Ac charging question

[Arky]

My 07 Ram ac stopped working last summer so I went to a mechanic he charged it and it worked great all summer. Until last week so I tried charging it. It shows that its empty but I cant get it to charge up???
Im on the low pressure port but it wont take freon.

 

[crash68]

if it's showing empty and you can't get refrigerant to go in, sounds like the valve to the system isn't open or the leak is big enough it's coming out as fast as you put it in.
The low side needs to show at least 45 psi or the compressor may not cycle on

 

[audiowize]

You may need to manually activate the compressor to get it to accept more refrigerant.

When you do get it to go in, I would throw some leak dye in there and see where it's escaping from.

 

[Daw14]

If you have no experience in this you would be much better off to have a person with some do this for you .good luck.

 

[Snake15eyes1998]

Personally I wouldn't mess with recharging it. Take it to a shop. If you have to much or not enough. The compressor won't cycle right. They also put a vacuum on the system to make sure there are no leaks. I know you can rent the manifold gauges, the pump, etc. But with how exact it has to be. That's one thing I wouldn't do, unless your really familiar with the recharge process

 

[Karlsweg]

Had same problem with my 07 and I had to pull the dash out to replace the evaporator.

 

[Skatulaki]

I'm glad I saw this question, I have AC problem but its not the same. I got my Dodge ram when I bought my house, came with the property. Anyway the Air blows cold when I'm driving down the road, but not while sitting. The compressor I noticed keeps coming on and going off, in the past that usually meant I was low on refrigerant, so I went to put some in and the needle pegged when using one with the guage that comes with the R-134 at the parts store, So I guess there is too much. So I guess I need to bleed it down to about 45 psi?

 

[Skatulaki]

I'm a cheap (expletive ), I prefer to fix my own (expletive ) . I buy the tools, and a manual if I have to and learn how to DIY. Then the only ( expletive ) I can blame is myself !

 

[Daw14]

Compressors do turn on then off aka cycling,it depends on how long it is between these cycles. If it’s very fast , like every few seconds , then yes it may be low on refrigerant. However other things can cause it to short cycle.

 

[audiowize]

I'm glad I saw this question, I have AC problem but its not the same. I got my Dodge ram when I bought my house, came with the property. Anyway the Air blows cold when I'm driving down the road, but not while sitting.

Does your condenser fan work?

The compressor I noticed keeps coming on and going off, in the past that usually meant I was low on refrigerant, so I went to put some in and the needle pegged when using one with the guage that comes with the R-134 at the parts store, So I guess there is too much. So I guess I need to bleed it down to about 45 psi?

Are you plugged into the high side or the low side?

 

[Skatulaki]

I'm plugged into what I believe is the port where you add, as far as I know they are 2 different sizes, and that to add refrigerant, I can only plug onto the smaller one. Its near the firewall on the passenger side, just below the hood. I didn't readily notice or even look for the other one.

 

[crash68]

Anyway the Air blows cold when I'm driving down the road, but not while sitting.

Sounds like the condenser is dirty or your cooling fan is not turning on.
Don't trust the gauge on the top of refrigerant can for diagnostics.

 

[Daw14]

Go to a pro.

 

[Skatulaki]

Go to a Pro ? Let me tell you about Pro's. I took my Jeep to a "Pro" to get a couple new tires. I told the guy at the desk that it had a rattle and could they check it out. When I go back and pick it up , they told me the rattle was because it needed new shocks all the way around and it would be $380 dollars. I said no thanks, not right now. So I get home and I check out the shocks. What do I find? Two rubber bushings at the top of each front shock were bad. $10 dollars at the parts store and 10 minuets of work. They could have charged me $50 dollars to do that and I would have gladly paid it. Instead they were greedy and dishonest. Ive had to do it a couple times since then and the original shocks are still just fine.

Now as far as Pro's go, I AM a PRO, I started repairing farm machinery since age 10, I repaired communication equipment in the Marines, and spent 30 + years repairing copy machines. I do most all of my own repairs, unless I don't have the time, or its worth it to me, to have someone else do it.

If I took this to a "Pro" they would want $600 dollars for a compressor I don't need, $800 for a evaporator I don't need, and $200 just to tell me that.

So if the best info you can offer is "Go to a Pro" ? Stuff it ! Either you can be helpful or not, nobody knows everything, not even "Pro's"! If you think I don't have the IQ, then your advice
is not likely worth my time in the first place!

 

[crash68]

So if the best info you can offer is "Go to a Pro" ? Stuff it ! Either you can be helpful or not, nobody knows everything, not even "Pro's"! If you think I don't have the IQ, then your advice
is not likely worth my time in the first place!

Most driveway mechanics are completely clueless (you most likely included) about how to troubleshoot a vehicle air conditioning system. If your idea of checking the refrigerant charge involves the gauge on a disposable can, the IQ number is probably a single digit (Your previous comments have already backed this up).

