Tow vehicle low on refrigerant?

[Ozz]

This tutorial is for my 2008 Super-Duty, but might apply to yours.
Go to the parts store and get a can of refrigerant, you my need sealer, the can will have directions.
My Super-Duty has the hood crammed full of stuff to the brim, found the high side fitting, but the low side took some detective work:
https://picasaweb.google.com/Jimsue13/20130830Charged2008SuperDuty?authuser=0&authkey=Gv 1sRgCISS2Mnz_8TSsQE&feat=directlink

[Alwims]

Ozz, I'd like to add something to your thread if you don't mind. Ford also did something that could potentially save you a lot of money and time if you are a do it yourselfer. They put extra shims in the clutch so that when your air conditioner clutch gets worn and won't stay engaged, you can remove a shim or two and still keep going without replacing the clutch and or compressor. I did it about 50,000 miles ago and it's still running strong.

Here are the instructions from the Ford Truck Forum; http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/58...-problems.html
..................................................

Try this to test:

Turn on the A/C and run it until the clutch won't re-engage. Be REAL CAREFUL now! Take a plastic screwdriver handle and "tap" the end of the (not spinning) clutch. Does it immediately engage and operate normally until it next cycles off, and then won't re-engage on its own?

If so:

Get out your feeler gauges, or your calibrated eyeballs, and determine that the air gap is about .050" to .060" (fifty or sixty thousandths). That's too much! It's supposed to be around .030. But wait! There's no need to replace the compressor and have to re-charge the system. There's a "dirt-cheap" fix!

See the little bolt right in the middle of the compressor shaft? Take it out. You won't be letting any Freon out. Pull the clutch plate straight out. There is one or more "shims" that look like small washers in there, either on the end of the shaft or down in the hole that fits on the shaft. Take off about .030" worth of them and reassemble. Go ahead, use a little blue (NOT green!) Loctite on the bolt as insurance.

Make sure you now have at least .025" of gap. Start the engine and check to insure your problem is gone.

That's all there is to it.

[Art-n-Marge]

Alwims, I just spent a boatload of dough for parts and labor to replace my compressor because I didn't know about this little trick. Not that it would have solved the issue, but this could have saved me a LOT of money. I'd be very nervous about putting my hands and a screwdriver in there like that since I know what Ozz talks about when he says things are crowded in the engine compartment.

To clarify, the tap test is done with the engine running, but the shim work is done with the engine off.

BTW - Ozz in looking at your pictures and seeing what you had to do to get to the lower fitting, I was wondering how you were gonna run the engine without the air filter, when necessary, but whew, you did describe to put the air filter back in place before running the engine. I don't know why but on my truck both the lower and higher fittins are accessible without the work you did but I have the older 6.0 PSD. Does your 2008 have the 6.4L? I've heard horrors stories that the engine is awful to work on and I think you have shown one example. A service point should NOT be that difficult to access. Shame on the engineers forgetting that service people (like the owner) work on the engine when it's INSIDE the truck's engine compartment and shouldn't have to strip the engine to get at these places.

[bethandkevin]

Ozz, I've not experienced it first hand nor do I know anyone who has, but I've always been told sealants can damage charging equipment. I'll defer to your expertise, as you've certainly seen more A/C than I have. In my case, I'd be mighty ticked off if I found sealant in a system and it plugged the filter in my charging station.

[Ozz]

Kevin, for the last 45 years I have avoided the sealants, but with the high cost of R-22, I have had to try one. I have a customer with 18 7 and 15 ton units, almost all leaker's. The coils leak, the moisture, acid in the system, aluminum fins, copper coils, moisture. All a great environment for eating away the very thin copper at the tube turns. I arranged a meeting with the sales guy at Nu-Calgon, the leader in my industry in chemicals for HVAC. I had always heard that sealants clogged systems.
He gave quite a talk on the product and how it works, convinced me. The old dog has to try and learn new tricks eventually. I tried one can on one 15 ton system this spring... no leaks, system churning along as happy as a clam, customer happy, I am happy, the salesman is relieved I am not stalking him...
Auto A/C is new to me, don't work on them, but I think the stuff I use for commercial systems (which is also made for auto's) will work.
The chemical when exposed to a leak, (Oxygen) stops the leak.
I understand your apprehension, I went to the HVAC contractors web Forum, the guys had nothing bad to say about it, maybe one or two that complained, but you could tell they were blowhards anyway.
All my buddies at the supply houses have had nothing bad to say about it.
It is a last resort application anyway.
I will not try any other brand, as I know it does work. You pick up a can and it is so light, it seems empty.
I will try and post a picture of the automobile can..

[Ozz]

Alwims, good tip, I really don't work on the auto A/C systems, mine was low, it was cycling on and off on the L.P. switch, so I added a few ounces to cool me on this 102 degree day here in some parts of K.C.
I will deal with the original problem later.
Art, I don't know what engine I have, but it is PACKED under there.

[bethandkevin]

Thanks for the reply Ozz. The "Old Dog" reference really hit home with me. I am definitely one that doesn't embrace change very well. Of course it's been years since sealants have been introduced to the market. It stands to reason that improvements in quality have been made. I think I'll offer this as a low cost option next time it's warranted.

[Ozz]

Call the new Calgon factory rep, have him come by and just explain the product to you, it may help ease your apprehension about it.
Parts and labor are so expensive, it could be a viable alternative.
Ozz