Post by HardRocker on Nov 25, 2008 9:33:09 GMT -5
How to Fix Cars Air Conditioning
Have you been sweltering in your car because of a broken air conditioner? Here's a short guide to how air
conditioning (AC) works, why it might not work, and what you can do about it.
Steps
Realize that auto AC is basically a refrigerator in a weird layout. It's designed to move heat from one place
(the inside of your car) to some other place (the outdoors). While a complete discussion of every specific
model and component is well outside the scope of this article, this should give you a start on figuring out
what the problem might be and either fixing it yourself or talking intelligently to someone you can pay to fix
it.
1.
Become familiar with the five major components to auto air conditioning:
the compressor, which compresses the refrigerant in the system (on modern cars, usually a substance
called R-134a)
the refrigerant, which carries the heat
the condenser, which changes the phase of the refrigerant and expels heat removed from the car
the expansion valve, which isn't really a valve at all but more like a nozzle and functions to
similtaneously drop the pressure of the refrigerant liquid, meter its flow and atomize it
the dryer/evaporator, which transfers heat to the refrigerant from the air blown across it, cooling your
car
2.
Understand the air conditioning process: The compressor puts the refrigerant under pressure and sends it to
the condensing coils. In your car, these coils are generally in front of the radiator. Compressing a gas makes it
quite hot. In the condenser, this added heat and the heat the refrigerant picked up in the evaporator is expelled
to the air flowing across it from outside the car. When the refrigerant is cooled to its saturation temperature, it
will change phase from a gas back into a liquid (this gives of a bundle of heat known as the "latent heat of
vaporization"). The liquid then passes through the expansion valve to the evaporator, the coils inside of your
car, where it loses pressure that was added to it in the compressor. This causes some of the liquid to change to
a low-pressure gas as it cools the remaining liquid. This two-phase mixture enters the evaporator, and the
liquid portion of the refrigerant absorbs the heat from the air across the coil and evaporates. Your car's blower
circulates air across the cold evaporator and into the interior. The refrigerant goes back through the cycle again and again.
Check to see if all the R-134a leaks out (meaning there's nothing in the loop to carry away heat). Leaks are
easy to spot but not easy to fix without pulling things apart. Most auto-supply stores carry a fluorescent dye
that can be added to the system to check for leaks, and it will have instructions for use on the can. If there's a
bad enough leak, the system will have no pressure in it at all. Find one of the valve-stem-looking things and
CAREFULLY (eye protection recommended) poke a pen in there to try to valve off pressure, and if there IS
none, that's the problem.
4.
Make sure the compressor is turning. Start the car, turn on the AC and look under the hood. The AC
compressor is generally a pumplike thing off to one side with large rubber and steel hoses going to it. It will
not have a filler cap on it, but will often have one or two things that look like the valve stems on a bike tire.
The pulley on the front of the compressor exists as an outer pulley and an inner hub which turns when an
electric clutch is engaged. If the AC is on and the blower is on, but the center of the pulley is not turning, then
the compressor's clutch is not engaging. This could be a bad fuse, a wiring problem, a broken AC switch in
your dash, or the system could be low on refrigerant (most systems have a low-pressure safety cutout that will
disable the compressor if there isn't enough refrigerant in the system).
5.
Look for other things that can go wrong: bad switches, bad fuses, broken wires, broken fan belt (preventing
the pump from turning), or seal failure inside the compressor.
6.
Feel for any cooling at all. If the system cools, but not much, it could just be low pressure, and you can top up
the refrigerant. Most auto-supply stores will have a kit to refill a system, and it will come with instructions.
Do not overfill!
7.
Tips
If you suspect bad wiring, most compressors have a wire leading to the electric clutch. Find the connector in
the middle of that wire, and unplug it. Take a length of wire and run it from the compressor's wire to the plus
(+) side of your battery. If you hear a loud CLACK, the electric clutch is fine and you should check the car's
wiring and fuses. If you get nothing, the electric clutch is bad and the compressor will have to be replaced.
Ideally, if you can do this test while the car is running, you can see if the hub spins. Take care to keep fingers
and loose clothes away from moving pulleys and belts. That would rule out a clutch that actuates properly but
then slips so badly it won't generate pressure.
