Air conditioner blowing warm air

Tiny
JOED1959
  • MEMBER
  • 1995 BUICK PARK AVENUE
  • 100,000 MILES
I have the air conditioner set on sixty degrees, which is the lowest setting for my car. The compressor is engaged and turning. It blows out warm air. Until I accelerate it starts to blow colder air but still not that cold. I checked the refrigerant in the system and apparently it is full, I checked them with gauges on the low pressure side. The gauges are in the red, which states danger zone. The accumulator and the aluminum or metal tubes that run from the accumulator to the compressor are not that cold. Usually you would see those tubes get really cold to the touch and they would have water droplets on them. What could be the problem! Please respond, I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank You,
Joseph DiTomaso
Thursday, June 28th, 2012 AT 4:29 AM

4 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Usually when your low on charge when you give it gas it will start to blow cold if it was not at idle. You cannot tell if the system is fully charged with an A/C pressure gauge. The only way to tell if the car has the properly charge is have the charged recovered it will be weighed by the A/C machine. Then put the correct pressure back in. So what are the low and high side pressures at idle?
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Thursday, June 28th, 2012 AT 4:38 AM
Tiny
FRANKHALLMAN
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
A number of reasons could cause the air to turn cold at higher compressor speeds. Get a real set of A/C manifold/gauges and hook up both suction and discharge. Engage A/C and check for at least 5 or 6 to 1 compression across compressor. Suction side should be around 40 give or take. Discharge should be at least 200+ if compressor is good. I like to see around 45 suction to 280 discharge If you see 50+ on suction and less than 200 on discharge, you are getting bypass on compressor and made need to replace it. If you have less than 40 on suction, add a little Freon R134a if you have the quick disconnect ports and R12 (expensive if you do not already have some on hand.) If you have the screw type connectors. 1995 was change out year. Most newer systems have a cutout to prevent compressor running if Freon charge is too low.
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Saturday, August 18th, 2012 AT 2:50 AM
Tiny
MTSAZ
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
What? "you cannot tell if the system is charged by the gauges?" That is how I tell- and everyone I know does too. You can tell if the pressures are right then its charged properly. Yes sure you can vacuum the system and put the exact amount in. That is the only absolute way to know 100% how much exactly is in it. However, you can tell if it is very close by the pressures, Read FRANKHALLMAN, he answered it perfectly. The low and high are a ratio and I think your system is way overcharged. You need to evacuate- with recovery machine, then make sure no leaks by making sure it holds a vacuum, then charging it with the exact amount either using a scale or the recovery machine depending on the machine.
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Saturday, June 9th, 2018 AT 10:54 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,375 POSTS
Great addition to this thread! Please feel free to help out whenever you are on the site :)

Cheers, Ken
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Monday, June 11th, 2018 AT 12:50 PM

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