what do you mean when you say it may not be the case? do u think there is something else wrong with it? by the way this only happens when its hot out. i can use my a/c in the evenings and early mornings (when i dont need it) and its perfectly ok. wish i knew what was wrong with it. my mechanic says that the radiator is fine, and there are no leaks in the a/c because it lets out pressure when he tries to release some of the a/c gas, or whatever it is called . lorin

 

more heat= more pressure.(which is why it may be doing it when its hot out). I was just meaning that the limit switch/switches may be going bad. (and therefore cycling the compressor too often)

Although I would start at changing the orifice.

 

I Take it to my mechanic today, again - so i should mention the "switches" to him? i know he is going to change out the orphasis valve , i guess he has to empty the a/c stuff to do it. geez , i hope this takes care of it. I have not driven it now for over a week for fear of blowing up the thing. thank god for my second car- my del sol has been so reliable. thanks man - Lorin

 

Please help me! ok its been over a month, that i have not really driven my car- thankfully i have a second. My mechanic STILL was not able to fix the problem[:@] anybody please please help. I guess i should just break down and take it to mitsubishi. It was not the Orphasis valve- nor the switches- nor the blower- its ben re-charged now twice!- emptied and filled back up. WHAT COULD IT BE? its 101degrees here in colorado today, and its gonna gt hotter! i need A/C. also , seems like the temperature rises as well when i try to get the ac to work, and seems like the car is bogged down more than the norm when the ac is on - it feels like its gonna blow. anyhow any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Lorin

 

Anybody?

 

Hi signtist2004!
I have read the entire post, and the biggest problem is that you can't nail down the problem! That is... there are several different systems working to give you cold A/C. Recharging the A/C system is not always the solution (you found that out). Also, your mechanic may be a nice guy, but pressing a schrader valve to tell you that the system doesn't need charging because something is coming out... well, let's just say that it NOT a very accurate or professional diagnosis. If he doesn't do a/c, then you should consider a qualified shop in your area.

I am not sure about the 'smoke' from the vents. That could be several different reasons. However, the no cooling issue is probably a little easier to nail. You say the A/C is working well in the mornings, or when you really don't need it. When it's hot, it's not working. That is usually a sign of a low charge. Now, you claim it was charged by the same mechanic that did the 'press the valve' diagnosis, then I have to say that I can not really trust the charge. You know, letting air in the system could be causing this problem. That alone could be where your no cooling problem is.

Having said that, it's also possible that the clutch coil is bad. In a lot of cases, the coil windings are cracked or damaged so they work some times, but when they get really hot and expand.. they go 'open circuit'. That means there is no magnetic field to 'pull' or engage the clutch. Therefore, no a/c.

In short, this really has to be diagnosed by somebody who is an a/c service professional. I would strongly recommend that you look up a local radiator and A/C shop in your area. These people are probably better at A/C than the local mechanic and will have access to aftermarket parts (if you need any) that will be priced better than the dealer. You may find a local shop at our the listings on our site at the World Wide Auto A/C Service Directory.

Hope this helps!

 

thanks for your reply!, im taking it in again tommorrow , susposed to anyway but i think ill make an appointment with a a/c specialist like u said, but now what do i tell them so that they dont start from the begining? this is sooo frustrating. oh - if one of the things you said were wrong with it, would it cause it to bogg down more thatn normal? Thanks, Lorin

 

It sounds to me like your blower fan (for the heater and airconditioner) may have burned up.

When a car is moving and you are not in recirc mode, you may get a ram-air effect, but when you come to a stop there is no ram air.

Does your heater work? I don't care whether the air is hot or cold, just whether air blows through the vents when car is stopped.

BTW, I am not familiar with you vehicle, so I am talking in general, but some cars have resisters used for controlling the speed of the blower fan and they are in the same area as the fan. One or more of those resisters could also have burned up and have been the cause of your smoke.

 

Thanks for the reply i tried private messaging u - i dont know if it works. anyhow i do get air through the vents even when im stopped - now wheather ist hot or cold depends on the wheather- Lorin

 

There is no need to PM me. Like I said, I am not familiar with your model car. But I am familiar with AC in general. All I can give you is some rough ideas. You need a person who has the ability, qualifications, test equipment and most importantly, access to your vehicle.

These forums can be very helpful, but there is a point regarding many issues that first hand experience and the ability to run tests on the actual vehicle is the only way to make progress toward fixing the problem.

May I also suggest that you don't start a new thread, but continue your old one until the problem is corrected. I had to search for the old thread in order to read what was done in the past after I came upon the new thread. It is also a good idea that if and when the problem is solved, that you post the fix. That makes it easier for us to help others in the future.