If your system is empty and you're refilling it, and have access to a small vacuum pump (like what they'd use
in a lab or shop), it's best to suck all the air out of the system before filling it. Air contains moisture, and
moisture is bad in AC systems because it corrodes things.
Your system will have a light oil in it. If you vent off any refrigerant, be prepared to wipe some oil off things nearby.
Another possible replacement refrigerant is HC12a which is used quite a bit more in Europe. It performs
better than R-134a or R12. It is more flammable. HC12a is more eco friendly than R12 or R134a. Venting
HC12a is not believed to cause environmental damage. Must be ordered on the Internet as local shops do not
seem to stock it. The issue is that shops will not work on a car that has other regrigerants in it. Special
equipment is needed for each type of refrigerant's recovery. Standard R12 or R134a is a safer choice.
Warnings
Be extremely cautious about converting your old R-12 system to R-134a. The R-134a conversion kits sold at
Auto Parts stores and even WalMart, are called "Black Death Kits" by some AC repairmen. Frequently, the
new R-134a refrigerant will not circulate the R-12 oil and you will burn up your compressor. The R-12
mineral oil has chlorine contaminants that will destroy the R-134a PAG or POE special oil. The only way to
reliably convert from R-12 to R-134a is to remove the compressor and flush out all the old oil with the new
type of oil; then replace the old Receiver-Dryer or Accumulator with a new one; then flush out all the lines,
the evaporator, and the condensor with special cleaner then vacuum to a steady vacuum; and finally charge with 70-80%, (by weight) of the original R-12 weight, with R-134a; and expect poorer cooling ability. It is
much easier to keep the old R-12 system running with R-12 that is readily available via ebay.
Venting refrigerant -- even R-134a -- is illegal in the United States, so act accordingly.
NEVER connect refrigerant cans, oil or leak-detector cans to the "high pressure side" of the system. This is
often marked with H or HIGH, or a red connector cap. Cans can explode, and that would hurt.
Stay away from major leaks of refrigerant. As it vents it will get cold enough to freeze your skin.
Look out for moving fan blades and fan belts!
HC12 is a hydrocarbon, usually some mix of butane or propane. It will explode with an ignition source. Light
up a cigarette if you have an evaporator leak and your car becomes a bomb. Professionals don't use it because
of this very reason.
Have you been sweltering in your car because of a broken air conditioner? Here's a short guide to how air
conditioning (AC) works, why it might not work, and what you can do about it.
Steps
Realize that auto AC is basically a refrigerator in a weird layout. It's designed to move heat from one place
(the inside of your car) to some other place (the outdoors). While a complete discussion of every specific
model and component is well outside the scope of this article, this should give you a start on figuring out
what the problem might be and either fixing it yourself or talking intelligently to someone you can pay to fix
it.
1.
Become familiar with the five major components to auto air conditioning:
the compressor, which compresses the refrigerant in the system (on modern cars, usually a substance
called R-134a)
the refrigerant, which carries the heat
the condenser, which changes the phase of the refrigerant and expels heat removed from the car
the expansion valve, which isn't really a valve at all but more like a nozzle and functions to
similtaneously drop the pressure of the refrigerant liquid, meter its flow and atomize it
the dryer/evaporator, which transfers heat to the refrigerant from the air blown across it, cooling your
car
2.
Understand the air conditioning process: The compressor puts the refrigerant under pressure and sends it to
the condensing coils. In your car, these coils are generally in front of the radiator. Compressing a gas makes it
quite hot. In the condenser, this added heat and the heat the refrigerant picked up in the evaporator is expelled
to the air flowing across it from outside the car. When the refrigerant is cooled to its saturation temperature, it
will change phase from a gas back into a liquid (this gives of a bundle of heat known as the "latent heat of
vaporization"). The liquid then passes through the expansion valve to the evaporator, the coils inside of your
car, where it loses pressure that was added to it in the compressor. This causes some of the liquid to change to
a low-pressure gas as it cools the remaining liquid. This two-phase mixture enters the evaporator, and the
liquid portion of the refrigerant absorbs the heat from the air across the coil and evaporates. Your car's blower
circulates air across the cold evaporator and into the interior. The refrigerant goes back through the cycle again and again.
