AC isn't working - Got a diagnostic and need advice.

Hi all,

The AC in my 2013 Access Cab went out last Sept/October. It was cool enough so I just drove windows down for the time being until winter. Now that it's getting warmer, I took it in for a diagnostic to a local, well reviewed, shop.

They notes from them state - " Hooked up AC gauge and found low side is around 85 PSI and high side is around 100 PSI with compressor running. Suspect expansion valve is stuck open, would need to start with replacing expansion valve. There is a chance vehicle may also need the AC compressor replaced due to compressor being overworked."

When I spoke to him, he said he doesn't think there is a leak but cannot say for sure if just the valve will fix it. The problem is the valve repair is $1400 because it's behind the firewall/in the dash. Then, if its still not working and they need to do a compressor, it's another $1400.

What do you all think? Have you done an expansion valve replacement yourself? How about a compressor? I'm ok with DIY but not amazing at it. Should I just bite the bullet? TIA.

 

In my experience when the pressures are near equalized with the system on the compressor has failed, odds are if it is failed in that manner there's metal contamination and you will need to replace the condenser, expansion valve, screen, and flush the evaporator & lines thoroughly.

 

1 doesnt the system have an orfice tube? Not an expansion valve.
2 They said "When I spoke to him, he said he doesn't think there is a leak butcannot say for sure if just the valve will fix it." Leak of expansion valve? Do you/they mean fix expansionvalve?... again does it have the modern system orface valve (alot different?)
3 If this is the actual report and not inaccurately restated the business sounds questionable.

 

It uses an Expansion Valve.
I think there is also a filter in the connector tube of the expansion valve also.

 

[QUOyTE="TnShooter, post: 30600684, member: 42625"]It uses an Expansioheapern Valve.
[/QUOTE]

Thats pretty wild. Shows you what i know! I thought every manufacturer went cheaper with an orface tube anymore. Alittle old school but proven as long as its working.

I always like to fine tune a expansion valve system by watching the frost line when adding a charge.

 

Yes - bite the bullet !

 

As mentioned above, it most likely is a compressor which should also entail flushing the system along with replacing the dryer and/or condensor (if they're together) and the TXV.

If you can remove panels and get your eyes on the txv, you could try hitting it with an extension to see if it unsticks. Don't break it, just jarr it a little to see if it frees up and the A/c starts working. If it does then you need a txv. If it doesn't you need a compressor.

 

Everyone uses expansion valve systems now, Toyota has been using them since the 90s.
GM was the last one I know of to use an orfice tube system on their trucks up to 2013.

 

You can replace the expansion valve without ripping out the dash etc.... See this post (#6) with pictures:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/ac-compressor.796628/#post-28547145

 

This ^.

 

My heads in the (now? older) Fords. [They] went to orface tubes on everything in the 90's decade. Granted many peeps here may not have been born yet. Has the general car builder switched back? It is a much more expensive system to produce. I car see Toyota doing it with their above average engineering though.

 

Ford and Dodge used orfice tube systems up through the mid 2000s on their trucks and a mixture of expansion valve or orfice on other stuff.

All of the Asian manufacturers (at least every vehicle I've seen) has had expansion valves since the 90s.

Expansion valve systems (at least from my observations) tend the be more efficient, cool better in hot climates, and use less refrigerant than orfice tube systems and efficiency & lowering the amount of refrigerant used is the name of the game among other things in automotive design especially in the last 10 years or so.
Alot has changed in automotive A/C system design in the past 20 years with new (extremely expensive) refrigerant, variable displacement compressors, much smaller systems, condensers with passages no larger than a pin, new design lineset that runs the suction and liquid lines together for additional subcooling, total oil capacities as low as 2-4 oz, etc.