A/C help, please

Mike Shepard

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I have replaced all the plastic cooling parts recently and everything has been running well. On Saturday, the car was out in 90 degree heat all day. The hour drive home was very uncomfortable because the car never cooled off, even with both sides set to 60. Today, I drove the car home after it was in a parking garage with an outside temp of 85. The car stayed cool the 45 minute drive home with both sides set at 72. If I turned both sides down to 60, it did feel colder, but marginally so. The passenger side does feel a little warmer coming out of the center vents, but it is not night and day difference. The a/c system does make a whooshing/hissing sound periodically.

I am trying to figure out if it's the DCCV or the charge being too low. I did check the low side pressure and it was in specs. The compressor clicks on when you hit the a/c button.

Anyone have this problem before or can offer advice? Thanks.

Car is 2004 V6. Has 59,000 on the clock.

Thanks everyone.
 
yeah, checking the low side alone tells you nothing...

step one would be to get a real set of gauges and get a proper reading. then you will be able to trouble shoot further...

you could also get the car warmed up with the AC on and working poorly, then unplug the connector to the DCCV and see if the air temp rises (if so DCCV is probably not your problem)
 
Your symptoms are fairly classic of have a low refrigerant level. That said, don't just go out and add R-134a. Too much is even worse than too little. You really need high and low side pressure readings, and you have to set up everything correctly to get correct readings. After that, you can compare them to the chart in the service manual (you'll have to take temperature readings also), and make a good guess about the refrigerant level. If you want to be certain, then evacuate the system, replace the dryer, pull a vacuum, and weight in the correct amount of refrigerant.

2006 Lincoln LS Workshop Manual

Before all this, you should check the bottom of the AC compressor. If it is damp and oily, then the o-ring at the scroll control valve is probably leaking, and this will have to be fixed first.

If the pressures are correct (only after taking them the correct way), then check and see if the AC clutch is cycling off and on. If it is, then the next suspect is the evaporator temperature sensor. Fortunately, it is cheap and easy to change out.
 
By the way, for refrigerant evacuating and recharging, it is extremly easy if you have the correct tools, which can be rent from autozone or advanced auto parts for free. The only things you need to buy are three cans of R134a refrigerant. All information that you need to know about how to do this could be found in the manual:
2006 Lincoln LS Workshop Manual -- brought to you by Owlman
 
Took the LS in today to have the A/C looked at and found dye all over compressor, so had to replace it. Had the belt replaced on it, too.

Cooling much better now and no hissing/whooshing constantly.

Got a free oil change out of it, too, so that was a bonus. :)

Thanks for everyone's input.
 
Took the LS in today to have the A/C looked at and found dye all over compressor, so had to replace it. Had the belt replaced on it, too.

Cooling much better now and no hissing/whooshing constantly.

Got a free oil change out of it, too, so that was a bonus. :)

Thanks for everyone's input.

Congratulation! By the way, you said no 'constant' hissing, so you do hear hissing sometimes when the A/C is running, but just not very often, right?
And, have you tested the temperature in the vent outlet? Mine is about 50 degree. Don't know if it's normal or not. Some people said they could get a 43 degree after recharging.
 
I heard hissing when I first turned it on, but it is not constantly cycling on/off like it was. I haven't noticed any hissing while driving, but it may be drowned out. I wouldn't notice as much while I was driving before it was fixed, probably because of road noise.

I'll check tomorrow and see what the temp is coming out of the vents and make sure it is pretty close to equal across all of the dash vents.
 
I have replaced all the plastic cooling parts recently and everything has been running well. On Saturday, the car was out in 90 degree heat all day. The hour drive home was very uncomfortable because the car never cooled off, even with both sides set to 60. Today, I drove the car home after it was in a parking garage with an outside temp of 85. The car stayed cool the 45 minute drive home with both sides set at 72. If I turned both sides down to 60, it did feel colder, but marginally so. The passenger side does feel a little warmer coming out of the center vents, but it is not night and day difference. The a/c system does make a whooshing/hissing sound periodically.

I am trying to figure out if it's the DCCV or the charge being too low. I did check the low side pressure and it was in specs. The compressor clicks on when you hit the a/c button.

Anyone have this problem before or can offer advice? Thanks.

Car is 2004 V6. Has 59,000 on the clock.

Thanks everyone.
Mike,
With three pair of needle nose vise grips I pinched all three lines on the DCCV and removed it without loosing any fluid. I was able to disassemble and troubleshoot the part. In my situation it was the DCCV valve. I found one of the ports plugged solid with sludge and the same valve was frozen with a torn rubber gasket allowing fluid to reach the solenoid causing it to short out the fuse. The replacement part I had was removed from a LS at a junk yard. I disassembled that as well finding similar issues so my point is, your problem is likely to be with the DCCV. It seems to be a problematic part among many on the LS... Hope this helps, good luck
 
Mike,
With three pair of needle nose vise grips I pinched all three lines on the DCCV and removed it without loosing any fluid. I was able to disassemble and troubleshoot the part. In my situation it was the DCCV valve. I found one of the ports plugged solid with sludge and the same valve was frozen with a torn rubber gasket allowing fluid to reach the solenoid causing it to short out the fuse. The replacement part I had was removed from a LS at a junk yard. I disassembled that as well finding similar issues so my point is, your problem is likely to be with the DCCV. It seems to be a problematic part among many on the LS... Hope this helps, good luck
Also take good look at the blend door accuator, if you can manage to get a good look.
 
