my air conditioning worked fine one day the next day it died only blows cool air i can here it "kick" on but still only cool not cold air . dont think its a refrigerant leak issue, just wondering wheres a good place to start looking.








2000 ram 2500 ats transmission juice w/attitude monitor 4 inch straight pipe

 

check the refrigerant level/pressure first then if that is good visually look to make sure the compressor is turning when it clicks. If all that is good then it is more than likley your compressor.

or you can take it to a shop and ask them to check it out, most shops do an a/c inspection for free, and tell you what is wrong. then go home and change the part.

 

You can go to most auto parts stores and purchase a low pressure guage. They are cheap and easy to read. Not to accurate but they can tell you the refrigerant levels. Easy way to test compressor is to run the truck with the a/c on and block the condenser with cardboard. This should raise your head pressures and corespond with your suction pressures. After blocking you should see the suction pressure start to rise. By blocking the condenser you are simulating high outdoor ambient temps. If you stick that low pressure gauge on and it pegs with the a/c on the compressors valves have failed or are starting to fail. Also check for a cold suction line during running.

 

thanks for the advice, i think ill give that a try. i dont think its a refrigerant issue because the truck has always had cold ac, then just one day nothing but cool air . also now thats its cooler outside the defrost isnt clearing the windows. worked great one, day gone the next!

 

It sounds like you do have a refrigerant leak. Maybe a high pressure leak through a hose. When the system gets up to pressure and starts running in a high temp ambient situation the head pressure can be quite high and may push refrigerant through a small crack in a rubber hose, o-ring, or crimp connection. Then when the pressure drops it seals up and does'nt leak any more. Check all the high side connections for oil residue. If you see oil residue there is possibly a leak in that location. Check the connection while running the system with a mixture of soap and water and see if bubbles form. You can also block air flow through the condenser with a piece of card board to raise the head pressure to a point that would cause said leak to push through. Don't worry about over pressurizing the system cause there should be a high pressure saftey switch just off the discharge of the compressor to shut the system down if it overpressures.

The a/c runs in defrost for 2 reasons:
1. Keep o-rings and seal joints lubed with oil to prevent them from drying out during the winter.
2. Dry the air through the evaporator by running the coil below the dew point levels in the air.
This is why water drains out underneath the truck during the summer in high humidity situations. If the refrigerant is low the coil will never cool below the dew point and meet its saturation level there by not defogging your windshield. Sorry for the drawn out post but refrigeration is what I do for a living and I just want to help.

 

really appreciate the in depth info. going to check it out today