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  #1  
Old 03-23-2010, 11:37 AM
nktruck nktruck is offline
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Default Air conditioner compressor kicks on and off

So after a long winter I tried to use my AC and the fan worked but the air wasn't cooling. So I bought a recharge can of the r-134 I believe it is called and now the compressor will turn on for a second, make a sound like a drum is beating three times, and shuts off. The system took a entire recharge can. Should I try another one or is it problem with a sensor or the clutch on the compressor?

Any thoughts on the matter would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
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Old 03-23-2010, 07:10 PM
Inv Inv is offline
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Default Re: Air conditioner compressor kicks on and off

you might have overcharged the system. or im not sure if you can do this is a auto compressor, but you could of charged it right into the compressor and tried to turn it on and when theres liquid refridgerent in the compressor it could have broke the piston. imnot sure tho.. i worked on residential systems.
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Old 03-23-2010, 08:22 PM
FireRanger FireRanger is offline
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Default Re: Air conditioner compressor kicks on and off

I think you were screwed before you even tried to recharge it. If it was empty to begin with, it was already screwed. Now its sounds even more screwed.
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Old 03-23-2010, 08:25 PM
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Default Re: Air conditioner compressor kicks on and off

Quote:
Originally Posted by FireRanger View Post
I think you were screwed before you even tried to recharge it. If it was empty to begin with, it was already screwed. Now its sounds even more screwed.
Haha Agreed.
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Old 03-23-2010, 08:49 PM
Vrod21 Vrod21 is offline
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Default Re: Air conditioner compressor kicks on and off

A couple thoughts. Can you see the clutch engage and spin on the front of the compressor? If not how much room is there between the compressor and the clutch plate? If there is too much space the clutch will try to engage but not be able to.

Story time. After I bought my truck I had a similar problem. The clutch would try to engage and make a similar noise. I tried filling the system with R-134a. I emptied out the system. Everything I tried would not help the clutch engage. I had my grandpa over. He looked at it and told my my clutch plate was too far away from the compressor. I thought he was crazy. We took a piece of tin, wedged it in between the clutch plate and the clutch plate housing (pushing the clutch plate magnet closer to the compressor. Low and behold it started to engage. It wouldn't stay on consistently though. Grandpa told me to grind down the clutch plate. I did and it has worked perfect.

To grind down the plate:
Remove the bolt in the center of the clutch plate.
Pry clutch plate off
Grind down the clutch plate. (its obvious where you need to grind)
Do this slowly.
Grind, install, check.
Repeat.
Repeat.

Hope that is your problem...otherwise it sounds like a new compressor.
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