a/c not blowing cold

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pgringo

Active member
Joined
Sep 3, 2014
Location
78666
TDI
03 5speed wagon. 03 5speed Jetta sedan
03 jetta ALH 5speed.

manual climate controls

my compressor clutch engages. low side and high side get up to and sit at around 60psi while trying to charge system. would i be likely correct in diagnosis that the manifold in the compressor is probably bad? or that valve in the compressor?

i'm thinking about just grabbing one of those florida rebuilds with expansion block and drier and o-rings off ebay and going for it.

i have the harborfreight gauges and vac pump, but this is my first time at serious a/c diagnosis & repair. i do all my own wrenching.
 
Zheking

Zheking

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 7, 2017
Location
Conway, AR
TDI
02 Golf
I'm in the same boat. I can't decide if I should just replace the compressor and have a warranty or what.
 
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pgringo

Active member
Joined
Sep 3, 2014
Location
78666
TDI
03 5speed wagon. 03 5speed Jetta sedan
all fans in cabin and under hood working properly. sorry, i should have included that in initial post.
 
G

Genesis

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 26, 2003
Location
Sevier County TN
TDI
'03 Jetta Wagon
If the pressures are roughly equal and the compressor runs odds are good that the RCV is stuck open in the compressor. That's fixable without replacing the compressor entirely, but it does require disassembling the back section of it (not terrible difficult, but must be done in clean conditions as any sort of debris that gets in there will trash it.) You also need a new dryer and the correct equipment to recharge it (and, to do it legally, the correct equipment to recover the refrigerant in there!)
 
BobnOH

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
From Dan's thread-
Folks, a reminder. This thread is for solving electrical control problems in the Mk IV Air conditioning systems. If your clutch is engaging, and your fans are running, then you will not find your answer in this thread.
If your clutch is engaging and your fans are running, check out the Refrigerant Control Valve threads and the lost-foam-on-the-temperature-control dampers or flaps or doors threads. If your pressures are normal, look at the flapper doors, if the differential pressure is lower than it should be, then look at the RCV threads.
 
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pgringo

Active member
Joined
Sep 3, 2014
Location
78666
TDI
03 5speed wagon. 03 5speed Jetta sedan
so according to what I've been reading after searching "Refrigerant Control Valve" I've come back around to my initial diagnosis in OP. Apperently, it could be the RCV valve, or could be the reed valve manifold, but you won't know unless you either swap the RCV, or disassemble the compressor to view the reed valve manifold. I'll just buy a rebuilt compressor with fixins kit, probably flush the system, and i should be good since i'm not losing any refrigerant.

off to ebay

i'll probably later rebuild the comp i pull out of the car and set it aside since i own 2 mk4 ALH.

thanks for the "hints" folks. i suppose i shouldn't doubt my diag skills so much.
 
K

KrashDH

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 22, 2013
Location
Washington
TDI
2002 Golf
pgringo said:
so according to what I've been reading after searching "Refrigerant Control Valve" I've come back around to my initial diagnosis in OP. Apperently, it could be the RCV valve, or could be the reed valve manifold, but you won't know unless you either swap the RCV, or disassemble the compressor to view the reed valve manifold. I'll just buy a rebuilt compressor with fixins kit, probably flush the system, and i should be good since i'm not losing any refrigerant.
off to ebay
i'll probably later rebuild the comp i pull out of the car and set it aside since i own 2 mk4 ALH.
thanks for the "hints" folks. i suppose i shouldn't doubt my diag skills so much.
Click to expand...
Listen to these guy's advice. I wouldn't not buy a re-man compressor, it's likely going to be a headache. It's wicked easy to pull your compressor and replace that RCV, and install new seals while you're in there. It will give you a chance to look at your valves also and see their condition. If your system is apart, you'll want a drier and the expansion valve too
 
P

pgringo

Active member
Joined
Sep 3, 2014
Location
78666
TDI
03 5speed wagon. 03 5speed Jetta sedan
I bought a reman to reduce downtime. My other ALH is down already with a dead turbo. I bought a "kit" that includes drier, expansion valve, oil, all the o-rings, and reman compressor.
 
AndyBees

AndyBees

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2003
Location
Southeast Kentucky
TDI
Silver 2003 Jetta TDI, Silver 2000 Jetta TDI (sold), '84 Vanagon with '02 ALH engine
So, the readers will have some pics to see.....



Below, the RCV sets there in the center of the compressor..







Below, RCV with mounting nut on the end..



Below, RCV replaced with a 7/16 inch bolt and nut to function with the OE AC system in my 84 Vanagon ... works great!

 
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