A few air-con foibles - '99 Hoe

[machojared]

Howdy - I've got a few problems with my air-con.

What prompted me to try the fight to get it working was 2drhoeon4s' excellent guide on how to get the coils cleaned. Cleaning the coils certainly helped save me money on a new blower (bang on blower to get going), but I then realized that I had pretty much no Freon - compressor wouldn't start.

Filled up with a 22 oz can, got compressor going, and I'm still not getting ice-cold. Pressure gauge is reading a solid 55 PSI, but that's partially because I filled up in 93° heat. I don't think I should add more Freon, but something's telling me that maybe my evap coils need to be cleaned. Also, rear air is blowing slightly cooler than front.

Y'all's thoughts/considerations?

 

[SunlitComet]

can you get pressure readings of both sides plus corresponding environmental temp/humidity?

 

[machojared]

Compressor didn't start this morning, which seems to me like I've got a horrible a/c leak. Don't have the tools necessary to check high pressure side.

When I filled yesterday, it was 93° with 70% humidity. Pressure on low side before was nonexistent, and pressure afterward was 55.

Today, I just performed a check of pressure (compressor won't engage) at 91° and 75% humidity. I'm sitting solid at 25 psi right now on low side. Also, when I was checking the pressure, I heard a hissing, evident when the truck is off. It's coming from a collar around the compressor itself, right under the pressure valves.

 

[SunlitComet]

a seal must have popped then.

 

[Tbruz]

The AC compressor on our trucks is a notorious "belly leaker" the middle seal blows out and the Freon follows.

If you can swing the $$, your absolute best bet over the long term is to replace it with a new one ACDelco 15-22124 around $210 to your door from Ebay or Amazon.
Tbruz

 

[machojared]

Tbruz, that's probably what I'm gonna do when I can swing the expense. Along with a good evac, leak test, and recharge. But this damned Texas heat is starting to really get to me...