AC issues

Phatt_daddy

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As it's getting hotter here in the south, I just found out that my AC is out. Put the car in the shop for a diagnosis and was told that the compressor "puked its guts out" the front seals. Compressor still spins freely so I'm assuming that just the seals went bad (car has 180k) and lost all Freon. So, I'm looking at a compressor replacement. With this happening over the past 6-7 months, what all do I need to look at replacing? Like I said, compressor still spins and is not locked up so I would hope that there is no metal in the tubes if its just seals- shop said everything looked good on it and they only found the leak when they ran dye through it
 
Compressor (plus clutch), receiver/dryer, oil, refrigerant. It is always recommended to replace the thermal expansion valve too, but since you would have to remove the dash to do that, no one replaces it on the LS.
 
You can go with Motorcraft YCC-148 of course, or a couple people on here have had good luck with Four Seasons 78549 compressor. We recently bought a UAC compressor 102530AC which is made at a Tier 1 manufacturer (same as OEM) and it has worked well so far. (Live in Las Vegas, it's hot) These are for the 2003-2006 V8. UAC 102541AC is for the V6. I'm not sure if these are for 1st Gen LS's. (2000-2002)

UAC compressor 102530AC $145 delivered (Pit Stop Auto) - Amazon.com: UAC CO 102530AC A/C Compressor: Automotive

UAC Component Kit 1004 $180 delivered (Pit Stop Auto) - Amazon.com: Universal Air Conditioner KT 1004 A/C Compressor and Component Kit: Automotive

If above UAC links don't take you to Pit Stop Auto links, look for them on the right side. I had good luck with that company.

Four Seasons compressor 78549 $191.88 delivered - Amazon.com: Four Seasons 78549 New AC Compressor: Automotive
 
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Dang.... LS-jsf those prices are cheaper than I was quoted at Advance with knowing a guy that marks my parts WAY down... lol I'll def have to look them up. How hard is it to replace the drier and orifice tube?
 
Sure, pressures and temperatures.

What are your symptoms?
Hey Joe.
So I’m not sure if you recall but, I replaced DCCV about 6ish months ago (OEM) and my fuse kept popping/constant hot air. Unplugged DCCV and fuse popped again. So I’m assuming ac compressor? Ac compressor hasn’t been spinning either. Haven’t had a chance to get under the car and check compressor for leaks and stuff like that. Manifold gauge and vacuum will be Saturday. I’ll replace the ac compressor but, I’m just hoping not to have to rip my dash part. So I wasn’t sure if there’s a way to tell I’d expansion valve also has to be replaced.
 
Your problem is either the AC clutch or the wiring to it. I suggest that you unplug the clutch (connector is clipped to the compressor) and try a new fuse. If it still blows, you only need to find where the wire is chaffed and fix that.

If unplugging the clutch does stop the fuse from blowing, then yes a new compressor is called for. (You could just replace the clutch, but the compressor bearings may be damaged, and the compressor has to be removed from the car to change the clutch anyway.)

When you remove the compressor, tilt it and pour the compressor oil out and into a clean container. If there are particles in the oil, then you will need a new condenser, dryer, and expansion valve. You will also have to flush all the AC lines and the evaporator. (It may be cheaper to replace the lines and evaporator instead).

If the oil is clean, then you only need a new compressor and a new dryer. Expansion valve failure seems to be rare on the LS.
 
Awesome, thank you. Two questions; will pulling a vacuum on it be or any use right now, my order will be here Saturday with my kit. Second, is there a diagram somewhere that has the location of where the wiring runs within the vehicle? 2006 Lincoln LS

Thanks again, Joe. Your knowledge is invaluable.
 
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I have the wiring info in book form, but I don't know of any free on-line resource.
You pull a vacuum after all new parts are installed and the correct amount of oil has been added. It must be at full vacuum to recharge with R-134a. If you don't have a micron gauge, then you should pull vacuum (vacuum pump running) for at least 30 minutes to an hour, to boil all the moisture out.
 
So if I find the wiring is chafed somewhere, would that cause the compressor to not spin? When I turn the ac on, it does not spin. If I jump the relay, it does turn on.
In your book, do you see if any of the wiring is behind the console, where the DATC and radio are?
 
Okay, it's getting a little confusing here. I thought you said the fuse was blowing?
 
With DCCV plugged in, and a fresh fuse, I can start my car it will allow me to adjust temperatures and work, minus cold AC (clutch won’t spin unless I jump relay. And even when I jump relay and clutch spins, still not ice cold). At some point, the fuse will blow. I haven’t figured out how or when it will blow.

Example; put in new fuse and start my car. Allows me to change temperatures in my car, just no ice cold air. I can blow hot hot 90 or go down to 60 and it’s cooler air, but not ice cold (again, ac clutch won’t spin). Drive car to store and turn off car. I’ll check fuse and it might still be good. Restart car, drive wherever. At some point, usually that same day, the fuse will blow again. Now, I unplugged DCCV, and drive around waiting to see if fuse blows again, and it has.

