I just replaced the a/c compressor on our 2004 camry. the pulley made a lot of noise then the whole pump did, so i replaced that along with the reciever/dryer and o/rings. i didnt go as far as checking the expansion valve, i figure i hopefully wouldnt need to since that is a big job.

I didnt properly evacuate the system before charging. my uncle could actually do that but since hes so busy i was hoping i could just sklip that. orignally i think my hose for refilling leaked so i got a different one and just refilled it again (minus a little bit of pressure on the low port)

anyway thats what ive done now the problem is. on most days it doesnt seem to come out that cold.. when it was 80 it didnt not even with the artic freeze freon they sell. just now i checked and it feel colder, i think it does come out cold sometimes but not always.

the low port line is cold and does have condensation after a while, the high port is pretty if not very hot. the compressor will make a noise periodically.

so im wondering if i got air in there? and should get it properly evacuated. but i guess i want to rule out any other problems first, because i just spent a heck of a lot of money emptying and refilling it (yes not the way i should, but the way I could sorry guys),

but there was a question maybe someone can answer about the climate control box inside the car. (where the buttons are). i noticed i can turn the a/c pump on and off with the a/c button (obiovusly i know this) but then i was messing with the recycle button. my girlfriend told me when you used to put the recycle button for inside air) it used to come out harder . but now it does for 1 second and then back off. even with the blower motor setting on high. (the blower will change if you manually change it so thats okay). i just notice something different and its done it twice tonight.

i tried to turn the a.c off (the compressor) with the a/c button and the pump would not stop spinning (the clutch) woudlnt disengage,. however when i hit the recycle button from outside air to inside air it turned it off or on . nowi turned the car off and started over and the a/c button turns the pump on and off again.. is there a glitch in my climate control? maybe why the air doesnt always come out cold . which is hardly..? or something else. any ideas is appreciate. i tried to explain it well, but if theres a question for more information, please ask. id like to figure this out. its getting hot now and we really need the a/c working thanks!

 

I suggest you evacuate the system of air with the vacuum pump (have a vacuum great then 29 hg of mercury), then recharge. Let the vacuum run for a couple of hours after reaching 29 hg.

By not evacuating the system moisture has gotten into the plumping. The moisture will freeze and cause cooling problems plus it can cause corrosion and other problems.

 

okay . this morning and yesterday a new problem seem to happen. i hadnt gone to have some evacuate the system and recharge it fresh, yet.. was waiting to pay day. BUT i hook a working pressure gauge up to the low port and it red a little under the green prob. below 20. so i thought maybe it was a little too low on freon thats why it wasnt as cold. cuz i know i didnt fill it up all the way. but i didnt think it matter. well i went ahead and bought another can (11 oz) of freon and while watching the gauge put it in. it didnt go above the green. and i thought it was okay.. well the other problem i had was the air not coming out hard. but i thought i figured that one out was the cabin filter (even though it wasnt all that long ago i changed it)..

well not long, actually right after i charged it. the a/c would click on click off click on click off... pause 5 to 10 seconds, then do it again .. the click on click off are right after one another. never did this before. lastnight i got it to stay running... and everything seemed better. but this morning went to turn it on... it clicked on clicked off and then made a loud screech almost like when you try to start the car while its already running).i also noticed as the pulley was going one way, the a/c clutch was slowly moving backwards until it finally stopped. i havent turned it on. ive been trying to find info on this so i came back here.

do you think its overcharged? or something going wrong . i just bought a new compressor. and i can still have someone recharge it but i dont want to waste $100 if theres more to it. any help is appreciated thannks!

 

If there is air in the system you may get strange pressure readings on the low side.

I don't have exact data for this car but a full charge may be something like 19 oz +/- 2 oz. How much total Freon did you add?

Too much can cause problems with compressor lock. If you think you added too much don't operate the AC until some Freon is removed!

Typically there is a sight glass on top of the receiver/drier. This allows viewing of the Freon in the system. With the engine warm, when the AC compressor is off or is running (say for a minute) the fluid should be clear of bubbles. When the compressor is starting and stopping air bubbles will form.

Ideally you want to add enough freon until the bubbles disappear during compressor operation plus about 1.5 oz more.

I suggest you have a shop remove the Freon then vacuum the system. Then add the appropriate amount.

Low side pressure should be between 22 and 36 psi if OK. The can type recharge systems have a chart of system pressure versus outside air temp. The pressure will increase with the air temp. If the pressure is too low 1 oz or 2 is added then the pressure rechecked.

Guessing the air in the system from lack of vacuuming is causing problems and or you added too much Freon.

Again, don't operate the AC system until you remove some of the Freon as guessing there is too much resulting in the compressor locking up.

