Need help with Condinser on 2003 S-10freezing up, not low on freon?

Tiny
HIGHLANDERTONY
  • MEMBER
  • 2003 CHEVROLET S-10
  • 125 MILES
Have a 2003 Chevy S-10 Pickup, after about 20minutes of driving the condinser & dryer freezes up badly. I have checked the freon, and had a vacum pulled on the dydtem all is well in this area. Can you tell me whats causing this to happen? Thanks
Wednesday, July 4th, 2012 AT 2:33 AM

10 Replies

Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Change the orfice tube and the dryer.

Roy
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Wednesday, July 4th, 2012 AT 2:40 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Just to add to this one does it stop blowing cold air?I have seen evap cores in the dash freeze up so bad they dont allow air to come thru the ac vents. That was caused by the ac compressor set point beinv adjusted too high.
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Wednesday, July 4th, 2012 AT 2:43 AM
Tiny
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Thank you both for the information you provided.I have Changed the Orfice tube and the dryer now. Unfortunatley I am still haveing the same trouble with it freezing up after about 20 to 25 minutes of run time. The volume of air flow is cut to about an eighth of flow verses what it starts at. ( The orfice tube did have a whole it.)Any other sugestions would be most welcome. Thanks
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Thursday, July 5th, 2012 AT 12:48 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
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What are the pressures when it freezes up?

Roy
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Thursday, July 5th, 2012 AT 12:51 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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So your evaporator core in the dash is freezing up restricting the air flow into the truck?
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Thursday, July 5th, 2012 AT 4:42 PM
Tiny
HIGHLANDERTONY
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Yes my evaporator core & dryer are freezing up. Core is located outside of vehicle though not in the dash. Also I have not gotten a pressure reading when it freezes up yet. I usually shut the unit off switch it from AC to vent and continue driving untill it thaws out again. We have Idled the truck for as much as 40 minutes, unit will not freeze up even increased the RPM at an idle to match RPM being used while driving (2500 RPM )still will not freeze up. But as soon as you start driving within 20 to 25 minutes shes frozen over. ( Heavily frozen, 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch of ice builds up on the dryer & evaporator core.
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Thursday, July 5th, 2012 AT 5:11 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Lets get some pressure readings high and low?It looks like the ac compressor is moving too much liquid R134a into the system. It sounds a lot like the early saturns I was telling you about that the ac compressors set point was set too high. They were so bad that the evaporator core froze solid so no air came out the vents inside.
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Friday, July 6th, 2012 AT 6:11 AM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
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Make sure your blower is working properly and nothing is restricting air flow across the evap and if it is, I would replace the cycling switch. Once replaced, verify that it is cutting the compressor off below about 22PSI.
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Friday, July 6th, 2012 AT 10:13 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Thanks wrenchtech I was hoping you would run across this question and pitch in.
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Friday, July 6th, 2012 AT 4:39 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
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No problem Louie
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Friday, July 6th, 2012 AT 4:40 PM

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