Help needed with AC system that vented gas through pressure relief valve
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Help needed with AC system that vented gas through pressure relief valve
Hi guys, sorry for the long winded post, but I really need some help here...
I've been doing a lot of searching on multiple forums trying to find a solution to my current AC problem, and I havent really found any posts that cover what is happening with my car. I have a 98 v70R, and a week ago, while stopped with the ac on for about 20 minutes or so and I heard a hissing sound coming from the left front of the car. There was steam pouring out from behind the drivers side headlight.
I thought it was coolant at first, but the car never showed signs of overheating, then I realized it was the AC gas that had vented, and even though the compressor was still going on and off there was no change in air temperature. Radiator fan works totally fine.
I now know the system has a pressure releif valve in the left front of the car, and from what I have read it vents at 400 psi (this may be incorrect, I'm not sure) so that explains the venting, my system is still holding pressure ( when the car is off the pressure is around 130 or so. when compressor is running it pressurizes to about 30 then drops to around 10 or so the compressor clicks on again and it goes back up to around 25-30.
Compressor does the typical cycling on and off every 3-5 seconds, when I unplug either the sensor by the firewall or the 3 pin one behind the headlight by the ac port, the compressor stops cycling. I tried adding some 134a and the time between compressor cycling increased, but it is still very quick cycles. I am unsure if I should keep adding as there seem to be many conflicting posts about what the pressure should be when comp is running or off. Also I dont know what caused the system to vent so I want to be careful in order to avoid having to do the dreaded evaporator swap by overtaxing the systems seals.
Is there any way to test these sensors to know whether they are working correctly? I am assuming the sensor behind the headlight is the high pressure switch and has failed since it made too much pressure and vented, but I cant really be sure. I guess it could be the clutch not disengaging, but given its consistant and current behavior, I dont think this is the case...
Fan works
compressor had power
system holds pressure
no lights on hvac controls
no check engine codes besides an evap code that has been there forever
Has anyone else ever experienced the venting of the system gas like I have?
Thanks in advance!!
I've been doing a lot of searching on multiple forums trying to find a solution to my current AC problem, and I havent really found any posts that cover what is happening with my car. I have a 98 v70R, and a week ago, while stopped with the ac on for about 20 minutes or so and I heard a hissing sound coming from the left front of the car. There was steam pouring out from behind the drivers side headlight.
I thought it was coolant at first, but the car never showed signs of overheating, then I realized it was the AC gas that had vented, and even though the compressor was still going on and off there was no change in air temperature. Radiator fan works totally fine.
I now know the system has a pressure releif valve in the left front of the car, and from what I have read it vents at 400 psi (this may be incorrect, I'm not sure) so that explains the venting, my system is still holding pressure ( when the car is off the pressure is around 130 or so. when compressor is running it pressurizes to about 30 then drops to around 10 or so the compressor clicks on again and it goes back up to around 25-30.
Compressor does the typical cycling on and off every 3-5 seconds, when I unplug either the sensor by the firewall or the 3 pin one behind the headlight by the ac port, the compressor stops cycling. I tried adding some 134a and the time between compressor cycling increased, but it is still very quick cycles. I am unsure if I should keep adding as there seem to be many conflicting posts about what the pressure should be when comp is running or off. Also I dont know what caused the system to vent so I want to be careful in order to avoid having to do the dreaded evaporator swap by overtaxing the systems seals.
Is there any way to test these sensors to know whether they are working correctly? I am assuming the sensor behind the headlight is the high pressure switch and has failed since it made too much pressure and vented, but I cant really be sure. I guess it could be the clutch not disengaging, but given its consistant and current behavior, I dont think this is the case...
Fan works
compressor had power
system holds pressure
no lights on hvac controls
no check engine codes besides an evap code that has been there forever
Has anyone else ever experienced the venting of the system gas like I have?
Thanks in advance!!
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