AC Problems

[merr3129]

Hello,

I have been having issues with my AC.

Vehicle:
2002 S60 AWD 2.4L
185,000 miles
AC refrigerant is full

Issue:
Compressor will blow cold air for a few minutes and then stops blowing cold air. After that it doesn't matter what setting the temp is on, it only blows full hot air from the vents.

I have seen the bread clip fix, but this seems like a different issue since it switches to full hot air. Has anyone else experienced this and has an idea on what I could check?

Thank you

[Vova585]

Weird issue. I think you are suppose to check the refrigerant level on the running car with max cold air setting. If your car quickly stops blowing cold, i guess accuracy of the reading might be not perfect. You can try to clean internal air temp sensor and make sure the little fan behind it still works. Can check the gap in the ac clutch on cold engine and compare to the spec. You might be able to check if there is a commanding signal for clutch engagement(i believe it is 1 wire positive 12v command design). For the rest of the tests you need decent scanner able to read codes in climate control unit, information from high and low pressure side sensors.

[firstv70volvo]

Hello,

I have been having issues with my AC.

Vehicle:
2002 S60 AWD 2.4L
185,000 miles
AC refrigerant is full

Issue:
Compressor will blow cold air for a few minutes and then stops blowing cold air. After that it doesn't matter what setting the temp is on, it only blows full hot air from the vents.

I have seen the bread clip fix, but this seems like a different issue since it switches to full hot air. Has anyone else experienced this and has an idea on what I could check?

Thank you

First check would be to see if the compressor is disengaging when the cold air stops, if the problem happens only have a few minutes you can check that the compressor is running and the AC compressor clutch is engaged by looking at the center area of the AC compresssor pulley. If the center area of the pulley is spinning the clutch is engaged and compressor is running. If the compressor isn't running and hot air begins to flow then you know what's causing the hot air and can go from there. If the compressor is running when hot air is blowing then then you'll need to look at other areas for the problem, refrigerant charge, evaporator icing up, climate control flaps etc.

[dikidera]

I have the same problem and was about to write about it. I had my refrigerant refilled to the max level specified a few days ago. The issue occurred almost an hour later. Except it would at times return, at times go away. It's either clutch or flaps.

If you let the car cool off, it seems to work again. Oddly enough...the Engine fan seems to turn on to max power at times to cool off the AC radiator, I found that odd or perhaps it was always like that .

Question my fellow volvo-mates. Is the zip tie trick making the AC always on, robbing me from power? Because with the AC on, I have quite a lot of inertia loss.

[Vova585]

I have the same problem and was about to write about it. I had my refrigerant refilled to the max level specified a few days ago. The issue occurred almost an hour later. Except it would at times return, at times go away. It's either clutch or flaps.

If you let the car cool off, it seems to work again. Oddly enough...the Engine fan seems to turn on to max power at times to cool off the AC radiator, I found that odd or perhaps it was always like that .

Question my fellow volvo-mates. Is the zip tie trick making the AC always on, robbing me from power? Because with the AC on, I have quite a lot of inertia loss.

Zip ties or Brad clips are temporary solutions to adress the gap between pulley and clutch plate which occurred from years of wear and tear. You can re-shim the clutch plate to the proper specs via proper size washers(or their removal) following removal of clutch plate.

[abscate]

I have the same problem and was about to write about it. I had my refrigerant refilled to the max level specified a few days ago. The issue occurred almost an hour later. Except it would at times return, at times go away. It's either clutch or flaps.

If you let the car cool off, it seems to work again. Oddly enough...the Engine fan seems to turn on to max power at times to cool off the AC radiator, I found that odd or perhaps it was always like that .

Question my fellow volvo-mates. Is the zip tie trick making the AC always on, robbing me from power? Because with the AC on, I have quite a lot of inertia loss.

If you overfill the refrigerant, it will kick off from overpressure. How did you fill it, by pressure or after evacuating and filling my mass?

[dikidera]

Not sure, I had a professional do it. But he was unsure if it was 1kg of refrigerant(00-05 was 1kg) onwards was less. So he said, you choose. We filled it to 1kg because mine was 05 but the facelift variant and so the spec says 1kg.

There was supposed to be a sticker that specified capacity but I ripped it off quite a while ago as it was already half-peeled.

So yeah he used something like Autodata v3.4 I would imagine that said 00-05-1kg, 06-09 - 700g or 750.

However upon noticing AC pressure parameter in Vida, it did says 2200 kpa when compressor is on which I found to be very high. But as always VIDA was highly unhelpful in saying what the correct value must be.

[abscate]

2200 kPa is too high unless you are in the Sahara. Your low/high ration with R134 should be 3:1 , maybe 4:1 max

It sounds overcharged

[firstv70volvo]

I have the same problem and was about to write about it. I had my refrigerant refilled to the max level specified a few days ago. The issue occurred almost an hour later. Except it would at times return, at times go away. It's either clutch or flaps.

If you let the car cool off, it seems to work again. Oddly enough...the Engine fan seems to turn on to max power at times to cool off the AC radiator, I found that odd or perhaps it was always like that .

Question my fellow volvo-mates. Is the zip tie trick making the AC always on, robbing me from power? Because with the AC on, I have quite a lot of inertia loss.

As Abscate mentioned, the system sounds overcharged. The engine fan running at max power is mostly likely due the high pressure and same goes for the inertia loss. The 2200 kpa measured should only occur if the ambient/outside air temp is above 100 F of if there's not enough cooling air flowing over the condenser. What was the outside air temp when you got the 2200 kpa reading? The compressor will be shut down if high side pressure gets too high.