OK who has Jeep A/C experience?

sugarbush · #1 09/03/07, 03:34 PM

The AC quit in my wifes jeep cherokee and she is pregers so it needs to be fixed. I had it recharged at a service shop and it leaked out over night.....the ac guy says it needed a new evaporator core and that they are notorious for failing on these.....shop wanted 1200.00 to put a new one in so I bought it at the autoparts store and put it in myself.....big job took all day and required the removal of the entire dash, instrument panel, and center console. The only problem I had was getting the liquid line disconnected as I could not get that spring out of the connection...... I ended up cutting the old evaporator core fitting loose and am needing to get this connection apart so I can replace the o-rings and reconnect to the evap core. I tried just pulling, which worked on the other side but not on the liquid line side.......I used a small pick to try and fish the spring out and that wasted about two hours......I know this is easy if you know how to do it......Any help?

PA_MIKE · #2 09/03/07, 04:07 PM

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DrippingSprings · #3 09/03/07, 04:21 PM

theres a small five dollar tool that will disconnect those lines check your local auto parts store

sugarbush · #4 09/03/07, 04:29 PM

Thanks for the link....I may use that in the future....But it doesn't cover the A/C system except to say that it should be serviced by a qualified tech.... I have the manual for the jeep and it says "disconnect liquid line" Now that is some real helpful information

OkieDavid · #5 09/03/07, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrippingSprings

theres a small five dollar tool that will disconnect those lines check your local auto parts store

DITTO!!! It LOOKS so simple but you will drive yourself NUTS until you pony up the few bucks for the "special" plastic $.03 cent removal tool......

sugarbush · #6 09/03/07, 04:49 PM

thanks guys....found them
http://www.toolsource.com/unique-dis...l-p-94786.html

Beeman · #7 09/03/07, 07:31 PM

Be sure to lube O-rings with regular mineral type AC oil and it's recommended to replace the springs in the couplers. Receiver dryer should be replaced also and the orifice tube if it has one, can't remember. Be sure to add the proper amount of the correct oil to each component you replace or you will be buying a compressor next. System should then be evacuated to remove any traces of moisture before charging with the correct amount of the correct refrigerant.

sugarbush · #8 09/04/07, 05:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beeman

Be sure to lube O-rings with regular mineral type AC oil and it's recommended to replace the springs in the couplers. Receiver dryer should be replaced also and the orifice tube if it has one, can't remember. Be sure to add the proper amount of the correct oil to each component you replace or you will be buying a compressor next. System should then be evacuated to remove any traces of moisture before charging with the correct amount of the correct refrigerant.

Thanks.....the shop is doing everything except the replacement and reconnection.

michiganfarmer · #9 09/07/07, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sugarbush

Thanks for the link....I may use that in the future....But it doesn't cover the A/C system except to say that it should be serviced by a qualified tech.... I have the manual for the jeep and it says "disconnect liquid line" Now that is some real helpful information

LOL, dontcha love that helpfull advice?

sugarbush · #10 09/07/07, 06:50 PM

Its all back together and not leaking down anymore.... its amazing how easy things are when you the right information.....I am still having an issue with the ac compressor kicking off after about 15 minutes and it will not come back until the jeep is turned off for a few hours.

DrippingSprings · #11 09/08/07, 06:27 PM

check the pressure switch

agmantoo · #12 09/08/07, 07:01 PM

Some AC systems have both a high pressure and a low pressure cutout switch. You may either have to little or to much freon in the system. A drop of moisture in the system can also freeze and and clog the lines until it thaws. How long did the vacuum pump run to evacuate the system and was a new dryer installed?

DrippingSprings · #13 09/08/07, 07:23 PM

on that one there should be a pressure switch on the back of the compressor and a clutch cycling/ switch also on the line or the accum.

too little coolant will cause the clutch to not cycle.

sounds like you may be freezing up so id check the orifice/expansion valve to see if its clogged and check to see if you see any icing on the outside of the line

sugarbush · #14 09/08/07, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agmantoo

Some AC systems have both a high pressure and a low pressure cutout switch. You may either have to little or to much freon in the system. A drop of moisture in the system can also freeze and and clog the lines until it thaws. How long did the vacuum pump run to evacuate the system and was a new dryer installed?

The evac ran for 25 minutes.....I did not put a dryer in....the dealer said they don't need to be replaced unless the compressor goes out and blows metal fragments into it......when it stops running both the line into the evap and out of the dryer are hot to the touch.... I know one should be cold??? I am planning on taking it back into the A/C shop this week to see what they think.......My wife wants me to replace the compressor and the dryer as they are the only two components that have not been replaced yet... The Jeep A/C has both high and low pressure switch.......you can tell when it is getting low because of the rapid fire cycling......I guess too much pressure is a possibility, but would it run that long before cutting off?

Beeman · #15 09/08/07, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sugarbush

The evac ran for 25 minutes.....I did not put a dryer in....the dealer said they don't need to be replaced unless the compressor goes out and blows metal fragments into it......when it stops running both the line into the evap and out of the dryer are hot to the touch.... I know one should be cold??? I am planning on taking it back into the A/C shop this week to see what they think.......My wife wants me to replace the compressor and the dryer as they are the only two components that have not been replaced yet... The Jeep A/C has both high and low pressure switch.......you can tell when it is getting low because of the rapid fire cycling......I guess too much pressure is a possibility, but would it run that long before cutting off?

The drier is just that, it's a dessicant bag inside that container. any exposure to the atmosphere and moisture gets absorbed by the bag. Having an open system easily contaminates the drier.
Evacuation does a few things. One it lowers the pressure, creates a vacum which lowers the boiling point of water so the water in the system vaporizes and gets evacuated. The other thing it does is pull the vacum so you can leak check before adding any freon. 25 min is not much time to evac a system that has been open and a drier not replaced but that's the system of flat rate in a delaership.

Your jeep should have an electric fan in addition to the engine fan. The electric fan should run with the A/C on. If it doesn't run the A/C pressure will get too high and cause the compressor to shut off due to high pressure. Do you have a guage set to check pressure? Did it operate correctly when the dealer charged it? Did the dealer allow it to run and watch pressures?
Did the dealer install the proper amount of the proper oil? A component replacement requires oil addition, there is a chart for quantity per component as the compressor has no resevoir and depends on circulated oil in the system. They should also have installed a flourescent leak detection dye to test for current and future leaks.

sugarbush · #16 09/09/07, 10:12 AM

Yeah they added 2 oz of oil with the dye in it. The electric fan was running when the clutch on the compressor kicked out.....when I left the A/C shop it was working fine and they had let it run for about 10 minutes after they took it off of the evac/charge machine.....the guage was reading 40 psi when they disconnected it...... He kept feeling the lines at the dryer so I have a feeling something didn't feel right to him, but he took a reading at the vent in the car and said it was putting out 36 deg. I took it out today for an hour or so and the ac worked the whole time but I can hear the Compressor cycling on and off about every 10 seconds........I am guessing that the system is leaking down again? I still have to check to see if any dye is showing up.....he said to use yellow shooting glasses to see it if it leaks? Is that the best way? I know this do it yourself deal sounds like more of a pain than it is worth, but I only have a quarter of the cost of a dealer installed evap into the evap, all new o- rings, new liquid line, and two evac and charges.