Has me scratching my head. I ask if wiring is behind radio area bc maybe I nicked something while wiring stereo?
 
I bought the car almost exactly a year ago. Guy I bought it from has a shop and he charged AC for me. It worked for maybe a couple months. I can’t recall, but I feel like it stopped working around the time I was first behind the radio. Might be completely unrelated to being back there, but I’m just trying to give as much info as I can. Figured the DCCV went bad, hence why I bought a new OEM one those months ago. When installed, it allowed temps to change, but still no ice cold air. By that time, I didn’t need AC so I didn’t pursue it any further until just recently.
 
So, it blows without the AC relay jumpered? If so, your problem is wiring somewhere under the hood, probably to the DCCV or at the front right corner.

Don't jumper the AC relay for more than a few seconds. Otherwise, you could be doing severe damage to the whole AC system. The clutch isn't engaging because the PCM is disabling it to prevent damage. The problem is almost certainly low refrigerant. I say this because of your charge story. The AC doesn't consume refrigerant. If it was low, it was due to a leak. You need to find and fix the short, and you need to find and fix the leak. Just throwing parts (compressor) at it is unlikely to help at all.

Common leak points that I have seen:

O-ring for the scroll control valve. This is on the compressor, so replacing the compressor would fix it, but you don't need to. It's a $10 part and you can replace it with the compressor still on the car.

Low and high side port valves. These are also $10 or so parts.

Of course, anywhere there are connections, there could be a leak. The factory did put a UV dye in. You could check for the dye everywhere (need a UV light and glasses), clean it off everywhere you find it, top off the refrigerant enough for it to run, then check and see where the dye comes back.

Once you find it. You'll have to discharge the system. Correct the leak. Replace the dryer. Add oil as needed. Pull a good vacuum, and then refill the system. Note that those last three steps are tricky. You really need to know what you are doing, and to have the proper tools.
 
Yes, it blows without being jumped. I had jumped it a few months back to see if the clutch would engage, which it did, and then immediately pulled the jumper out. I haven’t done it since, but I’m assuming it will still engage?

I guess I’ll have to inspect the wiring, possibly find a diagram to go by, and see if I can find a fault.

I’ll jack it up and clean up the compressor and area and invest in UV kit to see if I can see a dye somewhere.

Changing oring from valve scroll can be done without evacuation of system, right? Same with port valves?
 
...Changing oring from valve scroll can be done without evacuation of system, right? Same with port valves?

No, on the scroll valve.
Technically, the port valve could, but it requires some special chambered devices that often don't work. It's cheaper, easier, and way more reliable to discharge and change them out in the open.
 
No, on the scroll valve.
Technically, the port valve could, but it requires some special chambered devices that often don't work. It's cheaper, easier, and way more reliable to discharge and change them out in the open.

So would this work;
-Pull vacuum and add a little refrigerant.
-Check for leaks via UV.
-Professionally have system evacuated -Replace parts
-Check wiring
-Pull vacuum and add refrigerant
Test, Hope everything is good
 
So would this work;
-Pull vacuum and add a little refrigerant.
-Check for leaks via UV.
...
The rest of the plan is good, but it is counter productive to pull a vacuum to add refrigerant to a system that still has some refrigerant. Just add a can or so and see what happens.
Note that if you do insist on pulling a vacuum before adding, you will have to evacuate the system first.
 
O
The rest of the plan is good, but it is counter productive to pull a vacuum to add refrigerant to a system that still has some refrigerant. Just add a can or so and see what happens.
Note that if you do insist on pulling a vacuum before adding, you will have to evacuate the system first.


Ok. So scratch the initial vacuum, and just go ahead straight to adding a can. Then proceed to check for leaks and continue thru the rest of the plan?
 
Update:
Put the car in on position (not started) attached can of refrigerant and the gauge read low. Added some to move the gauge up. Plugged in dccv and a new fuse and started the car. Compressor not spinning. Fuse blew instantly. Tried again, same result
 
Had me nervous about jumpering the relay to engage the clutch, and then adding the refrigerant. If you say it's safe, I'll try it out.
 
One can of refrigerant is enough to raise the pressure to where the clutch will engage even if the system is empty. Once the clutch engages, the rest of the can will go in. I am going to assume that you are doing this properly with a gauge on the high side too and comparing the readings to the LS temperature/pressure chart, with the windows open and the blower on high, temp set to 60. Otherwise, if the problem is a bad compressor, expansion valve, or clogged condenser (instead of low refrigerant), you could do damage by adding.

Since the short is present right now, now is the best time to trouble shoot and find the short. Get your meter out and go after it.
 
Update:
Finally a warm enough day to get this stuff done.
Had the system evacuated and decided to pull a vacuum first to see if the system would hold, which it did.
Replacing the AC compressor, drier and condenser as we speak. Pulled the old compressor and the wiring seems suspect. Emptied out the compressors oil and there was very little, close to nothing in there. The good news, it was 100% clean oil, no debris.
Trying to find the specs for how much oil to add while replacing these three parts...
 

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