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Colder AC mod Fail... Think my air conditioning pump is dying now, how can I tell?

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Old 06-07-2011, 02:03 PM
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Colder AC mod Fail... Think my air conditioning pump is dying now, how can I tell?

So I think I just messed up my AC pump the AC pump doesnt seem to want to engage...

I tried that AC charger canister thing (the bottle of 134a+) in an effort to fix/make my ac colder since its been making some wierd noises lately but I think I actually made it worse...

My ac has been making some WIERD noises, and Im not talking about the typical clicking on and off. It will not engage the ac pump unless really low rpm's, and when it does manage to click and actually engage, the car becomes kind of sluggish...

By doing the canister thing, it increased the pressure, but I think its too much pressure or something because it seems the pump is a bit to much load and wont engage...??? maybe the pump is bad???

For about 95% of the time driving, the ac pump clicks as if to engage, then the rpm's blip down a little (at stop lights it almost dies when it tries to engauge, then it almostly instantly disengages it as if because its too much load. When normal driving If I try to turn it on, It sits there clicking trying to engauge the pump about every 3 seconds. Its like "click..hisssssssss..click"

anyone have or know about this problem?
Old 06-07-2011, 09:40 PM
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car AC systems are designed to operate at specific pressures and with the correct levels of refrigerant in the system. so by adding without knowing where your at or anything may screw things up more. i had this scenario in a honda before and its was actually over-pressurization of the system. your best bet is to take it to dealer or to an AC specialist who can evacuate and charge your system from empty and find the REAL problem as for the wierd noises.
Old 06-07-2011, 10:15 PM
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Hmmmm or the short term term budget fix of just letin some out I guess : /
Old 06-07-2011, 11:01 PM
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Yes, sounds like an a/c shop can put gauges on and fix it professionally.

Certainly sounds like the high pressure safety switch is cutting the compressor out - kind of silly to add a can of freon without knowing the system pressures......
Old 06-07-2011, 11:03 PM
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Yeah that makes perfect sense, guess Ill drop the pressure. Well in my defense it was making similar noises before it too just not as bad.

Is there any way to disable the pressure switch?
Old 06-07-2011, 11:56 PM
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Originally Posted by bren5279
Is there any way to disable the pressure switch?
Yes it is easy to do, but if you are running high pressure you will either blow up the compressor or the refrigerant hoses. Trying to save a little money here could cost you big time.
Old 06-08-2011, 12:07 AM
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Yeah guess thats not the best idea. now I just need to figure out the right ac pressure : /
Old 06-08-2011, 12:15 AM
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Hi,
I will have the air conditioner running for a while and then for like a minute it will shoot out straight hot air? It's not the oil and it's not the thermostat. Does anyone know what it might be? Thanks
Old 06-08-2011, 07:22 AM
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Originally Posted by bren5279
Yeah guess thats not the best idea. now I just need to figure out the right ac pressure : /
I posted the RX-8 pressure chart here. https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-tech-garage-22/c-high-side-low-side-psi-readings-217215/ Best way to do it is to remove the entire charge and weigh in new refrigerant.
You will need a full hi/lo guage set to use this chart.
DO NOT use R134A with leak sealant
Old 06-08-2011, 11:29 AM
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+1 on that ^
Old 06-08-2011, 11:33 AM
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Most of the recharge kits i've seen/used have gauges built in. Next time, use one of those.
Old 06-10-2011, 06:50 PM
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Originally Posted by lovelyleo1978
Hi,
I will have the air conditioner running for a while and then for like a minute it will shoot out straight hot air? It's not the oil and it's not the thermostat. Does anyone know what it might be? Thanks

Possibly the compressor!! Major issue. around $1000.oo in shop to fix.
Old 06-10-2011, 07:52 PM
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Yeah I bled some of the pressure out and it seems to be working fine now
Old 06-11-2011, 11:50 AM
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Key

Ok,thanks for getting back to me on that.
Old 06-11-2011, 12:16 PM
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Originally Posted by lovelyleo1978
Hi,
I will have the air conditioner running for a while and then for like a minute it will shoot out straight hot air? It's not the oil and it's not the thermostat. Does anyone know what it might be? Thanks
If it's blowing cold air, then suddenly hot air, then back to cold air, it's not going to be the a/c compressor, it's doing it's job just fine. Even if it disengaged, your air would slowly warm up, and then stay warmer (Not necessarily hot, more like the outside ambient temperature, whatever it is.)

My best guess would be one of the doors that controls all of the air in the ductwork(between recirc. and fresh air, between the condenser or the heater core) is for some reason switching to the heater core, and then back to the condenser. Now, as to why it would be doing that, I don't know.






OP, If your compressor is doing what your's was doing, it's most likely overcharged. If you hear it continually clicking on and off it's undercharged.

The best way to get it charged properly, is to use a set of manifold gauges, but you can go by temperatures of the lines. I'm not gonna get into all of that, because at this point, if it's working fine, I'd rather it be left at that, and just have someone with a set of manifold gauges check it out.
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