AC Troubleshooting - next steps?

I've done a bunch of searching to try to figure out my AC issue - wondering where I go from here.

This is where I'm at so far:

• Original Problem: AC stopped blowing cold, clutch not engaging. AC light was solid - no flashing
  • Replaced AC relay under the hood - no change.
  • Jumped relay with wire, clutch engaged and spun - slight wine
  • Had AC refilled/recharged - turned out it was low, and was seemingly blowing cold when i left the shop after recharge - compressor wine gone.
• Two days later after no driving, AC wouldn't cool down again - no clutch engagement.
• Here's what I thinking - hope I'm on the right path?
  • Check AC high pressure switch for proper operation (jump to check clutch engagement)
  • if that's not it - maybe the AC amplifier?
  • if that's not it - maybe the interior switches are not working correctly?

Any other ideas?

 

Well, did they fix the leak or just recharge. Where was the leak?

 

Sounds to me like you have a known leak. I’d start with fixing that first before recharging again.

 

They did a leak check and didn't find anything explicit. This is the first service that it's had since 2006 so it's not a surprise that it was initially low.

 

Did they add dye to the system? You do have a leak somewhere and the low pressure switch is doing it’s job I suspect.

 

I'm going to circle back with them this week to find out. Of course, there are many other reasons why the clutch wouldn't engage - which is what I'm trying to also understand before I just decide it's a leak.

 

Rubber doughnut on clutch slipping?

 

Just call them up and ask them if they normally add dye when they charge the system. If they say yes , shine a uv light on all the connections at night and it will really stand out.

 

I gotta wonder just how long the system was under vacuum ?

If it was cold for a few days now no longer is you have a leak.

 

I had pretty much same thing happen on my 14.replaced the clutch with the Toyota kit and boom, blowing nice and cold again

 

shop rechecked my levels and there's a large leak apparently which caused me to lose all of my refrigerant in a day. hoping its an expansion valve failure, but not optmistic that its not the evap as they couldn't easily locate anything in the engine bay causing the issue.

 

They should have know you had a leak during the vacuum process. You pull the vacuum for 45 min. or so, then wait and see if the needle on the manifold gauges moves over a period of time. If it moves you have a leak.
It sounds like they didn’t vacuum the system, just recharged and that was it. Especially since in leaked out in one day.

 

A leak that large shouldn't be very hard to find, I would think you would hear it. If it's the evaporator you should be able to smell it inside the truck.

 

Try testing the a/c input crt. Unhook the a/c connector from clutch input circiut. Use a test light or 12v load tester to see if you have power at the clutch when commanded. If so, you have an open in the clutch crt internal to the compressor.

 

to bring this full circle, it WAS a leak, but one very hard to spot. my winch wiring had rubbed a small hole in the condenser. everything is working fine now after the repair!