Main IndexAuto Repair Home Search Posts SEARCH
POSTS
Who's Online WHO'S
ONLINE
Log in LOG
IN









Search Auto Parts

Compressor engages, but cold air has stopped all of a sudden


  Email This Post



hisdudeness47
User

Jun 18, 2016, 11:17 AM

Post #1 of 6 (1835 views)
Compressor engages, but cold air has stopped all of a sudden Sign In

Hey there, I have a hot and sweaty issue with my air conditioning all of a sudden on my 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe. I bought this thing used at 110K a few months back and the AC did not work. The compressor clutch did not engage. The previous owner spoke of periods of non-use for the vehicle, so I attributed it to that. Now that it's summer, I just a few weeks back bought a 19 oz SubZero recharge kit, and sure enough, the compressor clutch kicked in while recharging my system and cold, icy air was at my fingertips. I was obviously low on refrigerant. The system was completely empty, however, according to my gauge and the 19 oz bottle did not bring me up to PSI range the instructions told me to be in. However, I was getting cold air so I left it alone and told myself I'd top it off later. This worked well for a few weeks until yesterday when I realized that I wasn't getting cool air anymore. It was just the same as my regular air. However, my compressor clutch still engages. Is this a symptom of me potentially having a leak, or just a symptom of being low enough on refrigerant that the clutch engages, but no cool air blows? Should I just add refrigerant until I'm in the correct PSI range? I don't want to throw money at refrigerant if it's just leaking away and I have a bigger problem to fix. Thanks.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jun 18, 2016, 11:24 AM

Post #2 of 6 (1832 views)
Re: Compressor engages, but cold air has stopped all of a sudden Sign In

You have more problems than you are going to resolve with one of those death kits.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.



hisdudeness47
User

Jun 18, 2016, 11:34 AM

Post #3 of 6 (1827 views)
Re: Compressor engages, but cold air has stopped all of a sudden Sign In

Can you expound on that?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jun 18, 2016, 11:46 AM

Post #4 of 6 (1819 views)
Re: Compressor engages, but cold air has stopped all of a sudden Sign In

AC repair is a lot more complicated than plugging in a ten cent gauge that doesn't even have numbers on it. First off you can't charge a system by pressure, regardless of what they tell you to sell you that junk. Refrigerant has to be weighed and and exact specified charge put into the system after it has been evacuated. Yours seems to have a serious leak that has to be found and repaired before any of that can even be done.

Here's some basics on recharging systems

RECHARGE PROCEDURES



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.



kev2
Veteran
kev2 profile image

Jun 18, 2016, 11:53 AM

Post #5 of 6 (1811 views)
Re: Compressor engages, but cold air has stopped all of a sudden Sign In

Expounding :
First let me say In the trade those DIY AC refill kits are known as 'death kits'.
This issue Sounds like a leak and that must be located and corrected.
Todays systems Ac charging is NOT forgiving, right now status of compressor, refrigerant amount and refrigerant oil are unknown.
The system is first evacuated, observe its ability to Hold a vacuum, then Refrigerant and oil is precisely weighed in during refill, the tech will monitor the HIGH and low pressures AND often must check the vehicle computer as it also monitors controls AC system. The presence of other codes will affect AC commands from computer.


SO why not save money and get a professional assessment trust me it will be less expensive. no longer KISS


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Jun 18, 2016, 12:51 PM

Post #6 of 6 (1801 views)
Re: Compressor engages, but cold air has stopped all of a sudden Sign In

hisdudeness47
Any reader of these posts.
It's hot in many places right now and folks just finding out their A/C isn't working. These "Magic" one can with a gauge things to solve everything are known to the trade as "Death Kits" for a good reason. They can't have a clue what reason your vehicle's A/C isn't operating and most DIYers can't tell if the vehicle is even in a mode to try. Lost before you get started.


I've written some inhumane # of one by one explanations of why this isn't practical at all for even shops in biz never mind some kit at the check out counter.


First move is to understand your own vehicle. Haven't used it in some time and forgot you need to push a button to enable compressor on some that you left off long ago!
Read suggestions in owner's manuals. If any responsible car maker say anything but refer it to professional technicians that even take on A/C it's wrong. OK - know that a fuse alone isn't the problem and end it there.


The quick fix is corrupt and shouldn't be allowed to sell something like that without a lawyer and two witnesses that you both are taking risks or hurting yourself or seriously harming the vehicle!
Read the thread that Hammer Time referred to. It's a locked thread up top in this section as well.


Could say one sentence and end it with that just don't touch anything and find a shop for almost all issues.


It stinks and it's dangerous not to have A/C when warm/hot enough. It's the vehicle's owner's responsibility to know it works before a hot spell not during one like now. Shops will be booked solid to even look at it then a course of action.


At least be safe all the time. Carry water and towels with you at all times in vehicle. Never leave people or pets in a vehicle windows open or not isn't safe.
******************************
Safe first. Know that A/C is not DIY work and who to turn to if a problem is really about the best suggestion I can muster without writing 10,000 more pages of stuff you wont read!


Tom







  Email This Post
 
 


Feed Button




Search for (options) Privacy Sitemap