Basically, my A/C won't stay engaged for longer than 1 second or so. It has freon, and it does engage, but doesn't stay engaged. When I turn the A/C on it engages for about a second, then disengages, and then re-engages a second later for another second, and continues this cycle.

I can tell that the A/C does work when engaged as the air get's a little bit colder, but it doesn't get cold enough to justify using it, as it's better to open the windows...

Any ideas?


Everything in the car runs fine except for the A/C and the windshield wipers (which sometimes will get stuck in the 'on' position, regardless of where the switch is. I also think I need a new battery, but that shouldn't affect the A/C like that should it?

 

i have found that the a/c symptom you are describing usually indicates low pressure. Try adding more refrigerant.
the battery has nothing to do with that. Just that the compressor kicks on and off.

 

JamesC

 

Yep, just low of refrigerant. Very low. Put an 18 oz can in and it reads ~30 psi now... Weird cuz I just put a 10 oz can in a couple weeks ago. Either it was really really empty, or it has a leak...

I guess I'll check it for leaks later...

 

Not to bogart this thread.. but mines doing the same thing.. and adding doesn't seem to help. I think mine might have a blockage. I don't know when the last time it ran was...


It kicks in at 45 and drops down to 20 and stops. The compressor didn't start to kick in until I got the pressure up to 45 PSI (Which the gauge says 80 degrees, which is what it is about outside). Every so often it breaks cadence and the gauge will get up into the red, 60, 70, 80 PSI, then it kicks in and is doing the 45-20 sweep again. Nothing appears to be frosting up and if it is blowing cooler in the cabin, it's not enough to notice..

 

VMX12Rider, it does sound like you have a blockage. Get yourself a new accumulator, orfice tube and while your at it get some new o-rings. You might as well have it all vacuumed out, put on new o-rings and convert the thing. I just did the same thing in my 92 Z28 and it blows nice and cold. I have not put a temp gauge on it but it does the job. Good luck.

 

I know this is an old thread but I can't figure out how to post my own so here we go. I'm having the same problem these other people except I'm not sure if I should add any refrigerant because the temp on the gauge reads 100+. So I guess my question is is it still OK to put the fluid in it is there another issue going on

 

If the compressor cycles, it's low of refrigerant.

Pretty much end of story.

Put some refrigerant in it.

 

So should I not worry about how high it is? It won't blow up on me or anything will it?

 

Most likely, not. Possible of course; just, not ... likely. Kinda like the space aliens landing in my front yard this afternoon and picking me up and taking me back home. Possible, but not likely.

When is this "100+" reading? Where was it taken from?

 

It's the gauge I got with the fluid. I even checked my truck to compare
and it reads around 45-50.

 

When is this "100+" reading occurring? What else is going on at the moment?" (compressor running, or not, for example) Where was it taken from?

 

You sure you are on the low side and not the high side?

 

I took the reading with the car on and the a/c on full blast. The compressor cycles on and off every few seconds. The a/c blows cold every once in a while, like it will be cold then will start blowing warm. It seems to blow cold more when we slow down for a light or when we start to go again but will soon start blowing warm.

 

To start a new thread, go to the section page that shows all the threads and click on the "New Thread" button.

Hope this helps.



OK....