Another common problem car owners are faced with is a faulty or broken AC or air conditioning unit. Now what you need to realize is that your air conditioning unit simply functions like a refrigerator only with a different layout. If you have tried repairing your refrigerator before, then there’s a big chance you can repair your car AC as well. During tough times where you don’t have extra cash to pay for unexpected expenses, your best bet would be to repair it yourself. Here is a Do-It-Yourself guide on how to repair car AC.
Before you touch anything in your car AC, you should first be familiar with its components. A car air conditioning unit is made up of the following components:
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Compressor - this is the part that compresses and circulates the refrigerant in your car’s AC system
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Condenser - this part is responsible for changes in the phase of the refrigerant. At the same time, it also expels heat removed from the car.
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Evaporator - this component is responsible for transferring heat to the refrigerant from the air blown across it. This is the one that cools your car.
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Expansion valve – in some cars, it is called the orifice tube. This is like some kind of nozzle that works to simultaneously drop the pressure of the refrigerant liquid. It also measures the flow and atomizes it.
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Receiver/Dryer - this is acts like a filter for your refrigerant/oil, which helps in removing moisture and other contaminants in your car’s AC unit.
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Refrigerant - is the substance that carries the heat. On newer car models, they use the substance called R-134a as the refrigerant. On older cars however, the R-12 Freon is used.
Now that you know the components of your car’s air conditioning unit, it’s now time to search for the problem and fix it.
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Check if your refrigerant leaks out. It’s easy to spot but not that easy to fix. There is usually fluorescent dye that you can purchase at car shops that are used for checking for leaks. Follow the instructions included with it. Remember, if there’s a bad leak, there will be no pressure in it. Thus, to check for bad leaks, grab some goggles to protect your eyes, and get a pen. Locate one of the valve stems and poke it with the pen to check for pressure. If there is none, then obviously, there is a bad leak. You will need to find the leak and either replace that valve stem or temporarily seal it.
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On the other hand, if that is not the problem, you will need to start your car and turn on your AC. Now, it’s time to pop the hood open and locate the compressor. It should be a pump in one side that has steel hoses and large rubber on the sides. It should not have a filler cap on it. You will also notice a pulley on the front of your compressor and there is an inner hub that turns. If your AC unit and blower are turned on, the center of that pulley should be turning. If not, then the compressor’s clutch is not engaging. The problem could either be a bad fuse, broken switch in your AC, a wiring problem, or it can also be low on refrigerant. So locate the fuse and try replacing it with a new one. If you are low on refrigerant, have it filled. On the other hand, you may want to remove your dash and see if the AC switch is damaged. If not, take your car to your local auto shop for a wiring problem. It can also be caused by a broken fan belt that simply needs to be replaced.
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I would like to know if there is some out there that I can get that would tell me how to repair Auto AC Condensor and where to buy parts for it. I would like to open it up and replace any old and bad parts so that it wont have any problems and any other parts of the AC.