QuestionNo, the pressures appear fine and it cools if you give the clutch power. Usually if the pressure is low the compressor will cycle off and on and I think that the A/C light stays on. I believe this is another problem but I don't know what to look for.
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Followup To
Question -
I have a 2002 Toyota Highlander that I bought as a restored salvage vehicle. The A/C worked ok on the California coast when I was buying it but when I got to AZ it wouldn't cool very well when it got hot. The high pressures were usually low at idle but the low pressure never got very low. After about a year it quit cooling completely so I bought a compressor and had a mechanic that I thought knew what he was doing install it. Now when you turn on the A/C, the green light on the button stays on for about 3 seconds then flashes. If you turn it off and turn it back on you get the same results. During the three seconds, the compressor kicks on and the engine speeds up and the fans kick on, but when the light starts blinking everything goes back to where it was before you turned the switch on. My mechanic gave up and told me the compressor will run if you hot wire the clutch, and I found that to be true but is that a good way to run it?
I then took the Highlander to our local auto repair shop and their mechanic really didn't want to work on it since it is a salvaged vehicle. When I discribed the A/C problem , he said that my mechanic probably fried the computer.
I then purchaced a trouble code tester to see if that would tell me anything, but the only codes were vacuum related (ever since we got the Highlander the check engine light would go on a couple of days after you cleared them by disconnecting the battery.) I found a vacuum line off so replaced it and then cleared the codes and am waiting to see if those codes reapear.
After scanning the vehicle the testor says that A/C Refrigerant codes are not supported, so the car will probably never give me any codes relevant to the A/C problem.
So what do I do now?
PS. You can post this question on your site if you want to. Your site never gave me a place to click to allow it on the web site.
Answer -
Sounds like you have a leak in the A/C system and the system is extremly low on freon. You need to get a set of A/C gages and attach it to the high and low fittings in nthe A/C system andvsee what pRESSURES you are running.
Your best bet is to consult with a professional A/C repair facility because there are numerous things it could be.
autohelp
AnswerOK, Then I need to know what the LOW and HIGH side pressures are at 1500 rpm's.
The pressures tell you what the problem is. Could be:
1. Orfice tube or expansion tube. Whichever type yours uses.
2. Excessive air in the system due to insufficient evacuation prior to adding freon.
3. To much or to little freon.
4. To much refrigerant oil in system.
5. Pressure cycling switch not working efficiently.
6. Wrong type of freon for your type of system.
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