Air conditioning question

[cantvalve16]

The A/C on the wife's Corolla isn't workin' right. Summer in Bakersfield is like it sounds... baking. A/C will come on and blow fine. Not quite as cold as before, though. Will cool for a few minutes and then get muggy and warm. Warm enough that going with the windows down is better. Then, it will start to cool off again a couple minutes later. What are your thoughts?

I am wondering if the cycling switch is not making it cycle fast enough and needs to be replaced. Thoughts?

[TC]

The A/C on the wife's Corolla isn't workin' right. Summer in Bakersfield is like it sounds... baking. A/C will come on and blow fine. Not quite as cold as before, though. Will cool for a few minutes and then get muggy and warm. Warm enough that going with the windows down is better. Then, it will start to cool off again a couple minutes later. What are your thoughts?

I am wondering if the cycling switch is not making it cycle fast enough and needs to be replaced. Thoughts?

Sounds like the compressor is turning off or in your case cycling, probably low on freon.......

It'll be that or the heater door is opening in the duck work in the dash and then closing again.....

I would run the car until the a/c start blowing warm then pull over and see if the compressor is turning.....if it's not then it's probably low on freon.....

[ls7gto]

Most imports and Chryslers have sit glasses . They are normally close to the accumulator/receiver drier. When the compressor is running it should be pretty clear, not alot of bubbles. if lots of bubbles, low in freon. I have found alot of toyota and Honda condensers leaking at the seams, you find dirt and oil around the leak. i always use gauges, and they re cheap at harbor freight, i can help more if i knew the pressures.

[cantvalve16]

Great replies guys. I will get some more intel and report back.

[yellomalibu]

It's best to use the gauges to know if you're low on freon or if something else is wrong.

The Blazer - converted to 134a - never blew very cold. I took it to a mechanic to check it out. He found that the high pressure switch was still the R12 switch, and was cycling the compressor off before it built enough pressure for the 134 to work well. I bought a replacement adjustable pressure switch and it's been better ever since.

It still has a slow leak in the hoses, so now when it starts not blowing as cool, I add a can of refrigerant with one of those hoses you can buy pretty cheap at the parts store.

[Huskinhano]

Could be low on refrigerant which may cause the evaporator to be too cold. It'll freeze up blocking the flow of air, hence getting warm. It'll thaw out from lack of air flow and get cold It;ll keep repeating the cycle of warm and cold.

[Eliteman76]

I'm inclined that it's low on refrigerant.
As your place, run the car on max ac, point a fan at the front of the car if you have a box fan etc, and listen for the clutch to cycle.
I had issues on my old F150 when it would get low, the clutch would cycle a lot until it was topped of with R12.
I had the cool-warm issue on my Torino until I put a gage set on it and realized we did not add enough 134a in the conversion.

You can pick up a can tap at a parts place or walmart, screw on a can of 134a, and access the LOW side fitting. The gage on the can tap will show the PSI, will have a red-green zone.
Here is the link on Walmart's site.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Deluxe-R-1...Gauge/16888796
Interestingly enough, the Walmart sight has some different 134a can taps...never thought I would have seen the old style side piercing can taps still made.
Perfect for tapping into coors tall boys...