Problems getting A/C to charge?

[Nickmigues12]

Hey all, I have a 2016 1500 with the 3.6 V6 that I cannot get the A/C working in. Quick back story, back in 2024 my compressor went out on me-clutch went bad. Had the system evacuated and replaced the compressor & expansion valve, all the seals, and the drier element bag. Charged it myself, it worked for maybe a few weeks then quit working. I've tried recharging and checking it multiple times, kind of acted like it had a leak which I could never find. Finally found recently that I was leaking oil and presumably refrigerant from where the drier element goes into the condenser, so I replaced the O-ring on the plug but still couldn't seem to get it charged right. I finally figured maybe I had to much oil and stop leak(didn't really want to use stop leak but its hard to find canisters of just straight gas for some reason) in the system so it wouldn't take a good charge. So I evacuated again, flushed all the lines and everything and replaced the condenser and decided to just take it somewhere to have it charged since I had no luck doing it myself. Took it a Valvoline, guy was super helpful and knowledgeable as he was a HVAC tech previously, but could not get my truck to take refrigerant for some reason. He tried tons of different things but nothing would work, pulled a vacuum on it several times to make sure nothing was left in the system. Also checked for leaks and found none. It would only take about half the refrigerant needed and then wouldn't take anymore in. He did some quick googles and said something about maybe a solenoid valve having debris/blockage? But I've never heard of a solenoid valve or have any clue where that would be. The compressor does kick on once it has some refrigerant in it so I know that whole part of the system is good. It is the R1234yf system. Anyone have any experience with this? I'm stumped.

 

[mdc1990zr1]

Hey all, I have a 2016 1500 with the 3.6 V6 that I cannot get the A/C working in. Quick back story, back in 2024 my compressor went out on me-clutch went bad. Had the system evacuated and replaced the compressor & expansion valve, all the seals, and the drier element bag. Charged it myself, it worked for maybe a few weeks then quit working. I've tried recharging and checking it multiple times, kind of acted like it had a leak which I could never find. Finally found recently that I was leaking oil and presumably refrigerant from where the drier element goes into the condenser, so I replaced the O-ring on the plug but still couldn't seem to get it charged right. I finally figured maybe I had to much oil and stop leak(didn't really want to use stop leak but its hard to find canisters of just straight gas for some reason) in the system so it wouldn't take a good charge. So I evacuated again, flushed all the lines and everything and replaced the condenser and decided to just take it somewhere to have it charged since I had no luck doing it myself. Took it a Valvoline, guy was super helpful and knowledgeable as he was a HVAC tech previously, but could not get my truck to take refrigerant for some reason. He tried tons of different things but nothing would work, pulled a vacuum on it several times to make sure nothing was left in the system. Also checked for leaks and found none. It would only take about half the refrigerant needed and then wouldn't take anymore in. He did some quick googles and said something about maybe a solenoid valve having debris/blockage? But I've never heard of a solenoid valve or have any clue where that would be. The compressor does kick on once it has some refrigerant in it so I know that whole part of the system is good. It is the R1234yf system. Anyone have any experience with this? I'm stumped.

I knew a guy that had an a/c leak in his GM truck. Went to the local auto parts place and got a magical can of stop leak. That didn’t work. So in went a second can. I don’t know how many cans over how much time, but the system wouldn’t take any more Freon. When I started to dismantle everything, the orifice tube was sealed shut with a clear glob of what looked like caulk. Replacing the orifice tube and a quick flush with some new o rings and a few schrader valves sloved that problem

 

[04fxdwgi]

Did you try putting in dye and using a black light to find the leak?

There has to be a blockage somewhere (or something not installed correctly), if the comp, TXV valve filter/dryer and condenser were all replaced. Perhaps the fixed orifice tube is blocked.

 

[crash68]

t would only take about half the refrigerant needed and then wouldn't take anymore in.

Do yourself a huge favor and find a shop that actually knows how to repair AC systems.
There's something physical wrong with the system if stops taking refrigerant. Any system can hold way more than the amount of refrigerant needed to operate properly. One thing about automotive AC systems is they list the specific refrigerant charge by weight, no more is needed, there is no add a little more to make it colder without consequences.
As for areas that could be blocked up by debris take your pick, expansion valve, coils, compression internals.

 

[Nickmigues12]

Obviously I know that there's something wrong with the system, thats what i'm trying to figure out lol. It has an expansion valve so no orifice tube that I am aware of as if I understand correctly a system will only have one or the other, not both. It vacuums down fine so no leaks now but in the past it has had dye in it to find leaks. Before having it charged I flushed the entire system, except for the compressor because you can't really flush that, and replaced the condensor. Would debris in the compressor cause it to not take refrigerant? That's really the only spot I could think of that could possibly still have something in it unless theres a component I'm just unaware of. But like I said I flushed out all the lines, the evap core, took the expansion valve off and checked it, all new seals and replaced the condenser/drier.

 

[Hagar1]

Obviously I know that there's something wrong with the system, thats what i'm trying to figure out lol. It has an expansion valve so no orifice tube that I am aware of as if I understand correctly a system will only have one or the other, not both. It vacuums down fine so no leaks now but in the past it has had dye in it to find leaks. Before having it charged I flushed the entire system, except for the compressor because you can't really flush that, and replaced the condensor. Would debris in the compressor cause it to not take refrigerant? That's really the only spot I could think of that could possibly still have something in it unless theres a component I'm just unaware of. But like I said I flushed out all the lines, the evap core, took the expansion valve off and checked it, all new seals and replaced the condenser/drier.

