AC issues....

[Aberdeen Pilot]

Hello piloteers.... couple of days ago i lost the AC. It was making annoying hissing sounds and completely stopped cooling. I decided to take it to the dealership yesterday where i bought this certified pilot a month ago. Due to the hurricane that hit NY the dealership lost power. Today i took it to a repair shop to take a look at the AC. They didn't really tell me in detail but they add dye to the system and did not find any leaks. How would the system loose its cooling ability but not leak out any freon or need parts to be replaced? The tech was way to busy to answer my questions.... any ideas?

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by Aberdeen Pilot

The tech was way to busy to answer my questions.... any ideas?

First find a new mechanic.

If they were too busy to talk and answer questions they were probably too busy to properly check your system.

Take the cap (like a valve stem cap) off your AC line. It will expose a valve. Use a pen or something similar and check to see if the system has any pressure (freon) in it.

If nothing comes out you have your answer. Empty.

Does the compressor turn on, is any air coming from the vents etc.

You will need to give more information.

[krazykarguy]

Please don't do the pen "trick" above - you risk severe frostbite if your skin is exposed to escaping refrigerant. That's if you choose wisely and test the low pressure side. If you did this on the high pressure side, it could be 10x worse.

You can determine if your A/C system has a sufficient charge by turning the A/C on max cool, and watching the compressor under the hood. If the pulley is not engaging, then your A/C is udnercharged or not charged at all.

Installing a dye without proper refrigerant levels is stupid, because if there is no refrigerant, the compressor will not cycle, thus, not distributing the refrigerant and dye. Without this circulation, you will never find the leak (and there is most definitely a leak if the compressor is not cycling).

[rocky]

Nice of the shop to have the time to take your money but not diagnose your systems's problem.

Looked at the condenser. Any apparent damage?

[Aberdeen Pilot]

no damage that i can see... sorry for not stating before but the AC is working now. They hooked it up to their machine where they added dye and then i guess they did something with the freon. I was just wondering what the problem could've been. Could air or moisture in the system cause it to no cool properly?

Also this is off topic but my dome lights up from dont work properly. Its not the bulbs as i checked them but sometimes they work and sometimes they dont... :\

[belundy]

Was probably low on Freon (generic term) in the first place--the evaporator under the dash hisses when charge is low, and of course when it gets too low, it doesn't hiss....'cause the compressor doesn't run.

I didn't look at how old the truck was, but many car AC systems gradually lose charge through the compressor shaft seals, especially in the winter. After 5 or more years, you might need to top it off.

Of course, you may still have a slow leak somewhere that your casual mechanic didn't find.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by krazykarguy

Please don't do the pen "trick" above - you risk severe frostbite if your skin is exposed to escaping refrigerant.

Pish Posh...........I've done it hundreds of times. Seen it done thousands of times by techs.

If one is that stupid that they "freeze" their skin by preforming the "Pen Trick" they shouldn't be operating a Motor vehicle let alone attempt any type of "repairs".

[krazykarguy]

If anyone is stupid enough to be venting refrigerant into the atmosphere to "test" for it's presence, they shouldn't be "repairing" cars.

I liken this to pulling the drain plug on your oil pan to check for oil.

What if, on your advice, the OP did this but mistakenly on the high pressure side, and 300psi of refrigerant comes out and gets on his fingers and hands? The previously pressurized liquid R-134a evaporates immediately, dropping temperatures to -30C in a matter of seconds, and causing frostbite (it essentially absorbs the heat from your skin). If by chance it got in his eyes, blindness is a distinct possibility.

Stupidity has nothing to do with hurting yourself or an incapacity to work on a car - but everything to do with your suggestion.

There are specialty (and generic) gauges and tools for A/C work - a pen isn't that tool.

[94eg!]

Originally Posted by cbarcus

Willfull venting of refrigerant is a violation of the EPA clean air act.

[tangotango99]

Originally Posted by cbarcus

Willfull venting of refrigerant is a violation of the EPA clean air act.

"The Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer "

[cbarcus]

Originally Posted by 94eg!

A Intelligent and helpful response to the issue.