Automotive Air Conditioning Information Forum

Hi my name is Thomas I have a 2004 Kia Sorrento that I cannot get to blow cold so far I have replaced the condenser with a built-in dryer because it was leaking it worked for a few days then my compressor stopped turning I replaced the compressor it was very old

I charge the system by jumping the compressor but I never vacuumed it out it worked for about three days and on my way to work I smelled the burning smell when I got to work I got out and check my engine and it look like refrigerant had leaked out and hit my engineI came to the conclusion that that was the cause of the smell

I tried to recharge my system again but the pressure on the low port was not low there was still Freon in it

I thought that maybe the expansion valve goyt stuck so I replaced that and bought a gauge set and vacuum compressor after replacing the expansion valve I vacuumed out the lines and it held the vacuum tried charging it again but the low side pressure raises extremely quick and the high side is extremely low at forty psi

I can't figure out what is wrong I was also wondering since when I bought the condenser it had a built-in dryer if the dryer bag was in there do they usually come with them or do you have to buy it separately any help would be appreciated

Tommydigi wrote: I never vacuumed it out

How can you knowingly do wrong like this and expect good results ???? Do you think all the techs and engineers worldwide who DO evacuate the systems before adding refrigerant are idiots ???

If you're using Harbor Freight gauges there is a very good chance they are not coupling to the car properly and opening shrader the valves so you can read pressure.

Your "troubleshooting" seems to have been very unscientific (example, "compressor didn't turn, so I replaced it". Do you mean it seized up, or just was not engaging?). Before you replace every part of the car you should step back and evaluate the whole system as if someone just brought you the car, so you won't be biased by things you have done before that may or may not have helped.

The compressor seized it was very old and rusty i tried jumping it and it would not engage the clutch so i replaced it. There' was Freon leaking out of my condenser fins so i replaced that . The low side port on my ac was accumulating pressure very fast and the high side was very low so i replaced the expansion valve