A/C Jump Start

[skitzo_inc]

My 2004 Dodge Neon. The A/C is not working. I checked the relays, the fuses, and everything was good. I then checked the Free-on and it said I was in the warning zone. Too much free-on. So, I completely broke the law and let some free-on out in my drive way until it read full. However, the clutch is not kicking on to start the compressor. Is there anything I can do? I am going on a few hour road trip in a couple weeks and would like to get this fixed. I called some mechanics and they said it would be 100 dollars to just get it looked at, not including repair if needed.
Help?

[Turbodave]

I'm not an A/C expert by any means, but I though the clutch had to be engaged to measure pressure (especially if you are using a single gauge on the low side of the system). On my truck that used to have a leak, the pressure would be in the overfilled/red zone when the compressor was off and right in the sweet spot when the compressor was running.

[skitzo_inc]

I guess when I measured it I got a bad reading, but either way it still needs to be jumpstarted.

[Vigo]

here's what you did:

you measured static pressure, when the system has been sitting and the pressures on the high and low side of the system have equalized.. it should be somewhere between 70-100 psi.. if you read it with one of the cheapy gauges that reads the low side only, it would have been pretty much pegged because when the system is running the low side will rarely go up to even 45 psi. i dont know which metering device a neon uses but guesstimate that with the system running low side pressure should be 20-40 and high side pressure should be 150-250. anyway since you let a bunch of refrigerant out it probably needs to be added back, and unless you know how to judge that by reading pressures on a proper set of gauges, you're going to have to hook it up to an a/c machine to recover whats in there until its empty and then put back in exactly the right amount, and then diagnose any performance issues from there.

there's help here if you ask for it. Im a.s.e. master certified (including an a/c cert.) and can help you figure out whatever the problem is but you mighta started off on the wrong foot by letting freon out. no biggie tho.

[skitzo_inc]

Oh. Well. Sh!t. So it's most likely best if I take it to someone?

[Clay]

yeah, what Vigo said!

sorry man, you did the opposite of what needed done

[JDAWG]

Take it to autostoned and get codes checked, could just possibly be a bad pressure switch, but if it is you have no way to save your freon after you take the switch out, it will spray out. If you jump the coil on the compressor does the clutch engage?

[skitzo_inc]

Ok. I'll take it there and see if they can do anything. Do you know if Advanced Auto Parts can check the codes as well? They are the only place in town that I've been to who actually knows jack about cars.

[skitzo_inc]

I just called both places and they said that since the "Check Engine Light" is not on, nothing will be pulled up.

[JDAWG]

thats odd, sometimes codes will be present but no light on. Maybe give it a try anyways. Guess they just have ghey scanners.

[skitzo_inc]

yeah, I think I'll give it a try. If nothing comes up I'm just out some gas.

[86Shelby]

Vigo is right. You will have to take it to a shop that does A/C work to have it recovered and recharged, then they will be able to diagnose it. It's likely just a pressure switch or a bad connection. I wouldn't be suprised if the codes will give a whole slew of A/C codes right now since the system is low on refrigerant.

[skitzo_inc]

No codes. I'll just save up the money to take it to someone to look at it. Dammit, I thought this would be something even I could do...

[Big_P]

If the check engine light is on there may be a 'pending code' stored, but their ----- Actron scanners probably couldnt handle that.

[skitzo_inc]

The check engine light is not on. The A/C just isn't working, but it's not worth it to me to take it somewhere and have them fix it.

[skitzo_inc]

I'm going to get it fixed out of this check. Does anyone know an honest (or at least mostly...) place that I could get this looked at? I don't even know where to begin, all I know is that the Dodge Dealership is going to rape me on prices. I've got about 400 I can throw into this, but would like to spend less.

Help?

[dodgeshadowchik]

If the compressor is not coming on it could be low on charge or have an electrical problem. I would check the compressor relay for power should have two fused powers with key on. one wire feed to pcm to turn relay on and other goes to compressor. With the key on engine off removed relay cover and manually activate relay and listen for compressor clutch to click. If you hear it engage than the power feed to the compressor and ground fro the compressor is good. If you have both powers and the clutch engages manually than check to make sure when you turn the a/c selector switch on the pcm grounds the other wire to relay to energize it. If the pcm doesn't energize the relay than you need to make sure it received the message from the a/c control head.

A dark blue w/orange tracer wire pin #6 from a/c control head goes to low pressure switch pin #2check resistance if good than check dark blue w/white tracer wire pin#1 at low pressure switch to pin #2 of High pressure switch on the back side of compressor if this has low resistance than check brown wire from pin #1 of high pressure switch to C3 pin #24 of the pcm. If all these wires check out ok and the compressor doesn’t run than you probably have a bad low or high pressure switch. or the system is extremely undercharged

Hope this helps some.

[skitzo_inc]

Turns out something was blocking the lines. Compressor is good, clutch is good. Just something blocking the freeon from cooling the air. He's putting together a price for me now...hope it's not more than 200.

[86Shelby]

G/l!!!!

[turbovanman²]

Turns out something was blocking the lines. Compressor is good, clutch is good. Just something blocking the freeon from cooling the air. He's putting together a price for me now...hope it's not more than 200.

Who is he? Blocking the lines?

[skitzo_inc]

He is a guy who works for Anderson Radiator. It was 45 to have him refill the freeon with the discharge as well. That's taken care of. He just dropped off the estimate. Turns out the liquid line with orifice built in is bad. :( Part is 88 where he's getting it from, I found a place who can get it to me for 64. He wants 258.41 to get the entire thing fixed. I'm not sure I should tackle this. Anyone done this before? I would rather spend less, but I know if I decide to sell A/C will help me with my selling price.

Worth it? Or try myself?

[turbovanman²]

He's fixing it for under $300, I am confused why your even asking, :confused:

GET IT FIXED unless you don't care about a/c then leave it alone. As for resale, its worth more if the buyer wants a/c, which most commuters do.

[skitzo_inc]

300 dollars is still 300 dollars. I checked some other places and got quotes for up to 1200. It's getting fixed Monday.:partywoot: