89SupremeCutty Posted August 23, 2009 Report Share Posted August 23, 2009 i just recharged my a/c on the lumina and installed a new orifice tube. in order for the car to take the refrigerant i had to jump the relay with a wire. the system has proper pressure and comes out ice cold, but only with the jumper wire in there to turn on the compressor. i swapped the compressor relay with the fuel pump relay and the compressor relay is good. what could be the problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xtremerevolution Posted August 23, 2009 Report Share Posted August 23, 2009 i just recharged my a/c on the lumina and installed a new orifice tube. in order for the car to take the refrigerant i had to jump the relay with a wire. the system has proper pressure and comes out ice cold, but only with the jumper wire in there to turn on the compressor. i swapped the compressor relay with the fuel pump relay and the compressor relay is good. what could be the problem? What's the pressure in the system at? It could also be the high/low pressure sensor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89SupremeCutty Posted August 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2009 the system is around 40psi. where is that sensor located at? is that just down stream of the low pressure port near the accumulator? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xtremerevolution Posted August 23, 2009 Report Share Posted August 23, 2009 the system is around 40psi. where is that sensor located at? is that just down stream of the low pressure port near the accumulator? I honestly don't know where they are. I just know they exist. My guess is they're somewhere around (or on) the compressor, but don't quote me on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89SupremeCutty Posted August 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2009 the system is around 40psi. where is that sensor located at? is that just down stream of the low pressure port near the accumulator? I honestly don't know where they are. I just know they exist. My guess is they're somewhere around (or on) the compressor, but don't quote me on that. hmm...i thought that might have been it cause it was the only other sonsor that i could see on one of the lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted August 24, 2009 Report Share Posted August 24, 2009 I would say the low pressure switch is bad. The switch is located not far from the low side charge port. Towards the driver side. It screws into the low side line and has a 2 pin plug. Remove the airbox and you cant miss it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89SupremeCutty Posted August 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2009 I would say the low pressure switch is bad. The switch is located not far from the low side charge port. Towards the driver side. It screws into the low side line and has a 2 pin plug. Remove the airbox and you cant miss it that's what i thought. it looked pretty rusty lol. i think i'll stick with the jumper wire for now till i feel like spending another $30 for an 18oz can of refrigerant and another $50 for the switch. it's supposed to be on the cooler side this week anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xtremerevolution Posted August 24, 2009 Report Share Posted August 24, 2009 wait, you can short that sensor and fool the system into thinking everything I good? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted August 24, 2009 Report Share Posted August 24, 2009 I do not recommend anyone doing this to a normally functioning system because The pressure sensor keeps the compressor from running dry as it will burn up fast without proper freon. basically no freon and a bypassed switch means more damage and bye bye compressor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xtremerevolution Posted August 24, 2009 Report Share Posted August 24, 2009 I do not recommend anyone doing this to a normally functioning system because The pressure sensor keeps the compressor from running dry as it will burn up fast without proper freon. basically no freon and a bypassed switch means more damage and bye bye compressor Ignore my last statement. I discovered that my problem is yet again the relay. If I wiggle it around a bit, the compressor turns on, so I'm fine. I'm going to check the wiring in the fuse box some time this week, since I've already replaced the relay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89SupremeCutty Posted August 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2009 I do not recommend anyone doing this to a normally functioning system because The pressure sensor keeps the compressor from running dry as it will burn up fast without proper freon. basically no freon and a bypassed switch means more damage and bye bye compressor i know well enough to not mess with the pressure sensor. all i did was put a jumper wire where the relay is. the system has between 40-45psi at 70 degrees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted August 24, 2009 Report Share Posted August 24, 2009 Well in your case you know there is adequate fren in the system to not damage anything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodgethis Posted August 24, 2009 Report Share Posted August 24, 2009 Hey 89SupremeCutty do you have any pictures of where the orifice tube and how you did the recharge? I know there are how to out there on other cars on how to recharge the system, but I thought since you and I have the same car I could understand the procedure better. Such a noob thought i know........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xtremerevolution Posted August 24, 2009 Report Share Posted August 24, 2009 Hey 89SupremeCutty do you have any pictures of where the orifice tube and how you did the recharge? I know there are how to out there on other cars on how to recharge the system, but I thought since you and I have the same car I could understand the procedure better. Such a noob thought i know........ Metal pipe under the brake master cylinder on the driver's side of the car. The tube is inside the pipe, so you have to take the pipes apart to get to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89SupremeCutty Posted August 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2009 Hey 89SupremeCutty do you have any pictures of where the orifice tube and how you did the recharge? I know there are how to out there on other cars on how to recharge the system, but I thought since you and I have the same car I could understand the procedure better. Such a noob thought i know........ Metal pipe under the brake master cylinder on the driver's side of the car. The tube is inside the pipe, so you have to take the pipes apart to get to it. yep!. but it's in the high pressure side, which would be the the one with the fitting pointing straight up. dodge, i don't have any pics, but i will try to get them for you to help you out. i'll do a bit of an explanation of how i did it around 1am or so cause thats when i'll be home from work. EDIT: i didn't have enough time before work to grab pics, but i can explain exactly what i did. Before you do this, make sure you have no pressure in the system. If you do, have it removed by a shop. First i started by taking out the whole air box assembly including the intake hose to have lots of access. Next i found the fitting on the high pressure line and loosened the connector. You'll need 2 wrenches. I used 2 crescent wrenches to loosen it. Once you loosen the connector, pull a bit on the pipes to separate them to gain access to the orifice tube. To pull it out, you will need some needle nose pliers. Once it's pulled out, install the new one the same way the old one came out. I would recommend replacing the o-ring on the metal line that connects the 2 together. Next connect your can of freon to the low pressure port, which is pointing at an angle. I bought a 22oz can(i think) with the gauge on it. Not sure of the make, but it costs around $26. It's a tall can and it contains the oil and stop leak. The tall can will be enough freon for the system. If you do happen to get the tall can, make sure the gauge is tight on the can (comes with a gauge) and start screwing the handle in as if tightening it to pop the can open. Next remove the relay for the a/c compressor so you can jump it with a wire. If you don't do this your a/c compressor will never engage and take the freon. I just used a small piece of speaker wire to jump it. Start the car. Now stick the wire in the 2 holes closest to the fuel pump relay to turn the compressor on. Once you hear the compressor turn on, the fans should kick on maybe about within a minute or so. So once the car is running and the compressor is engaged, you can loosen the handle on the bottle a bit. Make sure you do it a little at a time or the gauge will go nuts and read really high. Follow the directions on the can and shake it around to keep things moving. Every so often open the handle on the bottle a bit till you see the needle jumping around. It should take anywhere from 5-15 minutes to empty the can out. If your a/c compressor doesn't kick on after you remove the jumper and put the relay back in, try swapping it with the fuel pump relay to see if it's a bad relay. if that still doesn't work, then you may have a pressure sensor. I will try to get pics as soon as possible of where everything is. i hope this explains it enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodgethis Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 Thanks 89supremecutty, It does help and will come in handy when I got to recharge the freon. I look forward to the pics when you get time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skunkworks_Zed Posted August 26, 2009 Report Share Posted August 26, 2009 Hey 89SupremeCutty do you have any pictures of where the orifice tube and how you did the recharge? I know there are how to out there on other cars on how to recharge the system, but I thought since you and I have the same car I could understand the procedure better. Such a noob thought i know........ Metal pipe under the brake master cylinder on the driver's side of the car. The tube is inside the pipe, so you have to take the pipes apart to get to it. yep!. but it's in the high pressure side, which would be the the one with the fitting pointing straight up. dodge, i don't have any pics, but i will try to get them for you to help you out. i'll do a bit of an explanation of how i did it around 1am or so cause thats when i'll be home from work. EDIT: i didn't have enough time before work to grab pics, but i can explain exactly what i did. Before you do this, make sure you have no pressure in the system. If you do, have it removed by a shop. First i started by taking out the whole air box assembly including the intake hose to have lots of access. Next i found the fitting on the high pressure line and loosened the connector. You'll need 2 wrenches. I used 2 crescent wrenches to loosen it. Once you loosen the connector, pull a bit on the pipes to separate them to gain access to the orifice tube. To pull it out, you will need some needle nose pliers. Once it's pulled out, install the new one the same way the old one came out. I would recommend replacing the o-ring on the metal line that connects the 2 together. Next connect your can of freon to the low pressure port, which is pointing at an angle. I bought a 22oz can(i think) with the gauge on it. Not sure of the make, but it costs around $26. It's a tall can and it contains the oil and stop leak. The tall can will be enough freon for the system. If you do happen to get the tall can, make sure the gauge is tight on the can (comes with a gauge) and start screwing the handle in as if tightening it to pop the can open. Next remove the relay for the a/c compressor so you can jump it with a wire. If you don't do this your a/c compressor will never engage and take the freon. I just used a small piece of speaker wire to jump it. Start the car. Now stick the wire in the 2 holes closest to the fuel pump relay to turn the compressor on. Once you hear the compressor turn on, the fans should kick on maybe about within a minute or so. So once the car is running and the compressor is engaged, you can loosen the handle on the bottle a bit. Make sure you do it a little at a time or the gauge will go nuts and read really high. Follow the directions on the can and shake