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- A/C

A/C

Basic Science
First point of note is that there is no such thing as “cold.” Cold is simply
the absence of heat energy. Just like darkness is the absence of light
energy. Heat wants to spread out evenly and equally so it transfers
quickly from an area with lots of heat to an area with less heat. Second
point of note is that energy can not be created or destroyed, but it can
be moved around or changed into another form of energy. All the A/C
system does is is absorb as much heat as we can in the evaporator and
dump it in the condenser. We all know that substances can exist in 3
states: solid, liquid and vapour/gas. What we are most concerned about
in A/C systems is the change between liquid and vapour. Most people
know that changing the state of water can be accomplished by
changing its temperature. Water freezes at 0°C (32°F) and evaporates at
100°C (212°F). Another way to change a substances state is with
pressure (through latent heat*). We use this principle in modern
pressurized engine cooling systems. We keep the entire cooling system
pressurized to keep the coolant from evaporating, even when the
coolant temperature is above its normal boiling point. When you force a
change in state using pressure instead of temperature, you force the
substance to give off its heat or absorb heat.

*Latent heat: heat that can not be measured with a thermometer but
can cause a substance to change state.
Sensible heat: heat that can be measured with a thermometer

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Basic A/C Operation

If all we did is pump some cooled water into the HVAC airflow it would
cool the air a little bit, but nowhere near as well as modern A/C
systems. This extra cooling power is caused by forcing the refrigerant
to change from a liquid to a vapour inside the evaporator and from a
vapour back to a liquid in the condenser. Causing the refrigerant to
change from a liquid into a vapour in the evaporator makes the
refrigerant absorb (close to) as much heat as is can, and causing the
vapour to turn back into a liquid in the condenser forces the refrigerant
to give off much of its heat. This cycle repeats over and over again.
Absorbing heat in the evaporator and dumping it in the condenser.
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Refrigerant
A good refrigerant has a low boiling point. The lower the boiling point
the better an A/C system will move heat. R12 has been discontinued
because it is a CFC. (chlorofluorocarbon) If released into the
atmosphere, it causes thinning of the ozone. It was phased out in late
1995/early 1996 and was replaced by R134a. R134a is considered a
HFC (hydro-fluorocarbon) and is considered to be less harmful to the
ozone if released into the atmosphere. Most refrigerant has a dye in it
that will glow when exposed to black light. This is to help find leaks.
R12 has a lower boiling point than R134a, if your old R12 system has a
problem and needs to be opened you will most likely need to do a
R134a retrofit. (although some guys still have a secret stash of R12 but
they can pretty well charge you whatever they want for it)

R12- Boiling Point: -29.8°C (-22°F)

R134a- Boiling Point: -26.3°C (-15°F)
Propane- Boiling Point: -42°C (-44°F)

As you can see out of these three propane would make the best
refrigerant as far as cooling power goes, but the reason we don’t use
propane or any other highly explosive substance is because of the risk
of an explosion or fire in a front end collision.

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Refrigerant Oils
R12: Mineral oil or ester oil
R134a: PAG oil or ester oil (unless otherwise specified, do not lube o-
rings with PAG oil)
Retrofit R134a: Ester oil (ester oil is compatible with both systems and
is acceptable for use in either)

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Humidity
Humidity is the enemy to an A/C system. Humidity is moisture in the air.
When air passes through the evaporator, most of the airs heat is
absorbed. Cold air can not hold as much moisture as warm air so water
droplets build up on the evaporator. If these droplets drop below 0°C
(32°F) they will freeze. This causes a barrier between the evaporator
and the air flow through the HVAC system. It could also plug airflow
completely through the evaporator. The evaporator must be kept just
above freezing for the A/C system to work properly. The water droplets
must also be dealt with. HVAC systems are equipped with a drain below
the evaporator that allows water droplets to drain out onto the road. If
this drain gets plugged, you may notice a sound of water sloshing
around when you take a corner or brake/accelerate quickly. You may
also notice an “old socks” smell. This is bacteria living in the water in
your HVAC system. To get rid of this you need to unblock the A/C drain,
(watch out for a shower) and spray an evaporator cleaner into the
system to fully eliminate the issue. Just Google “a/c evaporator cleaning
spray” and you should find everything you need.

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Types of A/C Systems

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CCOT Systems
CCOT stands for Clutch Cycling Orifice Tube. This system is found on
most low to middle class vehicles. This system has a fixed rate orifice
tube and cycles the A/C clutch on the compressor to regulate pressures
and refrigerant flow, as well as making sure the evaporator doesn’t ice
up. The easy way to see if you have a CCOT system is the location of
the accumulator. An accumulator is between the evaporator and the
compressor. You might also feel the compressor kicking in and out
during A/C operation.

