Is Your Car Cool? What You Need to Know Before You Fix the Air Conditioner on Your Car, Truck Or Van

This time of year especially in the warmer climates the air conditioner goes from a luxury to a necessity. You turn your air conditioner on for the first time of the season and you realize it is not blowing as cold as it should. This may be okay for a few weeks but once the dog days of summer hit, look out
The first impulse of the vehicle owner is normally to stop by their local automotive store and pickup a few cans of refrigerant. However, this often is not the fix your car needs to literally make you cool. If you are in this situation here are a few other things that may be the culprit

• A/C Clutch- The A/C clutch is an electromagnetic clutch that turns the air conditioning compressor on and off. This part may work intermittently, it may make noise as the bearings start to go out, the clutch itself may slip or burn up.
• High Pressure Switch- The high pressure cutout switch turns off the air conditioning compressor when pressures reach dangerously high levels. This could be due to a restricted system (debris in the system, where liquid cannot change into gas fast enough), or possibly an overcharge. This could be a reason for your air compressor to not run correctly, or to not run at all.
• Low Pressure Cutoff Switch- If your refrigerant gets to less than seven pounds, this switch shuts the system down to prevent premature compressor failure. If this cutoff switch fails the compressor itself will not come on without this safety feature working correctly.
• Condenser & Evaporator - The condenser can become plugged up internally. This may also cause your high pressure switch to activate. If the condenser fan is not working the A/C will not blow as cold or as efficient as it could because it is not taking the heat away as fast as it should. The evaporator can become plugged with dirt and dust causing restricted air flow from the dash, or insufficient cooling.
• Orifice Tube- A small tubular screen where pressure builds up. The refrigerant is atomized inside as it leaves this tube, changing from a liquid refrigerant to a cold gas. This failure is rarely a hole, most often however it is a restriction from debris or a failed compressor. When this happens there is the usual intermittent or insufficient cooling.
• Refrigerant- Often if you have to add refrigerant on a regular basis this is a sign you have a leak somewhere in your air conditioning system. To keep your system running well and to prevent leaks in the summer time run your A/C once a month in the off-season for about five minutes to keep the system lubricated