I doubt if the compressor is damaged yet, but you don't want to run it in this condition.

See Private Message.

 

Yea i let some of the a/c out quite a bit , while watching a gauge... when i felt enough was let out. i gave it a shot. it did turn on . on and off no problem so whatever happen prob was because of the freon. the original can said it had 16.5 oz i recharged. then i add another 11., and a small can of oil charge. it says on the car it holds 1.33 lbs at max. so yea it was a little too much, but it says the #8 for oil (the label under the hood) does that mean 8oz of oil? thats what I took it as.. well . though its gonna be 90 on monday. gonna just take it in and have it done right...

i dont think theres a leak, the old compressor may have worked right BUT the pulley was making a lot of noise... you can hear it when you spin in. so i hope all it needs is a proper charge and vacuum out!

 

8 means ND-OIL8, the type of oil used.

If the compressor was replace or oil drained out when taken apart it's something like 4.1 oz +/- 1/2 oz.

If you didn't drain out any oil (only freon) suggest not adding any.

 

okay. i took it to my uncles he has an evacuater and gauge manifolds and . we emptied the system and evacuated it and then i filled it back up. but it still doesnt feel as cold as it seems. our van comes out colder. the low pressure line going into the evaporator core feels cold, and has water dripping off it after it runs a while, the high pressure line coming out is hot! he doesnt think its the expansion valve since it comes out somewhat cool. but at the coldest setting youd think it be pretty cold. well he mentioned a couple things, one if the condensor fins are dirty? when i took it off after i changed the compressor. it didnt look like it, but i didnt really examine it either closely, so i will hose it carefully out tomorrow. but he said since i didnt evacuate the system after i first filled it. when i replaced the drier that it could be oversaturated (used up) from the moisture/air i left in the system and it may need changed. or this can maybe cause it not to come out very cold. do you think thats possible? i dont want to go buy more freon (costing me $30 everytime) and then another dryer filter, just to test this. if it wouldnt. any other ideas is great.! iits been in the 90s here and can really use a good a/c.. i dont remember the old a/c being hot . just noisy when it worked... and by the time i pay a mechanic to fix the whole system i could prob just replace the entire system! any help is appreciated. tahanks!

 

still no luck. it comes out cool (but not cold) more like a fan. it never comes out warm or hot though. I dont know if i should rechange the drier or not . my uncle says it could have gotten oversatruated when i didnt evacuate it the first time. makes sense, but i dont know if that is it. the other day.. i did a couple things. i checked the low side pressure (was around 30 to 35) and appripiatre for the outside temp. I did hose down the condensor. and it seemed a lot colder then. it also cooled down a bit about 70 since it rained. so i dont know if what i did , did anything. but i read somewhere once that someone told them to try and hose the condensor and if the air inside drops it means something. but i dont remember what it means... the compressor doesnt cycle on and off at all. only when i turn it on and when i turn it off.. however twice now.. if i have the inside air running but not the a/c, (the compressor is off) and i turn it on it made a screech. it doesnt do this hardly at all. only twice now. once it did it when i overcharged it, but this time i know its not overcharged. so i dont know why it did that... i really want to figure this out. i hate to have to did out hundreds of dollars for something i could do myself. my uncle evacuated it.. He has the equipment so i can do everything the right way now.. i dont know. the line in the evaporator is somewhat cold.. it will have water vapor on it sometimes if its been on a while, and the other line comes out hot. so i think the evaporator/expansion valve is okay.... any other thoughts? should i change the drier again and recharge it...? thanks.... also what does spraying the condensor with cold water do that can tell you something? i dont remember where i saw that message at..

 

Not an AC expert.

Supposedly the driers in new cars are very small to save cost. If the system is opened up and left open for any length of time the drier gets full of water. Replacement of the drier whenever the system is opened up has become SOP.

Still the compressor should run and put out cold air until any moisture in the system freeze up then the system will not longer generate cold are. You will have the fan air as you have now.

The screech could be a belt issue. If the belt becomes glazed it can continue to make noise even if adjusted properly.

If you still have the gauge set send a private message with email address. Will send a file on the AC system. By comparing low/high gauge pressure you may be able to determine what is wrong with the system.

The AC system has both high and low pressure switches. If the pressure is too high or low the compressor will not operate.

 

i do appreciate your help. i do need to replace the drive belt at some point, its starting to form little cracks in it. but i didnt think it was that bad cuz its not squealing all the time. like belts usually make.

you can send anything to foxyroxy111298@yahoo.com. thanks for all your help. its supose to be mid 90s here today and tomorrow. this really sucks. but i havent given up yet