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TXV Systems
TXV stands for Thermostatic eXpansion Valve and is usually found on
higher end cars. This is because TXV operation is much more smooth
than CCOT systems. This system has an orifice tube (also called an
expansion valve in TXV systems) that varies refrigerant flow based on
evaporator temperature. This system runs the compressor any time the
A/C is activated as long as the evaporator doesn’t ice up or the system
doesn’t detect any other problems. Most TXV systems use a variable
rate compressor. The way to check for this system is the location of the
receiver-drier, which would be located between the condenser and the
orifice tube.

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Pieces of an A/C System

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Compressor
Compressors
are usually
driven by the
accessory
belt. They
have an

electromagnetic clutch on the drive pulley so it can drive the

compressor or allow the pulley to free-wheel. They create high pressure
in the high pressure side, and suction in the low pressure side. They can
have pistons inside and operate much like an engine, or they can be a
scroll type. Both designs can be “variable displacement.” Variable
displacement compressors can vary output based on system demands.
Refrigerant must not be in liquid form when it reaches the compressor.
Think about it, this piece is called a “compressor,” and as we know
liquids can not compress. (well not any amount worth mentioning,
especially at the pressures A/C systems deal with) If liquid makes it to
the compressor, the car/truck will most likely need a new compressor.

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Condenser
Condensers
cool the
refrigerant so
it can turn
back into a
liquid and
give off as
much heat as
possible. They
sit in front of
the radiator
so they get
priority over
airflow. Many are coated black to help dissipate heat. When the vehicle
is not in motion, rad fans generate the airflow necessary for the
condenser to dissipate the heat. Although, A/C systems still work better
when the vehicle is in motion.

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Rad Fans
Most modern
systems have
at least one
electronic rad
fan. Rad fans
play a key role
in the A/C
system. They
help to
dissipate the
heat in the
condenser,
especially
when the vehicle is not in motion. Most newer A/C systems will not turn
the compressor on unless it has confirmed that both rad fans are
running. If the A/C does come on but the rad fans do not, you may
notice the A/C get cold for a bit then warm then cold again and so on.
This is because the high pressure side is getting too high. The high
pressure switch will notice this and shut the compressor off, even on a
TXV system, until normal high side pressure is restored.

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Orifice Tube
On a TXV system the orifice tube can be called an expansion valve.
Think of these like a fuel injector, its job is to “mist” the right amount
of refrigerant into the evaporator. These are placed a set distance
before the evaporator, to allow vaporization to occur inside the
evaporator. The orifice tube separates the high and low pressure sides
by providing a restriction in refrigerant flow. These can be identified by
the sudden size change in the line to the evaporator, near the firewall.*
*Some orifice tubes/expansion valves may be behind the firewall

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Evaporator
This is where
the magic
happens.
Refrigerant
reaches full
vaporization
and starts
absorbing
heat. As air
flows through
the
evaporator
heat is
transferred from the air to the evaporator and then to the refrigerant.
Evaporators also act as a dehumidifier. Moisture in the air collects on
the evaporator as the cold air can no longer hold the excess moisture.
To make sure the water droplets do not ice up the evaporator, most
evaporators have a temperature sensor on them to alert the system if
the evaporator gets below freezing.

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Accumulator
An
accumulator
is found on a
CCOT system
between the
evaporator
and the
compressor.
Since a CCOT
orifice tube
can’t regulate
refrigerant
flow, an
accumulators job is to collect any refrigerant that has not already
vaporized to make sure the compressor doesn’t see any liquid
refrigerant. It also supplies a small amount of oil to the compressor as
well as contains a desiccant which absorbs any moisture in the system.
If the system is left open for any extended length of time, this piece
should be replaced. The desiccant will try to absorb all the moisture in
the atmosphere.

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Receiver-Drier
 Similar to an
accumulator,
but only
found on TXV
systems and
does not
supply oil.
Made of a
more heavy
duty
construction
than an
accumulator
because they are located on the high pressure side between the
condenser and the orifice tube/expansion valve. It houses a desiccant
and because of this, the entire unit should be replaced if the system is
left open for any lengthy period of time.

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Service Ports
Most systems
have a low
side port and
a high side
port. The low
side port is
mostly used
for filling,
although the
high side port
is very helpful
in diagnosing
A/C related
problems. DO NOT stick something in the service ports to check for
pressure, if refrigerant sprays you in the eyes you could go blind. It is
also most likely illegal in your area to release R134a into the
atmosphere.

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Hoses
The hoses can vary in size and construction. The hoses that carry liquid
are smaller and the hoses that carry vapour are bigger because a
substance in vapour form takes up more space. Also, the hoses on the
high side tend to be more heavy duty because of the extra pressure
they have to deal with.

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Ambient Air Temperature Sensor

 These sensors
tell modules
what the
outside air
temperature is
by changing
its electrical
resistance.
A/C will not
come on
when outside
air
temperatures
are below a set limit, or over an extreme heat limit which could make
A/C operation dangerous. Most likely NTC. (Negative Temperature
Coefficient) Typical range would be -50°C (-58°F) to 100°C (212°F).