Check to see if all the R-134a leaks out (meaning there's nothing in the loop to carry away heat). Leaks are
easy to spot but not easy to fix without pulling things apart. Most auto-supply stores carry a fluorescent dye
that can be added to the system to check for leaks, and it will have instructions for use on the can. If there's a
bad enough leak, the system will have no pressure in it at all. Find one of the valve-stem-looking things and
CAREFULLY (eye protection recommended) poke a pen in there to try to valve off pressure, and if there IS
none, that's the problem.
4.
Make sure the compressor is turning. Start the car, turn on the AC and look under the hood. The AC
compressor is generally a pumplike thing off to one side with large rubber and steel hoses going to it. It will
not have a filler cap on it, but will often have one or two things that look like the valve stems on a bike tire.
The pulley on the front of the compressor exists as an outer pulley and an inner hub which turns when an
electric clutch is engaged. If the AC is on and the blower is on, but the center of the pulley is not turning, then
the compressor's clutch is not engaging. This could be a bad fuse, a wiring problem, a broken AC switch in
your dash, or the system could be low on refrigerant (most systems have a low-pressure safety cutout that will
disable the compressor if there isn't enough refrigerant in the system).
5.
Look for other things that can go wrong: bad switches, bad fuses, broken wires, broken fan belt (preventing
the pump from turning), or seal failure inside the compressor.
6.
Feel for any cooling at all. If the system cools, but not much, it could just be low pressure, and you can top up
the refrigerant. Most auto-supply stores will have a kit to refill a system, and it will come with instructions.
Do not overfill!
7.
Tips
If you suspect bad wiring, most compressors have a wire leading to the electric clutch. Find the connector in
the middle of that wire, and unplug it. Take a length of wire and run it from the compressor's wire to the plus
(+) side of your battery. If you hear a loud CLACK, the electric clutch is fine and you should check the car's
wiring and fuses. If you get nothing, the electric clutch is bad and the compressor will have to be replaced.
Ideally, if you can do this test while the car is running, you can see if the hub spins. Take care to keep fingers
and loose clothes away from moving pulleys and belts. That would rule out a clutch that actuates properly but
then slips so badly it won't generate pressure.
If your system is empty and you're refilling it, and have access to a small vacuum pump (like what they'd use
in a lab or shop), it's best to suck all the air out of the system before filling it. Air contains moisture, and
moisture is bad in AC systems because it corrodes things.
Your system will have a light oil in it. If you vent off any refrigerant, be prepared to wipe some oil off things nearby.
Another possible replacement refrigerant is HC12a which is used quite a bit more in Europe. It performs
better than R-134a or R12. It is more flammable. HC12a is more eco friendly than R12 or R134a. Venting
HC12a is not believed to cause environmental damage. Must be ordered on the Internet as local shops do not
seem to stock it. The issue is that shops will not work on a car that has other regrigerants in it. Special
equipment is needed for each type of refrigerant's recovery. Standard R12 or R134a is a safer choice.
Warnings
Be extremely cautious about converting your old R-12 system to R-134a. The R-134a conversion kits sold at
Auto Parts stores and even WalMart, are called "Black Death Kits" by some AC repairmen. Frequently, the
new R-134a refrigerant will not circulate the R-12 oil and you will burn up your compressor. The R-12
mineral oil has chlorine contaminants that will destroy the R-134a PAG or POE special oil. The only way to
reliably convert from R-12 to R-134a is to remove the compressor and flush out all the old oil with the new
type of oil; then replace the old Receiver-Dryer or Accumulator with a new one; then flush out all the lines,
the evaporator, and the condensor with special cleaner then vacuum to a steady vacuum; and finally charge with 70-80%, (by weight) of the original R-12 weight, with R-134a; and expect poorer cooling ability. It is
much easier to keep the old R-12 system running with R-12 that is readily available via ebay.
Venting refrigerant -- even R-134a -- is illegal in the United States, so act accordingly.
NEVER connect refrigerant cans, oil or leak-detector cans to the "high pressure side" of the system. This is
often marked with H or HIGH, or a red connector cap. Cans can explode, and that would hurt.
Stay away from major leaks of refrigerant. As it vents it will get cold enough to freeze your skin.
Look out for moving fan blades and fan belts!
HC12 is a hydrocarbon, usually some mix of butane or propane. It will explode with an ignition source. Light
up a cigarette if you have an evaporator leak and your car becomes a bomb. Professionals don't use it because
of this very reason.
HardRocker 