This may sound a bit off the wall but did you check the hoses from the AC machine to the vehicle? I have personally run into problems similar and it turned out to be one hose was missing the brass piece that pushed the valve down to allow refrigerant to flow.

 

[seems fishy]

What did you flush the lines with.Some blockage somewhere,likely.Sometimes it takes a while for a new charge of freon to get past the H Valve.24hours at times.If there is a clog somewhere ,never. I was a licensed HVAC CFC tech. at a colission repair shop for many years. After not getting the A/C to run after charging on cars with HValves(Chrysler mostly),letting them sit overnight, they worked the next morning.The HValve meters the flow of freon.As someone had said earlier,it acts like an orfice tube.You have an HValve,not an orfice tube.Never had issues like that with say a Ford(orfice tube)That was using all of the correct equipment.H VALVES can be tempermental

 

[crash68]

Before having it charged I flushed the entire system, except for the compressor because you can't really flush that, and replaced the condensor. Would debris in the compressor cause it to not take refrigerant? That's really the only spot I could think of that could possibly still have something in it unless theres a component I'm just unaware of. But like I said I flushed out all the lines, the evap core, took the expansion valve off and checked it, all new seals and replaced the condenser/drier.

The evap and condenser coil are of a micro-channel design, the passageways can get plugged up and good luck flushing them out. As for the expansion valve, there's small passageways internal to the valve that can plug and the valve will not control refrigerant properly.
You can flush the compressor, then refill the oil charge, this might be a good idea as there is no way of knowing how much or little oil is left in the system. The compressor is variable displacement so depending on where the crud is at the compressor won't pump to capacity.

 

[Hagar1]

Let us go back to square one.... how are you trying to do the charge. Maybe give us a bit of a run down starting with, are you doing a gas charge or a liquid charge?

 

[04fxdwgi]

What vacuum did you pull it down to before charging? Did you pull vacuum, purge with nitrogen then pull another vacuum prior to the charge?

With all the "flushing" and component replacements, there is a real possibility of contamination and / or non condensables in the system.

I'm still stuck on thinking dryer / filter or TXV causing blockage.
Maybe the compressor control valve (solenoid) not opening, if it has one..

 

[Hagar1]

What vacuum did you pull it down to before charging? Did you pull vacuum, purge with nitrogen then pull another vacuum prior to the charge?

With all the "flushing" and component replacements, there is a real possibility of contamination and / or non condensables in the system.

I'm still stuck on thinking dryer / filter or TXV causing blockage.
Maybe the compressor control valve (solenoid) not opening, if it has one..

Pulling a vacuum is done to remove any possibility of water in the system. Once we get that vacuum down to where we want it, close off both valves and watch the guages, if the reading changes, there is typically one of two problems, either a small leak or there is still moisture in the system. If there is no change after a half hour, it is safe to recharge. I prefer doing a liquid charge because it goes in faster and it is less susceptible to temp variations. charge into low side, don't exceed about 35 psi. Been doing that for 40 years.
These are not instructions or advice, only saying what works for me.

 

[Hagar1]

Did you try putting in dye and using a black light to find the leak?

There has to be a blockage somewhere (or something not installed correctly), if the comp, TXV valve filter/dryer and condenser were all replaced. Perhaps the fixed orifice tube is blocked.

View attachment 581616

Just thinking, if the orifice tube is blocked, the problem is a lot deeper than we think. The inside of an AC is normally as clean as clean can be.

 

[crash68]

Just thinking, if the orifice tube is blocked, the problem is a lot deeper than we think.

These trucks with YF-1234 use and expansion valve, it's mounted right at the inlet of the evap coil connections. It looks like a block with both liquid and suction connectors and the power element head on one end. Most vehicle use them nowadays.
Getting crud in an expansion valve is worse as at least the orifice tube you can clean, valves not so much.

 

[Hagar1]

These trucks with YF-1234 use and expansion valve, it's mounted right at the inlet of the evap coil connections. It looks like a block with both liquid and suction connectors and the power element head on one end. Most vehicle use them nowadays.
Getting crud in an expansion valve is worse as at least the orifice tube you can clean, valves not so much.

Why might it have become dirty to start with? As said previously, an AC system is very clean on the inside.

 

[crash68]

Why might it have become dirty to start with?

With as much as the OPs system has been opened and flushed, along with the use of refrigerant can with "stop leak", who knows what's floating around. When a backyard mechanic post about working on an AC system, one can only imagine the lack of attention to proper procedures for dealing with the system.
In a former life I used to deal with systems that got really chilly (like -20F) and made ice by thousands of tons (both cubes and ice rinks)

 

[Hagar1]

With as much as the OPs system has been opened and flushed, along with the use of refrigerant can with "stop leak", who knows what's floating around. When a backyard mechanic post about working on an AC system, one can only imagine the lack of attention to proper procedures for dealing with the system.
In a former life I used to deal with systems that got really chilly (like -20F) and made ice by thousands of tons (both cubes and ice rinks)

Yup! We professionals repair a lot of things that the backyarders fix.

 

[04fxdwgi]

1,000 ton liquid chiller guy, here.