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Sun Load Sensor (usually found on fully

automatic/electronic HVAC systems only)
A sun load sensor monitors where the sun is in relation to the vehicle
and compensates for its heat by cooling that side/area of the car more
than others using the blend doors.

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Thermostatic Temperature
Switch/Evaporator Temperature Sensor
Temperature sensor placed on the evaporator or evaporator inlet line to
monitor evaporator temperature and let the system know when it needs
to back off. This prevents the evaporator from getting too cold and icing
up.

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Working With A/C Systems

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Most of the following would require an A/C machine

Note: Where I am from, it is illegal for anyone (including a licensed

technician) to touch an A/C system with out taking the ODP
certification coarse. That includes unbolting and setting to the side a
compressor while changing an engine or doing any other work. This
page is for your information only, please respect your local laws
relating to A/C systems.

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“Re”
Recover- Pulling out the refrigerant
Recycle- Cleaning/filtering the refrigerant
Reuse- Pumping the refrigerant back in the system
Reclaim- Contaminated refrigerant must be sent away so the pure
R134a can be separated and reused and the other chemicals can be
dealt with safely

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Vacuuming/Evacuating
To do a proper vacuum test you must pull at least 29inHg for 30
minutes
Vacuuming has two purposes:
1- To remove any moisture in the system
2- To check for leaks

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Nitrogen Testing
After a repair is done it is a good idea to nitrogen test the system to
check for leaks. Nitrogen testing is simply pumping the system full of
nitrogen under pressure. If the system has a leak while testing you may
hear a hissing sound. If you can’t hear anything, spray any connections
or valves with soapy water and look for bubbles. This is the nitrogen
escaping the system. We use nitrogen because it is an inert gas. It is
much better that a little harmless nitrogen be released into the
atmosphere than R134a.

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Black Light
If the system has UV dye in it, a black light will make the dye glow. Be
sure to shine the light all over the entire system, the leak could be
anywhere, even on the evaporator under the dash.

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Sniffer Test
A “sniffer” is an electronic device that will beep if it detects refrigerant.
Most technicians don’t like these, they tend to be way to sensitive and
will beep at almost anything.

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Retrofitting R12 to R134a

Before you do this, make sure it will not hurt the value of your
otherwise all original classic car/truck. There are still guys out there
with a secret R12 stash, you just need to ask nicely. Also, unless you
can do all this yourself, this could get a tad expensive. An A/C delete
may be a bit more practical. If you have no other option but to do a
retrofit, these are the basic steps that should be taken.

1. Recover the remaining R12

2. Remove hoses and pipes from components
3. Flush refrigerant out of all components
4. Replace ALL o-rings and install R134a fittings (may need to
replace components, retrofit kits are available)
5. Install an new receiver-drier or accumulator
6. Vacuum/evacuate: 29inHg for 30 minutes
7. Nitrogen test, if everything is OK, evacuate again
8. Use about 8oz of ester oil with dye (unless another amount is
specified)
9. Fill with R134a to 80% of R12 charge (unless another amount is
specified)
10. Check for leaks with a black light
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Basic A/C Diagnosing

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Checking Pressures
To properly check high and low side pressures the engine needs to be
at about 1000-1200RPM with the A/C on. The high pressure side should
read anywhere between 200-300psi. (this is a general rule, some
systems will go higher) The low side should be about 10-30psi. If you
have a TXV system the numbers should stay pretty well the same, but if
you have a CCOT system the numbers will changes as the compressor
clutch cycles on and off. Static pressure is pressure in the A/C system
with the A/C compressor off. This should be around 90-130psi. If you
get a reading of 0psi or close to it, you have a major leak. Do not
recharge the system until the leak has been found and repaired. If you
think the A/C isn’t blowing cold enough, measure ambient temperature
with a thermometer and then turn the A/C on and measure the
temperature at the vent. The A/C system should make vent temperature
close to 15°C (30°F) colder than ambient air temperature unless
ambient air temperature is already less than 15°C(30°F).

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The following are many of the reasons an A/C compressor would (even
temporarily) disengage:

Rad fans inop.

Ambient temperature too low
Pressures too high/low
Insufficient refrigerant charge
Compressor clutch inop.
Convertible top down (don’t laugh, I’ve had customers come in for
this)
A/C relay/module inop. (if equipped)
Interior temperature sensor defective (if equipped)
Evaporator too cold
Engine running on reserve fuel (fuel light on)
TPS showing WOT
Engine overheating
Engine RPM too high (5500rpm+)
Some will disengage while the transmission shifts (automatic
only)
PCM detects high engine load
PCM detects a hard launch
PCM detects poor idle quality
Compressor getting too hot
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