A/C performance problem

dremd

Veteran Member
Joined
May 31, 2007
Location
South Louisiana
TDI
06 sprinter. 03 jetta wagon premium with 6 speed ALH swap, 14 JSW
History: I bought the car in Iowa, in January, so A/C wasn't really on the mind, we had a cooler than normal spring, and the car was apart for the beginning of summer .

What I've done: I had to swap both a/c flexable hoses for the motor swap, so I opened the system, replaced the hoses, and the dryer, I then charged it with 750 grams R134a +/- 5 grams and 2 oz pag 46.


Fired it up, blew "cold" assumed all was well.

I've been driving it for a while and the A/C has been adequate, I was assuming that the climatronic had been throttling appropriately, but Sunday, I got hot (95f official temp, 99-100f on dash), so I've left it on recirculate, LO temp, and max fan since then ive realized performance is pretty darn poor.

I get dead minimum dash vent temp of 41 with blower at lowest setting, and about 52~55 F with the fans cranked. Testing done at 87F ambient after dark.

I'm seeing ~35 psi on the low side at idle, my gauges don't clip on to the high side of VW's (but work fine on everything else) so I don't know the high side psi, BUT the fans cycle from low to high so I assume that high side pressure is reasonable, or maybe a bit high.

Any ideas? I'm thinking expansion valve, but I'm hesitant to open the system again on a hunch.

Edit: I definitely pulled a VAC on the system for a good 1.5-2 hours before charging.
Also, not sure if it is climatronic related, or problem related, but compressor doesn't click on for several seconds (same amount every time) after engine start.
 
Last edited:

dremd

Veteran Member
Joined
May 31, 2007
Location
South Louisiana
TDI
06 sprinter. 03 jetta wagon premium with 6 speed ALH swap, 14 JSW
I just ran a VCDS scan on my climate control

1) WOW, super neat how much info is available

2) I had 2 codes 00792 a/c pressure switch (F129) 35-00- - AND 01274 Air Flap Positioning motor (V171) 37-10 - Faulty - Intermittent

I cleared them and they did not return during a 10-15 minute test

3) The only thing I saw out of place was Coolant Temperature -99c. I'm not sure that it is important or not, I'm guessing I was supposed to wire something during swap and I didn't.

4) lowest evaporator temp (in VCDS) I was able to achieve was 8c (46.4f)
 

dremd

Veteran Member
Joined
May 31, 2007
Location
South Louisiana
TDI
06 sprinter. 03 jetta wagon premium with 6 speed ALH swap, 14 JSW
Bump:
Due to lack of ideas, I've decided to replace both the RCV and the expansion valve.

The Expansion Valve is Rein Brand from IdParts (on my shelf), and the RCV is Santech and will be arriving tomorrow at Autozone.

Anybody have any thoughts / objections?
 
Top