Questions and Answers

Contour A/C Q. Vince, Thanks for taking my question. A little history, I recharged the A/C in my Contour last August and the charge lasted until fall and then no more cool air. Since the weather has become quite warm, I need A/C in my car so today I just tried to recharge it with no success. Here's what I did.

First, I found a product to fix most leaks in a car's A/C system. I followed the instructions step by step and put this in the A/C system first. Then I installed a complete oil charge which was an 8.5 oz can. This, according to the can, would recharge the oil and could be done without discharging the system. The instructions said to charge the system with 3 oz of R-134a next. I did not do this. Instead, I did the following since I figured the system was depleted of all freon. I installed one can of R-134a.

The air was getting cool during the first can of R-134a. Then I installed a second can of R-134a. By the time it had installed, the A/C was blowing warm. I put the charge meter on the low pressure side and it indicated the system wasn't totally charged. I then added about 2/3s can of R-134 for about a total of 30-32 oz of refrigerant. The system, holds 2 to 2.2 lbs., I think. After the third can, the A/C was still blowing warm air which is exactly what it was doing before I did the first step above. Think the compressor is shot? Think there's too much oil in the system. Any ideas?

1995 Ford Contour
6 cylinder
Automatic transmission
96,000 miles
Fuel Injection
ABS
P/S - A/C
Cruise control

Let me know and thanks in advance for your time and effort.
Gerald

A. I think the problem is the stop leak you put in. Under no circumstances are you to put in any type of "A/C stop leak" because there is a very good chance you will clog the expansion valve. Clogged expansion valve equals no cold air.

Now for the other things that might have gone wrong. R-134a systems use much less refrigerant than the old R-12 systems. So with the addition of the oil charge and the stop leak, there is not room for enough R-134a to do it's job. The maximum oil charge for that system is 7 ounces, so you exceeded that by 1.5 ounces with what you put in, not counting what was already in the system and the addition of the "stop leak". Also you may have used the wrong type of refrigerant oil. Oil for R-12 and R-134a are incompatible and there are different types of oil for different R-134a systems. Depends on what the manufacturer used. In your case PAG [1] oil should be used.

At this point I would recommend taking it to a shop that does A/C work and have the system completely drained of oil and refrigerant, in-line filter and receiver-drier replaced. Then it should be refilled with the proper type and amount of oil and refrigerant. Only then will you know if you did any damage to the expansion valve and discover where the leak is.

I never recommend that any type of A/C work or repair be performed by a DIY. The system is under high pressure and there are very specialized techniques and procedures to be followed, not only to insure the work is performed correctly, but also to comply with Federal and State laws

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