A/C going bad?

[1nsanity]

hey guys,

something is wrong with my a/c and i cant tell what. whenever it is "on" it no longer blows cold air. also, it clicks very loudly and my entire car shudders as if it is about to stall out. i feel like an a/c recharge will be able to get it blowing cold again, but what is bothersome is the car shudder whenever the a/c is engaged. could this be a precursor to more problems? will a recharge help with this or not? can i just disengage the compressor so i can only use the fan? i am trying to hold off taking it to a mechanic for now because from the places ive talked to, it will be at least a $40 fee for them to just check it out and if i can avoid that i will. any help is appreciated, thanks!

[Sponsor]

[Tymes]

A recharge should bring back the cold, but I wouldn't waste my money on that until you get the other issue dealt with, if its putting that much strain on the car when you turn it on, the bearing might be shot in the a/c unit itself, making it very hard to turn, and because its on the serpentine belt, that could be the cause of the shuddering as it slows everything down.

[1nsanity]

you the man tymes, guess ill get it into a mechanic this week. kinda sucks cause im takin a trip down to nc first weekend in july and would really like a/c for that. if it is just the bearings, will i need a whole new compressor you think?

[whynotthinkwhynot]

Originally Posted by 1nsanity

something is wrong with my a/c and i cant tell what. whenever it is "on" it no longer blows cold air. also, it clicks very loudly and my entire car shudders as if it is about to stall out. i feel like an a/c recharge will be able to get it blowing cold again

Originally Posted by Tymes

A recharge should bring back the cold, but I wouldn't waste my money on that until you get the other issue dealt with, if its putting that much strain on the car when you turn it on, the bearing might be shot in the a/c unit itself, making it very hard to turn, and because its on the serpentine belt, that could be the cause of the shuddering as it slows everything down.

Ok, rule #1 for all refrigerant systems- if you need to add refrigerant you have a leak. Putting another can in is not fixing, and most of the time it's wasting money.

You're right to fix the shudder first before repairing the AC. Now, I'd first want to know if the shudder was caused by low idle. The IAC should boost the idle to compensate for the compressor. Several things will cause this not to happen if that's your problem- which is sounds like it is. A bad PCV valve line that is collapsing under idle will reduce idle and it's one of our usual suspects. I'd check that, and take the car through a typical tune-up to alleviate the shuddering idle with the AC on.

Spark plugs (at least clean and regap)
Spark plug wires- lifetime warranty from your favorite parts store, never pay again
Air filter (if more than 20k since last filter)
Fuel filter (if more than 20k since last filter)

As far as the AC itself goes there are a lot of reasons why an AC doesn't work or work well. Yes, low refrigerant is one, but low refrigerant would cause the AC to cycle off more often. Too much refrigerant will cause a lot of draw on the engine, and won't cool very well. Pressure is directly related to temperature, and in this case it's the temperature of the evaporator. That's why adding a can isn't always the solution. In your case, you're more likely to be overcharged already, or you might have a clogged orifice tube that is causing extra high head pressures.

Seriously, with good luck your problem is merely a bad PCV valve vacuum line, and nothing is wrong with the AC. Low idle won't do an AC very well either. It should run while moving though, and it should work, so if it's not working while you're driving- then you have some sort of problem. Maybe it's bad bearings, or just too much refrigerant. I've seen all sorts of stuff- including loose bracket bolts.

[Tymes]

Its the clicking when the AC is on that's pushes me towards it being the AC its self, and bad bearings can be audible if the cage is thinning out or coming apart. It is possible that it is the compresser clutch making the noise, but I'm hoping the OP knows what the clutch sounds like normally.

TO the OP, DO NOT take a single answer as being the end of this thread. Mine post is what comes to my mind, whynotthinkwhynot has other ideas, which can be more easily checked. Look at all possibilities that you can fix on your own first.

[1nsanity]

Originally Posted by whynotthinkwhynot

Ok, rule #1 for all refrigerant systems- if you need to add refrigerant you have a leak. Putting another can in is not fixing, and most of the time it's wasting money.

You're right to fix the shudder first before repairing the AC. Now, I'd first want to know if the shudder was caused by low idle. The IAC should boost the idle to compensate for the compressor. Several things will cause this not to happen if that's your problem- which is sounds like it is. A bad PCV valve line that is collapsing under idle will reduce idle and it's one of our usual suspects. I'd check that, and take the car through a typical tune-up to alleviate the shuddering idle with the AC on.

Spark plugs (at least clean and regap)
Spark plug wires- lifetime warranty from your favorite parts store, never pay again
Air filter (if more than 20k since last filter)
Fuel filter (if more than 20k since last filter)

As far as the AC itself goes there are a lot of reasons why an AC doesn't work or work well. Yes, low refrigerant is one, but low refrigerant would cause the AC to cycle off more often. Too much refrigerant will cause a lot of draw on the engine, and won't cool very well. Pressure is directly related to temperature, and in this case it's the temperature of the evaporator. That's why adding a can isn't always the solution. In your case, you're more likely to be overcharged already, or you might have a clogged orifice tube that is causing extra high head pressures.

Seriously, with good luck your problem is merely a bad PCV valve vacuum line, and nothing is wrong with the AC. Low idle won't do an AC very well either. It should run while moving though, and it should work, so if it's not working while you're driving- then you have some sort of problem. Maybe it's bad bearings, or just too much refrigerant. I've seen all sorts of stuff- including loose bracket bolts.

about a month ago i was having some idling problems when i would come to stop lights and that was with my a/c off (car would shudder and battery light would come on). took it in and got new plugs and wires as well as an induction service. it has been fine ever since then as long as i dont have the a/c on. also, the car runs fine with no shuddering whenever i am driving with the a/c on. sometimes ill throw the a/c on while im on the highway during hot days in hopes it will spit out some cold air haha

i will ask them about the pcv valve line whenever i take it in. hopefully that is the only thing causing this and can be an easy fix. i will also have them check the filters.

Originally Posted by Tymes

Its the clicking when the AC is on that's pushes me towards it being the AC its self, and bad bearings can be audible if the cage is thinning out or coming apart. It is possible that it is the compresser clutch making the noise, but I'm hoping the OP knows what the clutch sounds like normally.

TO the OP, DO NOT take a single answer as being the end of this thread. Mine post is what comes to my mind, whynotthinkwhynot has other ideas, which can be more easily checked. Look at all possibilities that you can fix on your own first.

yeah, i usually come here for suggestions so when i take it into the mechanic i can more understand what he is saying or offer up something "that ive read" might be causing the problem haha

thanks for the help guys!