 

[canadiankodiak700]

Go to a Pro ? Let me tell you about Pro's. I took my Jeep to a "Pro" to get a couple new tires. I told the guy at the desk that it had a rattle and could they check it out. When I go back and pick it up , they told me the rattle was because it needed new shocks all the way around and it would be $380 dollars. I said no thanks, not right now. So I get home and I check out the shocks. What do I find? Two rubber bushings at the top of each front shock were bad. $10 dollars at the parts store and 10 minuets of work. They could have charged me $50 dollars to do that and I would have gladly paid it. Instead they were greedy and dishonest. Ive had to do it a couple times since then and the original shocks are still just fine.

Now as far as Pro's go, I AM a PRO, I started repairing farm machinery since age 10, I repaired communication equipment in the Marines, and spent 30 + years repairing copy machines. I do most all of my own repairs, unless I don't have the time, or its worth it to me, to have someone else do it.

If I took this to a "Pro" they would want $600 dollars for a compressor I don't need, $800 for a evaporator I don't need, and $200 just to tell me that.

So if the best info you can offer is "Go to a Pro" ? Stuff it ! Either you can be helpful or not, nobody knows everything, not even "Pro's"! If you think I don't have the IQ, then your advice
is not likely worth my time in the first place!

I can tell you right now that you've got a pretty arrogant attitude about you. And most people will tell you that just because you've done something for x number of years does not make you a professional it may make you knowledgeable but you are not a pro.

When someone offers you advice on this forum it's usually trying to give you the best advice and telling them to go stuff it is not a good way to get help.

We're talking air conditioning right now, and the best advice is exactly what he give you, go see a pro, those $30 kits that you get from the auto parts store are just a Band-Aid. Most of the time you backyard pros end up overfilling the AC system and actually causing more damage than was already done. Chances are if you hook this kit on and your system won't take any more charge, it's probably already overfilled with oil but not pressurized high enough to engage the compressor.
That's why when you take it to a real professional, they will hook a vacuum up and vacuum out all the refrigerant which by the way is not Freon, they will also dispose of it in an environmentally friendly way not let it escape to atmosphere damaging the ozone like you backyard pros. Vacuuming the system removes all the oil air and most importantly moisture. Chances are, if it has been filled with one of these kits a couple times already, there is excess oil and almost guaranteed moisture in your system, meaning that yes you will need possibly a new condenser or a new compressor or evaporator. Trying to save a hundred bucks on an AC system these days will cost you tenfold in the long run.

But hey, why am I telling you all this? You already know because you're a pro

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[Skatulaki]

All right, thats what you have to offer is attitude, thats ok , like I said, I'm a Pro, just not an AC Pro, but thats ok, I'll train myself ! I'll buy the tools and the manuals and it will cost me less than one of you (expletives ) to screw stuff up, and over charge me. Then I can add that to what I know how to do.

Thats ok, Rag on me because I like to do my own work. I don't care! if you were real professionals you would offer sound advice instead of insulting my intelligence! if you want to behave like (expletives ) its no skin off my behind. I'll drive around sweating first.

 

[Skatulaki]

Well canadiankodiak you are not making the experience here a pleasant one, and niether has DAW , I have been a repairman all my life, and not about to be made fun of by the likes of you making generalizations about my abilities! Now ok maybe I did the same about "Pro's" but even you must admit there are a lot of bad ones out there! So don't go ragging on me for wanting to do my own work! If all you got to say is "go to a Pro" then I still say "stuff it" as it is worthless advice to me!

Its up to you ! If you cannot offer the advice I seek then just **** and do not say anything, or give me some actual information. I do not care which, but pick one.

 

[Daw14]

Go to a Professional therapist . My previous comments were directed to the OP .

 

[canadiankodiak700]

All right, thats what you have to offer is attitude, thats ok , like I said, I'm a Pro, just not an AC Pro, but thats ok, I'll train myself ! I'll buy the tools and the manuals and it will cost me less than one of you (expletives ) to screw stuff up, and over charge me. Then I can add that to what I know how to do.

Thats ok, Rag on me because I like to do my own work. I don't care! if you were real professionals you would offer sound advice instead of insulting my intelligence! if you want to behave like (expletives ) its no skin off my behind. I'll drive around sweating first.

First of all I do the same thing I repair my own vehicles to the best of my ability if I don't know how to do something I research it I learn I buy the tools if I don't already have them and then I repair it but in that process I can usually tell when there's a point that I can't do it properly and that's when I will spend the money and send it to a professional that can do it correctly and not cost me more in the long run. That is exactly what we said to you it's obvious you're at a point where you can't fix it correctly so we recommend you take it to a professional. End of story

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