A/C worked then didn't, what to do?

[YR240]

Today I was installing a new head unit and in order to do that I had to pull the molding off (s14) around the HVAC, I decided to go ahead and clean up around there while I already had every thing apart. So, I removed the HVAC and disconnected it from its 3 pigtails did my install, and put every thing back together. Once I started it up the A/C would no longer blow cold. It was an Icebox just before that. What happened?

[silpena]

u might have disconnect/pinched a vacuum(sp) line or some connector is still loose. Does ur defroster blow but center ducts don't? if so then ur hvac might have gone into safe mode and fuse blew.

[YR240]

Yes It does do that, It will only blow the Defroster and the floorboard. I switched the AC relay next to the battery with the fog light Relay since the foglights have never worked, there are wires but no connectors in the housing? Where is the Fuse? I looked in the main panel under the hood, they where good, and the same in the auxillary fuse box under the dash.

[silpena]

should be in the kicker panel on drivers side. I think 10 or 15 amp fuse not sure. Check that out.

[YR240]

Replaced the fuse, it was a 7.5 amp. still no luck, the compressor comes on when you press the AC button and stays on, but no cool air is produced.

[silpena]

hmm did u mess with any of the ducting/ vacuume line or my big guess would be u might had hit one of the flaps or doors that open and let in cold air. YOu could have also messed up to boden(sp) cable(heat lever thing). I would take it apart and check all the doors and flaps in the hvac and see if anything is stuck.

[YR240]

I will check everything and see what happens tonight. Thanks for the input.

[YR240]

I checked, and no results, which is the booden cable? I went through every wire to make sure they had good connection, they did. Is it possible a recharge would help? The compressor comes on and stays on like I said so I am not sure. If the compressor is on, the the refrigerant should be running through the entire system, right? or is there some kind of bypass the diverts the refrigerant from entering the evap? If the compressor is running and everything, shouldnt the evap be getting cold?

[silpena]

feel the high side(suction line) low side(discharge). The high side side should be warm or hot and low side should be cold. IF its hot on both sides then yes u need a recharge or start looking at pressure switch or maybe the ambient air sensor but i don't see how removing the hvac could have f'ed this up. THe booden cable is basically the lever to pick hot or cold. IF u can move it and see the blend doors moving in the hvac then ur good. It could be leaking, could be an electrical short/ can be something clogged like ur orfice tube. or could be ur compressor is done. I could check that out for u with some gauges but sorry i can't. Its wierd becuase u say ur upper defrost works and ur lower ones also but nothing is coming out from the center ducts. Usually its a bad fuse or some kind of short and ur hvac is in safety mode. When u drive slowly maybe just drive down the street on a smooth surface just idling. Turn on the a/c. If ur compressor is working, you should feel it grab. Its very easy to feel it turn on and grab the clutch while idling and moving(drive like 4-6 mph don't give it gas). I can feel mien grab and its obviously. IF no grabby then i look into a leak, or some kind electrical problem.

[YR240]

The Booden Leaver Works as far as I can tell. When you switch it, much warmer air comes out. I got all the ducts to open up by replacing the A/C relay under the hood. The A/C compressor defiantly grabs when the button is pushed and stays on until you turn it off. All the doors open and close in the HVAC when I move the slider and when the button is pushed. Could it be my HVAC controller possibly? I have noticed that all the except one is burned out. It seems in my reinstall it took quiet a shock. About 6 months ago I replaced all the lights in the HVAC with LED's with with a resistor on them.

[silpena]

i doubt it but u can try it. The only thing is u said that it worked perfectly before u did this. Did u grab or touch the a/c lines like i said? if its not cold and one is not hot then there is nothing or ur ac system is low and needs a recharge soon. Don''t want ur compressor to lock up or go out due to lack of lubrication. I wish i could hook u a gauge set and perform a stress test on your a/c system if i was closer.

[YR240]

I have a set of gauges i can use, not sure how to use them though. What do I do and what am I looking for?

[silpena]

oh cool. are they r13a or r12 gauges? You should know if they are r134a since they have quick disconnect feature that makes easy to hook them up.You should be looking for the pressures in the high and low side.First hook them up. Open them up then watch the pressure. Check out the high side and turn on your car then give me ur readings. It should increase fairly evenly. If the high side increases alot and low side stays low than something might be clogged or over charges. If low side increases and high side doesn;t then ur low on freon.(i think i need to look at it) just let me know what ur readings are and the ambient temp is out side.

[YR240]

The Gauges are old r12 gauges so they wont match up; however, I charged the system , it was really low according to the meter on the r134a recharge kit, and I have my Ice box back. It has been cold all day. Is there some kind of refrigerant blow off valve if the pressure gets to high? Thanks for the help, what do you know about cleaning the evaporator? The last driver was a smoker and you can tell when you first turn on the ac, I read that cleaning out the ducting and the evap can combat that.

[silpena]

well that good u fixed it but i will warn you those recharges in a can are really bad for ur ac system. Most of those contain sealants that gum up the system so next time u need a recharge i would go to a shop and have them dispose it and tell them u used it so they don't find out and over charge. They need a special machine for that stuff since it contaminates everything. theres no blow off mechanisim just u have a leak somewhere. YOu can probley find it by using SNOOP or just soapy water around all the lines and connections. CLeaning the evap? u can't. They have a dessicant n them that absorbs moister. I'm not sure where the smoke is coming from. YOu can clean the ducting since there could be something in there getting hot and burning or maybe change ur filter. That could be dirty. I've hard some evaps and condensers doing funny things like spraying flaky stuff at customers upon use but thats all, not smoke. I think the filter for the ur ac system is either behind the glove compartment or under the windshield wipers.

[r3v_v3ng3]

they do have a aerosol evap cleaner. it suppose to remove the mold that formed around your evaporator fins

[silpena]

yeah i know i use lysol and get like lemon sents, real nice smell to the car when u turn on the ac. Cleaning it won't fix the smoke but can help. I'm just stumped on where the smoke is coming. I know my car did the same thing once and never happen again.