YACT: Overfilled AC, what did I break?

[Shawn]

Added freon, only to find out that my gauge was bad and that I already had enough freon. I got a new gauge and let the excess freon out. However now the AC compressor is seizing. I tightened the belt so it would stop seizing and there was enough resistance to stall the engine at idle. What the hell did I do?


update: Ok, I just took the compressor out and I can spin it easily with my hand. I can feel suction on one side and air blowing out the other. That should mean the compressor isn't actually seized correct? If it was, shouldn't I not be able to spin it at all?

 

[crab]

Not put oil in?

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: crab
Not put oil in?

hmm... good call.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Check your headlight fluid. Frequently, when you overfill the A/C the excess leaks into the headlight fluid reservoir and contaminates the headlight fluid.

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: Shawn
Added freon, only to find out that my gauge was bad and that I already had enough freon. I got a new gauge and let the excess freon out. However now the AC compressor is seizing. I tightened the belt so it would stop seizing and there was enough resistance to stall the engine at idle. What the hell did I do?

Outlaw.

 

[EyeMWing]

Raise your idle

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: EyeMWing
Get a more powerful engine

Fixed

 

[myusername]

It is seizing when the AC is off, or only when it it is on?

 

[Thegonagle]

I think you probably caused a mechanical failure within the compressor; ie, you done blowed it up.

 

[Rubycon]

LOL I seriously doubt the compressor pump is seizing. Don't (auto) units use a solenoid clutch to disengage the compressor so the sheave still spins but the rotor does not? Well if you over charge and your high head pressure cut out breaks that clutch line it will stop too!

 

[Nutdotnet]

Originally posted by: Thegonagle
I think you probably caused a mechanical failure within the compressor; ie, you done blowed it up.

Yup, it sounds like you seized your compressor. I'm sorry, but you're a moron if you thought that by "tightening the belt" would stop it from seizing...you're hosed dude.

 

[Shawn]

Tried to add oil but it didn't make any difference. The guy at the autoparts store said it shouldn't need oil though since the recharge kits all come with oil mixed in which is what I thought. I hope this compressor is still under warranty.

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: Nutdotnet

Originally posted by: Thegonagle
I think you probably caused a mechanical failure within the compressor; ie, you done blowed it up.

Yup, it sounds like you seized your compressor. I'm sorry, but you're a moron if you thought that by "tightening the belt" would stop it from seizing...you're hosed dude.

Thanks for calling me a moron. :roll: I tightened the belt because I thought it was just slipping.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Outsource your airconditioning to India.

 

[jagec]

Was it an actual R-12 recharge kit, or R-134a?

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: jagec
Was it an actual R-12 recharge kit, or R-134a?

R-134a as my AC was originally R-134a.

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: MS Dawn
LOL I seriously doubt the compressor pump is seizing. <snip because, well, WTF?>

LOL nothing.

The "high head pressure," or whatever the heck you just said, probably caused a piston, connecting rod, or something else inside the compressor to physicaly break, causing it to seize.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: Shawn

Originally posted by: jagec
Was it an actual R-12 recharge kit, or R-134a?

R-134a as my AC was originally R-134a.

Then it wasn't Freon.

Oh well, one theory down...

 

[Slacker]

Hydrolock FTW!

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: Slacker
Hydrolock FTW!

Basicaly, yes, except within the A/C compressor, not the engine.

 

[Shawn]

Guess I'll be putting my factory compressor in tomorrow. It still worked but it had a slow leak. Hopefully it still works since it has been sitting open for a year now. If not at least i'll have something there to "fill the space" so I won't have to find another size belt.

edit: is it possible to rebuild these things?

 

[Rubycon]

LOL it's called slugging where liquid refrigerant reaches the compressor. It takes a gross amount of overcharge to do that. Even at that if the valves are worth a darn the head pressure would get high enough to open the high pressure limit switch unless the shade tree tech jumped it out. :roll:

Then again those little pumps on cars are junk and cannot take much abuse like the real good ones sans York RV2 used in older Chrysler products.

 

[Damn Dirty Ape]

Originally posted by: Shawn
Added freon, only to find out that my gauge was bad and that I already had enough freon. I got a new gauge and let the excess freon out. However now the AC compressor is seizing. I tightened the belt so it would stop seizing and there was enough resistance to stall the engine at idle. What the hell did I do?

the pressure in the system can also depend on the ambient temperature. I learned this the hard way about 2 years ago. The compressor on my 01 Jeep Cherokee was cycling on and off quite often, checked it with the cheapo gauge that comes with a top-off'kit from walmart.. hehe, it was about 75f and kept adding until the needle was in the OK zone. Didn't realize it was also pumping in oil and dye. Worked fine until it hit 95 two days later, pressure went skyhigh, the relief valve on the back of the compressor let go, sprayed the engine bay with green dye. That saved the compressor. Had to go to a shop and have them evacuate the system, including the excess oil and refill correctly.


lesson learned
fill kit $14
garage evacuate and proper refill: $65
not knowing what the hell I was doing: not worth a friggin penny.

bah. learned then to leave some things to those who know what they are doing.

 

[Shawn]

Ok, I just took the compressor out and I can spin it easily with my hand. I can feel suction on one side and air blowing out the other. That should mean the compressor isn't actually seized correct? If it was, shouldn't I not be able to spin it at all?

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Hellspawn
the pressure in the system can also depend on the ambient temperature. I learned this the hard way about 2 years ago. The compressor on my 01 Jeep Cherokee was cycling on and off quite often, checked it with the cheapo gauge that comes with a top-off'kit from walmart.. hehe, it was about 75f and kept adding until the needle was in the OK zone. Didn't realize it was also pumping in oil and dye. Worked fine until it hit 95 two days later, pressure went skyhigh, the relief valve on the back of the compressor let go, sprayed the engine bay with green dye. That saved the compressor. Had to go to a shop and have them evacuate the system, including the excess oil and refill correctly.


lesson learned
fill kit $14
garage evacuate and proper refill: $65
not knowing what the hell I was doing: not worth a friggin penny.

bah. learned then to leave some things to those who know what they are doing.

Something was wrong with the guage you used if it caused that big of an issue with only a 20 degree swing in ambient temp. The problem you had is that you were checking the pressure at idle. Proper procedure is to check the pressure with the engine at 2,000 RPM on my 951. The RPM value varies depending on the car, but it's almost never idle.

ZV