forum

Here is an update with the gauge knobs closed. System running. High side 90

Now the low side showed a vacuum of 22.

As always thanks in advance for your answers.

You need to take it someplace & have it recovered. See how much charge is in it.

You need to find a wiring diagram, and find out why it allows the low side to run in vacuum.

You need to pull the expansion device out & find out WHY it is blocked.

Nothing appears to be wrong with the compressor, but keep running it that way & there will be.

Just thought I’d post a final report on this. Had it finished at a local shop. Here’s what was found. Blocked expansion valve. Dryer had the desiccant loose inside which is what plugged the expansion valve. You could here it rattle. Also a leaky oring on the condensor. New valve, dryer and recharge and seems to be just fine.
Thanks all for your input.

I had that happen to me once many years ago, very similar to your situation. In the car I was working on, the dessicant bag had ruptured inside the receiver dryer and sent the loose beads down the high-pressure line to the expansion valve, plugging it and the line. Glad you finally found and fixed the problem.

chvet73 wrote:Just thought I’d post a final report on this. Had it finished at a local shop. Here’s what was found. Blocked expansion valve. Dryer had the desiccant loose inside which is what plugged the expansion valve. You could here it rattle. Also a leaky oring on the condensor. New valve, dryer and recharge and seems to be just fine. Thanks all for your input.

Sounds like the shop knew its stuff. I hate taking in a vehicle to the mechanic's shop for any reason (I use an independent ASE mechanic when I do), but sometimes their experience and better equipment can help a lot.

Yep.

Plugged TXV as predicted.

Glad you got it fixed.

Thanks again for the help. I hate to pay someone too but since I have no ability to discharge a system, I decided to do it the right way. If it was empty I would of gone into it. They had to match an expansion valve as the original was not available. They are an old fashioned a/c and radiator shop. I’ve had them rebuild radiators before. So I knew they were honest. The last place near me that can rod out a radiator.

Nice diagnosis, bohica2xo. You nailed it earlier in the thread