The only rule is you can't have a fan newer than 50 years old! A couple of those are over 80 years old, a couple only in their 50's.

SOOO, back to my AC problem. At this point I am going to have to go back and replace the seals that I did yesterday, as my leak is worse. So, are my pressures and my exp. valve/ evap line freezing up due to only one can of freon in the system. or is it indicative of a failing exp. valve. I did pour alchohol in it to clean up for the new o-rings.
I only have 2 1/2 more days off.......

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

See post #13

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

I'm with ya, just stumped that the freon can leak out at such an amazing rate, and I can't seem to sniff it.
Young son has the wagon this morning as he is doing never ending 1/4 panel repair in his high school autobody shop class.
Since I have never really monitored AC pressures before, I just didn't know that the low side pressure would actually read in the vacuum portion of the guage. I'll do more sniffing around this afternoon/evening I guess. I may remove blower fan and stick sniffer in towards evaporator. Not sure I'm getting that close to it otherwise.

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Don't need to remove the blower fan. Push aside the black tar substance near the evaporator line leaving the expansion valve. That is the evaporator. If its leaking the sniffer will fire when you stick it in there.
Make sure the tar substance does not get into the sniffer tip. It doesn't ruin it, just makes it a mess and must be cleaned to work correctly.

After adding a can it is not neccessary to operate the system to sniff the leak. It at 70 PSI and that shoudl be enough to detect the leak.

Dave

__________________
1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

You must be getting an erronious detection. On a big leak or in a badly contaminated area, that sniffer maybe totally overloaded and not resetting.

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

That's what I thought might be happening at first, but I walk away from the car and turn the sniffer off/on for it to recalibrate. I do this several times during the inspection process. I went after it 3 different times today, with no luck. The only thing I haven't done is remove the blower and check into the evaporator area. I don't have any room to move the tar looking stuff and poke in the sniffer probe. No room, tight fit for those evap lines, so I'll remove the fan. I have poked it in several of the vents, with no luck. Even turned on the fan.
I am being defeated.....

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

I'm failing at this AC business....
I added a second can of freon today, after sniffing around again for freon leaks with leak detector. So my system now has two cans of freon, which isn't a full charge, but should be enough to operate semi properly.
I have same symptoms:
*Readings with guages attached and car OFF low=96 high=75
*Low side pressure of -6, as in below zero in vacuum portion of guage.
*High side pressure of 75, which btw, is the same pressure with engine off.
*One tube to evap freezing, exp. valve cold and condensating
*Sight glass shows nothing
*Compressor sounds "strained"
*vent temps same as economy mode of course

Does this sound like plugged or inop exp valve?
It would figure since I just put my 5th can of freon in in one month....

BTW, the freon sniffer works like a champ. I got within 3 feet of empty freon can I had just added, and it went nuts. I was just walking past the trash can. That tool's a dude!

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Jimmy, if your gauges read differently on the same system pressure one of them is incorrect. Secondly, I hope you can use something other than freon to test your system - that's got to be expensive. I know that others here will disagree, but I used R290 as a test refrigerant. I think I can believe my gages, I know my system holds pressure and begins to cool when the compressor engages. I won't run it at speed or longer than about 30 seconds at a time, but I'm ready for R12 as soon as I get my vacuum pump.

__________________
'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.

While it could be blocked anywhere, I would check the reciever and the expansion valve.
I would get a shop to reclaim all the refrigerant you have put in, then you can reuse it. also, they can weigh how much they pull out, and see how much is in there. then you need to start disconnecting parts and find the blockage.
John

I'm guessing expansion valve, since I just had it out to replace the orings. I dumped alcohol in it to clean some oil residue, and may have taken it out somehow.

I went by a shop today to ask about reclaiming it, and he said it would be cheaper just to vent and recharge. (Of course I would never do that...)

HOWEVER , he said that my low side showing vacuum instead of pressure was probably exp. valve allright, but
, he said my high side pressure should still be in the 200's(instead of 75), and it sounded like my compressor was probably shot also.
Heck, I have no idea. What do yall think?
I have used this guy over 25 years, so he is honest.

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

I repaired automotive air conditioners for over 30 years, had my own shop for 29 years.

I would not be concerned if the Schrader valve (inner valve) was leaking just a little as long as the service cap did not leak. The service cap usually has an o-ring for a seal. The threads of flair fittings pull the fitting together they are not for sealing. The taper surface of the flair seals. Pipe fittings use the tapered threads to seal. Automotive air conditioners may use a few plugs on driers and switches that are pipe thread. I used a special A/C sealant on the threads from Locktight.

For leak testing we pressurized the A/C system to 175 psi with nitrogen and then watched to see if the pressure dropped. Large leaks could be heard.
When we charged an A/C system that may have leaks with refrigerant, we would always add fluorescent dye in with the refrigerant.

Your gauge readings being different with the engine off indicate that you do not have proper gauge set connections to the system.

I have included an file the explans how an air conditioners works.
If you change its file name to ac_works.htm you can view like I ment it to be viewed.

Attached Files

ac_works.txt (22.5 KB, 102 views)

You mean I don't have them connected properly??
I picked up a DVD from Autozone on Basic AC Diagnosing and Repair, and it stated I believe that if the pressures were different while the vehicle was off, and just the guage hoses attached that there is a blockage somewhere.
Yall understand something please: I am only asking questions out of my ignorance, and am not questioning the accuracy of what yall say, just trying to take it all in and think my way through something I'm trying to learn for the first time really.
I don't have a nitrogen cannister, so I really can't charge the system that way. Is there any special license required to buy a nitrogen cylinder?
Lastly, to Pete or pparish, or somebody that really knows this stuff, how should I proceed from here?
Thanks yall so much!
Jimmy

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Sorry, I just wrote a long response and lost my connection, not saving all. Jim, remove exp valve, flush evap and condenser. If they are blocked, you should find out. put in new r/d and valve. evac and charge with a dry gas. I used R290, (which is propane), so I could operate for 30 seconds at a time to check for leaks. That's not legal if I drive around with it, but it helped me.

__________________
'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.