Air Conditioning

[grlnbear04]

I have 2000 ranger 3.0 and I'm having ac trouble. The system blows cool air and thats it. I hooked a pressure gauge up to the ac unit and it reads high pressure and when the compressor kicks on the pressure goes really low. Does this mean that the system needs charged or is there some other issue?

 

[MichaelPaladin]

A little more information would be helpful.

Whats the temp of the air from the vents?

Is the gage your using one of the cheap ones that come on the R-134a cans, or one with an actual pressure reading?

 

[grlnbear04]

I'm not sure of the temp coming out, but it's not cold. On warmer days it doesn't even get cool. I put an actual gauge on it and it was reading 75 to 80 psi.

 

[McCormack]

Last year my 2000 Ranger's AC was blowing warm air, so I added some r134a refrigerant and it's been working ever since.

If it were me I would get a can of refrigerant and a refill kit, stick a thermometer in one of your AC outlet ducts inside the cab, warm your engine up and then start adding the refrigerant while keeping an eye on the thermometer (keep your doors open so the compressor doesn't cycle on and off). If the thermometer doesn't start going down then your compressor or something is probably on the fritz and you should stop adding the refrigerant.
If the temperature on the thermometer starts falling then keep adding refrigerant until the thermometer temperature stops falling, then stop adding the refrigerant and you're done.
If the thermometer keeps dropping in temperature and the can of refrigerant runs out, then get a second can going and keep adding until the temperature on the thermometer quits falling.

 

[grlnbear04]

So you don't think that the high pressure is a problem?

 

[locovaca]

I'm not sure of the temp coming out, but it's not cold. On warmer days it doesn't even get cool. I put an actual gauge on it and it was reading 75 to 80 psi.

Is this the low pressure side or high pressure side? You really should be taking readings on both sides and comparing.

 

[MichaelPaladin]

yea 75-80 psi converts to about 72-75 degress.

Is that the pressure its at when the vehicle is off? if so it might be low on refrigerant.

If that is the pressure its at while the vehicle and A/C are running then its overcharged and some needs to be taken out.