it around to keep things moving. Every so often open the handle on the bottle a bit till you see the needle jumping around. It should take anywhere from 5-15 minutes to empty the can out. If your a/c compressor doesn't kick on after you remove the jumper and put the relay back in, try swapping it with the fuel pump relay to see if it's a bad relay. if that still doesn't work, then you may have a pressure sensor. I will try to get pics as soon as possible of where everything is. i hope this explains it enough. Wait, you do know you're supposed to vacuum down the system first, right? Moisture (in the air, and any humidity) in the system = very bad. First, it ruins the seals. Second, it can cause the desiccant in the accumulator to rupture, which would circulate through the system and kill the compressor. It isn't very fun to have to take apart and clean every inch of the system to get that crap out. With the system under vacuum, there is no need to jump the compressor (which as mentioned, can easily burn-up the compressor), since as soon as you crack open the can, it'll get sucked right into the system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89SupremeCutty Posted August 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2009 Wait, you do know you're supposed to vacuum down the system first, right? Moisture (in the air, and any humidity) in the system = very bad. First, it ruins the seals. Second, it can cause the desiccant in the accumulator to rupture, which would circulate through the system and kill the compressor. It isn't very fun to have to take apart and clean every inch of the system to get that crap out. With the system under vacuum, there is no need to jump the compressor (which as mentioned, can easily burn-up the compressor), since as soon as you crack open the can, it'll get sucked right into the system. yea i knew all of that. and if i had the money i would've went to a shop and had them do it for $90+tax, possibly more if they ran into problems, cause if im going to have them vacuum it down i might as well spend more money and have them recharge it. why spend $30 on a new accumulator, drive to take it to someone, charge me for labor or something to have it vacuumed out, then go back home and spend $30 on refrigerant to do it myself. i spent a grand total of $36 on new o-rings, orifice tube and refrigerant. i did this on a budget, as im sure most people won't want to spend upwards of $100 or more. the a/c works great with no problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xtremerevolution Posted August 26, 2009 Report Share Posted August 26, 2009 I did the same, only I didn't need to jump the compressor. put the pipes back together, and fill it up with 39oz of refrigerant and 16oz of pag oil. it has worked fine since then, and that was about 6 months ago. i've used it daily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89SupremeCutty Posted August 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2009 I did the same, only I didn't need to jump the compressor. put the pipes back together, and fill it up with 39oz of refrigerant and 16oz of pag oil. it has worked fine since then, and that was about 6 months ago. i've used it daily. i think the only reason i had to jump mine to take the freon is cause of a bad pressure sensor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skunkworks_Zed Posted August 27, 2009 Report Share Posted August 27, 2009 Wait, you do know you're supposed to vacuum down the system first, right? Moisture (in the air, and any humidity) in the system = very bad. First, it ruins the seals. Second, it can cause the desiccant in the accumulator to rupture, which would circulate through the system and kill the compressor. It isn't very fun to have to take apart and clean every inch of the system to get that crap out. With the system under vacuum, there is no need to jump the compressor (which as mentioned, can easily burn-up the compressor), since as soon as you crack open the can, it'll get sucked right into the system. yea i knew all of that. and if i had the money i would've went to a shop and had them do it for $90+tax, possibly more if they ran into problems, cause if im going to have them vacuum it down i might as well spend more money and have them recharge it. why spend $30 on a new accumulator, drive to take it to someone, charge me for labor or something to have it vacuumed out, then go back home and spend $30 on refrigerant to do it myself. i spent a grand total of $36 on new o-rings, orifice tube and refrigerant. i did this on a budget, as im sure most people won't want to spend upwards of $100 or more. the a/c works great with no problems. You'll be spending even more when the system fails. I don't take mine to a shop to get done either, I do it myself. My father has an old freezer compressor that I use to hook up a set of guages and the refridgerent cans to. It does the same thing as the tech's machines, but is obviously cheaper and not electronic. One side of the compressor is a vacuum port, one is a pressure port. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xtremerevolution Posted August 27, 2009 Report Share Posted August 27, 2009 have you actually seen someone's a/c system fail? do you have proof of this? Sorry man but i'm a bit doubtful here. I'll consider refilling my system next summer if you can prove that it would damage your system if you didn't vacuum the air out before filling it with freon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89SupremeCutty Posted August 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2009 have you actually seen someone's a/c system fail? do you have proof of this? Sorry man but i'm a bit doubtful here. I'll consider refilling my system next summer if you can prove that it would damage your system if you didn't vacuum the air out before filling it with freon. x2. i don't have an old compressor or anything like that, and vacuum pumps go for about $100. and that's the only thing i can think of that i would need a vacuum pump for. im 22, so i don't need one to keep the g/f happy, so what else would i use one for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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