Blow off from high side A/C service port

[yorxs]

Just made a run from Laughlin to Phoenix and back. The A/C was great until I got home and it starting blow hot.

I replaced the compressor, accumulator and orifice. When charging the system, I get blow off from the high side service port.

Here is what I have done. When I opened the system, I found significant pressure. Usually when I loose a compressor, there is not. The orifice was very clogged with black sludge.

Put 4oz of oil in the compressor and vacuumed for 30mins, and let hold for 30 mins.

Any ideas on why I am getting blow off on the high side?

 

[97RangerXLT]

your new orifice tube is clogged with black sludge.

basically when your compressor went, (and while it was still running as well...) it sent all that black sludge throughout the a/c system. so now that you put in a new compressor, new orifice tube, and new accumulator, you still have that sludge in the condensor, evaporator and lines.

This sludge will kill your new compressor as well. You will need to take the system apart, clean all of the lines (might even be cheaper to replace them) definitely replace the accumulator and orifice tube again, and take the compressor apart and clean it out realy good. also flush the evap core and condensor core. if you have a condensor that runs the lines in an "S" and not in a ladder configuratation, a good flushing is all that you will need, but make sure you use a good flush material. (not cheap). If you have the ladder configuration evap or condenser, after you flush it, put a filter on the high side lines to trap any sludge that the flush did not get. Hell I would put a filter on it anyways.

Good luck!

AJ

 

[97RangerXLT]

For what it's worth, my ranger is doing the same as your Ranger is. I have all of the parts to fix it, bu thave not had the time to do so. gonna do a complete rebuild of my A/C soon... maybe even next weekend If I can get free from the wife.

Another thing to make sure you are doing is to pull a vacuum on the system when you get it all back together. make sure you run the vacuum pump for at least an hour and then unhook it and make sure that the system will hold that vacuum for at least an hour, if you can let it hold longer, that would be better.

AJ

 

[kimcrwbr1]

The first thing is to get a set of guages and see what it is doing. You should never leave a system in a deep vacuum without the vacuum pump going. You may have pulled in some air=moisture? See what the pressures are doing. Did you blow both coils out good before you put the new parts in. If you find a restriction break it back open and get a bottle of nitrogen with a regulator and blow both coils both ways good with nitrogen. You may need a high pressure relief if it popped on you it is normally a one time deal? Refrigerant is pressure temperature relevant find a chart or use a set of guages for that refrigerant. With the system off measure the liquid temp and look at your guage set and see if it is the same as the pressure on the guage if you are off a few degrees then there is contaminates in the refrigerant such as nitrogen or oxygen. If that is the case you need to evacuate the system again and add fresh juice. The longer you have a system open the more moisture it pulls in. I allways put tape over the end of fittings until ready to fit. You cannot evacuate a system too long water will mix in with the oil so just leave it overnight with the vacuum pump going then do not waste any time adding the refrigerant. GL

 

[97RangerXLT]

Kimcrwbr has some very good points.

any moisture in the system when you fill it will cause all sorts of problems down the road. that is why the accumulator and dryer is in there, but as s mentioned, do not open any components to the air until you are ready to put everything together. pulling the vacuum not only gets air out of the system, it will get moisture out as well. If you can pull the vacuum overnight, do so. And I forgot to mention (thanks Kimcrwbr for reminding) that do all of your vacuum/ filling with refrigerant with a good set of manifold gauges, they will let you know what is going on. once you have pulled the vacuum, I turn off the vacuum port on the manifold gauge set and turn off the vacuum pump. letting it sit for a while without the vacuum running will tell you if you are leaking before you put refrigerant in it. if you are not holding the vacuum, then you need to track down the leak. much easier to do before you fill it.

AJ

 

[yorxs]

Brainstormed with the guy at the A/C shop. While possible the evaporator is clogged its not probable as the orifice is usually is enough protection. However he feels there is a good chance the condensor got clogged and feels flushing probably won't work due to the small size of the passages.

He recomended replacing the high pressure port before replacing the condensor. He doubts the hoses need replacing.

I'll follow up when I get to the next step.

 

[yorxs]

I got the system up and running and blowing nice and cold! This is saying a lot since its 106 degrees right now.

Turns out the high side fitting did fail. Once replaced it took the whole 1.5lbs of 134a.

Thanks everyone for your input, I hope someone else finds this information helpfull.

Justin

 

[97RangerXLT]

cool! (literally )

Glad you got it going, and thanks for sharing the fix with us.

AJ