So far, things are quite cool. Went out this morning with infrared thermometer and the temp out of all four vents in the dash was 38 after a couple minutes run time. This was with the car in the shade, outside temp about 72 and inside temp knocked down to 60.

Got the tires rotated, aired up the spare and will knock out a couple little things now.

I think the DCCV is OK at this point. Both sides of the car seem evenly matched temp wise while checking things this morning.
 
So far, things are quite cool. Went out this morning with infrared thermometer and the temp out of all four vents in the dash was 38 after a couple minutes run time. This was with the car in the shade, outside temp about 72 and inside temp knocked down to 60.

Got the tires rotated, aired up the spare and will knock out a couple little things now.

I think the DCCV is OK at this point. Both sides of the car seem evenly matched temp wise while checking things this morning.
Good to hear because mine still isn't working...ac clutch it spinning with a good charge and everything thing else I can think of looks to be great but still no AC! ARGHHH
 
Good to hear because mine still isn't working...ac clutch it spinning with a good charge and everything thing else I can think of looks to be great but still no AC! ARGHHH

Don't give up. A/S system looks frightening but actually if you read the repair manual, there is a systematic way to do the diagnosis. Rent a manifold gauge set and a vacuum pump from Autozone for free. You can even do the diagnosis by yourself! Try to compare the pressure read from both low and high pressure side first.
 
Don't give up. A/S system looks frightening but actually if you read the repair manual, there is a systematic way to do the diagnosis. Rent a manifold gauge set and a vacuum pump from Autozone for free. You can even do the diagnosis by yourself! Try to compare the pressure read from both low and high pressure side first.
It's a brand new system! Spent $1800 just last year...
 
Please disregard, problem solved! DCCV was bad. Swapped with part pulled at junk yard from 04 LS. Mine is a 05
 
Also take good look at the blend door accuator, if you can manage to get a good look.

Why oh why does this terrible advice keep being given?

The LS does not have an air temperature blend door!

There are only air direction doors that control where the air comes out or goes in.

I don't know how many people have been taken by incompetent or crooked mechanics on this. Also there are a few members on here that are very stubborn about it because they read something about another Lincoln model that did have a blend door.
 
Please disregard, problem solved! DCCV was bad. Swapped with part pulled at junk yard from 04 LS. Mine is a 05

I would still spring for the $80 to get a new one and put it in. Those things are NOTORIOUS for failing. I wouldn't touch a used one of those other then for 'diagnostic' purposes.
 
I'm shopping at a junk yard because I can't afford to spring for a new one. Regardless the part works and it was $5!
 
Why oh why does this terrible advice keep being given?

The LS does not have an air temperature blend door!

There are only air direction doors that control where the air comes out or goes in.

I don't know how many people have been taken by incompetent or crooked mechanics on this. Also there are a few members on here that are very stubborn about it because they read something about another Lincoln model that did have a blend door.
Pardon me kind sir, I would like to apologize for upsetting the Lincoln gods... CALM DOWN FOR CHRIST SAKE MAN!
 
I'm shopping at a junk yard because I can't afford to spring for a new one. Regardless the part works and it was $5!

I get it, I've been there and done that. However, I'd still plan to get one at some point in the next 6 months though. The DCCV is as notorious as the COPs on these cars for failing in non-obvious ways. Just my 2-cents and YMMV.
 
I get it, I've been there and done that. However, I'd still plan to get one at some point in the next 6 months though. The DCCV is as notorious as the COPs on these cars for failing in non-obvious ways. Just my 2-cents and YMMV.
I hear ya, thanks.
 
... The DCCV is as notorious as the COPs on these cars for failing in non-obvious ways ...

Similar to the same lifespan of the plastic cooling system, you would say?
About 10yr or 100K on all notorious failing hardware?
 
Similar to the same lifespan of the plastic cooling system, you would say?
About 10yr or 100K on all notorious failing hardware?

More like 3-yr/36K-miles or less on the OEM COPs and DCCV in my car. I'm still rocking the original cooling system stuff at 11 years and 140K-miles later. It's the one issue I HAVEN'T had with my car yet. COPs, DCCV, and Toe Links I've all been through at least once, most twice. The DCCV I've been through 3 or 4 times from what I can remember. I got 140K-miles out of the OEM AC compressor and Valve Cover Gaskets before they started to leak as well. Already did the valve cover and the AC system is coming up this weekend.

I'm sure that the cooling system stuff is coming soon, but I'm not going to go look for more things to fix. I still have the Drive Shaft Center Bearing to replace, front suspension overhaul, rebuild all 4 shocks, brakes to replace, and then finally general interior replacements. I may have got 140K-miles out of the car but the last 10K-miles or so things have deteriorated quickly.
 
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