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Wood
New User
Jul 26, 2014, 5:35 AM
Post #1 of 9
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I bought a 2006 Range Rover a few years back. It had blown head gaskets and the owner didn't want to pay to repair it. I bought it, repaired it and have been driving it with no issues. Well that was until my a/c stopped blowing cold air. Still blows hard, the compressor clutch kicks in when I turn the a/c on. I know it's a variable displacement system. I had the system recovered and recharged and it was low. The a/c holds 1.58 lbs and it only had .31 lbs.
Reading on the low side was 65, high was 100. This was before and after the recharge so that didn't change and it also didn't blow any cool air.
I want to try to fix it myself but I'm at a loss on where to start diagnosing the problem.
Thank you in advance!
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jul 26, 2014, 5:59 AM
Post #2 of 9
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Re: 2006 Range Rover
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Sounds like the compressor took a dump. It likely sent all the debris into the condenser so you are likely changing the compressor, condenser, dryer and possibly expansion if the junk got that far.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jul 26, 2014, 6:04 AM
Post #3 of 9
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Re: 2006 Range Rover
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Who did the head gasket job and did that require or just easier to evacuate A/C to do that? You know it was low but worked and quit as it would that low. When were those pressures recorded? Right after a known charge weight? If so I'd say blown compressor and debris field downstream but not clogged solid. That or leak is fast and surprised it held a vacuum for the attempt to charge in proper weight but might have.
Think hard on DIYing A/C as mistakes make for more troubles than you started with so often and prices will be scary for a proper fix if it threw debris from a running unlubed compressor which it MAY have done. Reason is usually (and too bad systems don't shut down early enough) is that lube oil for compressor doesn't flow along by the time it quits blowing cold air if from lack of refrigerant.
It's not fair. I suggest get it properly diagnosed by a pro and a quote and decide if you want to take it on or not from there,
T
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jul 26, 2014, 6:09 AM
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Re: 2006 Range Rover
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Condenser bad now? By description it must be. High efficiency condensers do not flush out well or at all. This is the unfortunate problem with blown compressors and HE components as well,
T
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Wood
New User
Jul 26, 2014, 6:12 AM
Post #6 of 9
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Re: 2006 Range Rover
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Tom, I did the head gasket job myself. The AC didn't stop blowing cold until well after I fixed the HGs.
The reading on the high and low pressure side were done before and after I had it evacuated and recharged. The readings were the same both times.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jul 26, 2014, 7:21 AM
Post #7 of 9
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Re: 2006 Range Rover
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Pressures before and after recharge that was that low IF IT HELD A CHARGE LONG ENOUGH FOR YOU TO CHECK or was that right then and there with the charge?
65L/100H for pressures is not cooling just by showing that but compressor is changing 65 to 100 which it probably would flailing with plain air in it. Never allow air when at all possible to A/C as it doesn't compress and has moisture - total troubles.
You asked how to tell if condenser is screwed now and you really can't with those pressures. A slight chance if high pressure was a good bit higher that you could infrared thermo it and find spots or a whole area not consistent but high efficiency is not a straight line tube more like a maze of flow and or such thin passages they just don't flush out so new is the only answer.
Where you get in trouble is if you just toss a compressor in and see junk dumping oil out of it perhaps you know it's junk and if that isn't all out the job will fail quickly again. Even bad luck with a compressor starts this all over again.
Right now if it engages still it's probably making noise not normal but might not - can't say way too much for absolute certain.
They rent (free for full deposit) vacuum pumps and some stuff but not electronic sniffers for CFCs which would help about now along with you might just see new oily spots or a drip even on anything that holds refrigerant. Look behind compressor's clutch for oil and connection all over.
There's a drain for water (called condensate) that if that has oil in it is bad news for the evaporator! No data for this but can imagine a very time consuming job if that's the leak. It was that low so unless stolen (inside joke) it leaked. Where is the question now and what to do about it.
Back to when you had it recharged. If it held a vacuum for any reasonable time it likely would have blown cold at least for a short while if all was well.
You can get an idea of how much is in it now by taking just a static pressure. Just like checking tire pressure with system off, check the pressure (cold engine best) and note ambient temp should be quite close in PSI and temp in Fahrenheit.
If that # is even 10% lower than the temperature it has almost nothing in the system now. It would only take a couple ounces or so to show pressure so not telling you it's full just that it didn't leak out like a wild hole or leak. IDK what failsafes each model of everything made has but many don't shut down allowing compressor to engage early enough and that exaserbates the fix and expense. Such is why fixing a blown compressor if found to be and likely IMO only get costly if not just labor the parts on this must be nasty too.
Problem may not just be hardware for refrigerant holding items but electrical that it isn't shutting down now but has enough pressure to think it should try but should then show such a low, low side pressure it would quit to save itself. Many don't as said earlier.
Soooooo, diagnosing exactly what to do and do it right with the quality of parts is key. Why this happened is anyone's guess so far,
T
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jul 26, 2014, 8:26 AM
Post #8 of 9
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Re: 2006 Range Rover
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No, there is no accurate way to determine if the condenser is clogged but when the compressor fails this way, it's pretty much automatic that the condenser is at least partially clogged and if the condenser is not at 100% it will destroy your new compressor is short order and won't cool as well either.
You will probably have other issues too when you get it all together that would have been the cause of the original compressor failure. If you don't find that, you are doomed for it to happen again. This is why A/C repair is not a DIY type repair. You are sure to miss very important observations.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jul 26, 2014, 9:08 AM
Post #9 of 9
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Re: 2006 Range Rover
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No here to discourage just warn of the risks of failure.
#1 WARNING: Do not fall for any fix-it in a can thing I still see out there or sealers of any kind.
If you are seriously motivated yes you could but ask yourself is it worth it for you for the time to learn what and how plus have all equipment at the ready just for the final charge. Lots to know.
Here's a locked thread here in this section for just CHARGING a system that is ready and thought for just the charging all fixed and ready to charge. It's a bit long and still missing tons of details. As concise as much you can read about just this part.
http://autoforums.carjunky.com/..._A/C_SYSTEMS_P45460/
IMO your head gasket job took far less know how than comprehensively understanding what a mobile A/C system needs to operate properly and last,
T
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