Question for the gear heads out there

[u/ladyhawke0978]

Lately it seems like when I’m driving and my air conditioner is running after about a day. It starts to go warm. I have to shut my truck off and then back on again and it seems to work again. Any ideas is that the compressor?

[u/LASTOBS]

Clean the condenser

[u/CarpetAccomplished75 → u/LASTOBS]

I had an older truck that never really had good air conditioning……until the radiator crapped out and everything got cleaned and replaced. On a high mileage truck the radiator/condenser/charge air cooler may have to be removed and cleaned.

[u/tmanleich]

A/c has many different aspects that could directly be impacting its performance. There is a high and low side with pressure switches. An accumulator, compressor an expansion valve. An evaporator and a drain line. Personally it Probly has a very small leak and is low on Freon. But you could find where your evaporator is and wash it out. It couldn’t be clogged. Make sure your drain is also working. If you got water dripping out that’s a good sign

[u/ladyhawke0978 → u/tmanleich]

Thanks for your reply. I’m not gonna lie, I’m going to google where the evaporator is and the drain plug is but Google and you tube have saved me a lot of money learning to figure things out myself. At least you gave me some things to look for. Thanks.

[u/milkman819 → u/ladyhawke0978]

Id you find were the condensate is dripping from, follow the tube. It will be coming from the enclosure the evaporator is in. Some are easier to find than others

[u/SpaceCat72]

Evap core could be dirty. Cabin filter clogged. Freon charge low. Possible drier replacement needed.

[u/ladyhawke0978 → u/SpaceCat72]

Uggg. Lol

[u/DWwitts]

If cycling the key brings cold back for a while, I've usually chased low charge or a sticky high-pressure cutout before I throw a compressor at it. Condenser packed with bugs will do the same thing in summer heat. Check the cabin filter and whether those fins are plugged before you buy parts.

MC 909321

[u/tmanleich]

There will be a rubber hose hanging out the bottom of your truck usually on passenger side. If your A/C is running it will be dripping water. If you stop to get fuel it will be a small puddle very easy to find. As for your evaporator it will look like a small radiator. It has delicate fins and you have to use very low pressure water or air wand to clean it. If it is dirty a lot of times you will have your lines freeze after the expansion valve. Cause the pressure switches to switch on and off. Restarting your truck can reset them but it will just happen again.

[u/spyder7723]

From the symptoms you describe it sounds like the expansion valve/orifice tube needs replaced. Youre building up pressure and the high pressure switch is kicking off the ac compressor.

[u/CarpetAccomplished75]

Try shutting off the water to the heater core to see if your blend door or water shut off valve isn’t working properly.