98 today in South Florida. I was wondering if I can get a full checklist of problems that could explain why my a/c is blowing hot air. Mech charges about 75 bux an hour just to take a look so...yea... To narrow it down a little bit I know my a/c pump works but thats about it. There may be a freon leak but if so I would still be able to get cold air for a short time since I refilled it once. I did take my front bumper off and moved my condencer to the side once to preform some work though. So if any help can be provided please feel free. I know the list of possible causes could be long but still anything to save a college kid some cash, please!
May have a leak in one of your AC lines causing the refrigerant to leak out. Or you might just need a recharge of your system. I had this issue with my old car. Ended up needing a recharge.
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Im gonna take off the front bumper today and see if the condencer plug is on. Whatever it is i know its my fault. I took the bumper off one day, did some work... put it back on and my a/c stopped working. Maybe I can get tips or tell tale signs? Is the condencer supposed to be hot to the touch? Mines is. Are there any pipes that should be cold to the touch?
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Joined: 8/19/2007 From: Philly, PA Status: offline
I wouldn't take off the front bumper dude, the condenser is suppose to be hot. Thats where the "freon" is condensed back into hot gas. Depending on your EPA laws in Flordia, I would go to Autozone and buy a can of R-134 w/ the attachment hose and give the car a quick shot. The attachment hose has a gauge on it so you do not over-charge the system and cause "slugging" at the compresor.
Try that first, if the car starts to blast cold air and it only lasts for a few days, month or even a year there is a leak in the system. A refrigerant system NEVER needs "freon". The only time it needs "freon" is if there is a leak.
If you do decide to take off the bumper you want to look for any signs of an oil residue on the condenser: where you think you might have kinked a pipe or loosened something. When "freon" is released from a closed system it leaves behind a noticable oily residue...if the leak is substantial. I don't think I ever heard of a condenser plug but, you know what you have.
Good Luck man!
P.S. Consider yourself lucky, it's 44 here in Philly.
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Im going to try and stuff it with refridgerant again, but I remember trying checking for leaks last time and got nothing. I also have a guage hooked up to the low port reading me at full. I have fluctuated the temp between high and low and the "Hi" blows really hot air and "low" blows warm air. My fan is blowing, I can hear the compressor going, Ive checked everywhere for debris but still no cool air. Ive got a break from the heat today with some stong gusts and cloudy weather. But this week we will be seeing some high temps, so I need A/c.
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Joined: 8/19/2007 From: Philly, PA Status: offline
Do you know where the large suction line "cold pipe" is going into the evap: under the hood? Run the car for awhile 5 mins. or so and try to see if you can feel if the suction line "low port" is cold. If so, the damper door (inside the car) to the evap may be closed.
Do you see any kind of ice forming on the suction line (under the hood) after the car's A/C has been running for awhile? If so that is a sign that it's still low on freon.
When you say full what are your pressures/pressure? Your pressure gauge may be off. Sorry have to ask, you are using the approved freon, correct? Should be R-134 A?
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Well it is a walmart pressure gauge so its not percise. But I know it reads full charge pressure wise not exactly sure what PSI. Ill have to run to my car and check. I also have another add on to the story. My check engline light is on, but its been on. Turned out to be a faulty gas cap which I havent replaced. But my car was overheating before. And I had it repaired, which was after I did my own work. Is it possible my cars own HVAC could still be thinking my car is overheating? I know the thingy kicks in and cuts off your a/c. But my car is always blowing outside temp air, even from the startup.
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Joined: 8/19/2007 From: Philly, PA Status: offline
Good! I would still say it's still low on freon. How many cans did you put in? I wouldn't put in more than two and a half 13oz cans. I am not sure about how much it holds. It should say under the hood the total amount of r-134a it holds. Remember, 16oz = a pound of refrigerant
Gotta run good luck
Keep us posted
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Lol! maybe it is refridgerant. Ive only put in 1 can. And I know it lost refridgerant once before... Rember my handy work? I was replaceing some belts and accidentally unscrewed the pipe that connects the condencer to the compressor or Evap (not sure which one) and froen spewed out. I thought it was cold radiator fluid so I closed it back up after realizing my mistake, 5 minutes later. Im sure I must have completely drained it.
But even if it is low on froen, shouldnt the economy light come on in my car? And shouldnt I atleast get a little bit of cool air?
Please do yourself a favor and spend the money to have your car fixed right if you don't know what you're doing. I want to go out on a limb and say you don't. You drive an Audi, not a '78 Ford pickup. Using generic tools / fluids from Walmart or other places on these or other European cars is not a good idea. People complain why repair is expensive...you will spend less and cause less future problems if you go in to a certified Audi/VW repair shop to have the work completed by a professional. At a minimum buy a C5 Bentley & a VAG code reader for future repairs. I do a ton of work on my cars - I've owned over 15 VW's & Audi's. I don't do auto/tip transmissions & I don't recharge A/C. Good luck with your car. Call around your area to find someone who specalizes in European cars, but VW/Audi would be perfered.
< Message edited by mezz4prez -- 3/17/2008 2:25:59 PM >
A/C is fixed! Just had to jam 2 more cans of freon in her. Wow funny I went 3 months with no A/C because of such a simple thing. Thanks for all the tips, support, and help. Now all I need to do is change my break pads, and complain to the city for construction on the roads that coat my car with dust every day.
Posts: 179
Joined: 8/19/2007 From: Philly, PA Status: offline
Jzstuggie, great! I'm glad I could be of some assistance. To the others that chimed in (NH_USA and Mezz4prez) I am a certified HVAC engineer. I am pretty confident I know what I am talking about. Yes, if the system lost all of its pressure it would have to be evacuated w/ an EPA approved vacuum pump and pulled down to at least -30 microns and hold for around 45-60 minutes to make sure all non-condensables are free of the system. If there is any sort of pressure left in the system (which by the way is measured "below atmospheric pressure") then there is no need to pull a vacuum. The pressure in the system alone is enough to keep out unwanted non-condensables.
The dealership and Indy's most likely will...who I am kidding, THEY HAVE NO IDEA HOW A REFRIGERATION SYSTEM WORKS. They will charge you X amount of dollars per-hour to have your car happily sit around in their lot (probably during a time of an audit) while they add can after can of non commercial grade “cut-rate” refrigerant and not even bother to check for leaks; which in most cases they will say it’s in the evap. and then have the balls to charge you for 4 hours of work plus 80oz of “freon” at X amount of dollars per pound of refrigerant, when there is maybe only 2 lbs (16oz) max refrigerant in the system.
Sorry, if I offended anyone but, this is what I have been exposed to. It really bothers me, now that I know.
Enjoy the cold air jzstuggie
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The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was making you think he did not exist...then poof, he is gone.
A/C is fixed! Just had to jam 2 more cans of freon in her. Wow funny I went 3 months with no A/C because of such a simple thing. Thanks for all the tips, support, and help. Now all I need to do is change my break pads, and complain to the city for construction on the roads that coat my car with dust every day.
Here we go again -- So your going to change your break pads. Does the place you work supply pads to sit on when you go on break or do you have to supply your own?
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