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Car Forum / Ford / Ford Explorer / March 2006

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A/C repair for a 98 Explorer

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EMac - 15 Mar 2006 11:01 GMT
The A/C in a 98 Explorer will  not send out cold air.  It just blows out hot
air.  When I take the car to a A/C repair shop, what should I expect?

Would adding freon solve the problem?  Does the compressor need to be
replaced?  What A/C repairs can a person expect from a car with 67K miles?

All comments would be appreciated.
Happy Traveler - 15 Mar 2006 12:14 GMT
From the little you told us there is no way to even speculate. It could be
anything from a blown fuse to a stuck blend door (a common problem in this
vintage), to a leak somewhere. Perhaps even, as you suggested, a dead
compressor, though that's quite unlikely with only 67K miles... One thing is
certain: adding Freon definitely WON'T solve the problem. Your Explorer
doesn't even use Freon -- it uses a compound known as R134a. And you don't
just blindly add it - you can do more harm than good that way, including
injuring yourself. If you want to offer the fine people on this NG a clue,
at least check if the compressor clutch is engaging (you will hear a click
and see the hub rotating together with the pulley).

Hope that yours is a minor problem!!!

> The A/C in a 98 Explorer will  not send out cold air.  It just blows out hot
> air.  When I take the car to a A/C repair shop, what should I expect?
> Would adding freon solve the problem?  Does the compressor need to be
> replaced?  What A/C repairs can a person expect from a car with 67K miles?
Mikepier - 15 Mar 2006 13:08 GMT
I would like to add if you do hear the a/c clutch engage, then feel if
the evaporator is getting cold. The evaporator is the cylindrical
object located on the passengers side in the engine compartment.
If the evaporator is cold, then that tells me the A/C is working, but
the blend door is stuck.
EMac - 16 Mar 2006 04:28 GMT
Thanks for replying.

Yes, the clutch engages, but the evaporator is not cold when I touch it.

Does this mean an expensive repair bill?

As you can imagine, I kinda new to cars and I hear stories of people paying
6 figures for an A/C bill when their car has 55K on the odometer.  So I'm
trying to gather as much info as possible before taking the Explorer in for
repair.

ed.

>I would like to add if you do hear the a/c clutch engage, then feel if
> the evaporator is getting cold. The evaporator is the cylindrical
> object located on the passengers side in the engine compartment.
> If the evaporator is cold, then that tells me the A/C is working, but
> the blend door is stuck.
Happy Traveler - 16 Mar 2006 09:56 GMT
That part is the accumulator/dryer, not the evaporator (which you can't
touch, because it's inside the plenum assembly). But if the clutch engages,
at least you have some charge in the system. Does it cycle on and off really
fast (like every second or two), or stays on for a while?

> Yes, the clutch engages, but the evaporator is not cold when I touch it.
Happy Traveler - 16 Mar 2006 10:34 GMT
Need to make a correction: in your vehicle the evaporator is in a separate
housing, in the engine compartment. You will see it bolted to the firewall
on the pasenger side, right behind the accumulator and next to the blower.
There may be a heat insulating wrapping around the housing. Well, knowing
what the various A/C system parts are called does not help you much...
Hopefully the experts will jump in with some good advice. But first check
how fast that clutch is cycling...

> That part is the accumulator/dryer, not the evaporator (which you can't
> touch, because it's inside the plenum assembly). But if the clutch engages,
> at least you have some charge in the system. Does it cycle on and off really
> fast (like every second or two), or stays on for a while?
>
> > Yes, the clutch engages, but the evaporator is not cold when I touch it.
Mikepier - 16 Mar 2006 13:04 GMT
Take it to a shop that does A/C work. Let the pros hook up a gauge to
it to see whats really wrong. That's the only way your really going to
find the problem. It might be a simple problem.
Ashton Crusher - 18 Mar 2006 06:52 GMT
Worst case scenario would be around $1200 for repairs as a ballpark
guess.  Best case would be perhaps $150 if it's just got an easy to
fix leak and needs freon added.

>Thanks for replying.
>
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>> If the evaporator is cold, then that tells me the A/C is working, but
>> the blend door is stuck.
 
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