Air Conditioner troubles | FerrariChat

Air Conditioner troubles

Discussion in '360/430' started by Sal Manzur, Sep 3, 2019.

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  1. Sal Manzur

    Sal Manzur Formula Junior

    Sep 12, 2004
    282
    Upland Ca
    Full Name:
    Salvador Manzur
    The air conditioner on my 2003 360 has stopped blowing cold air.
    I have had the car 11 years and put 23,000
    Miles on it.
    Do these units go out much?
    Are there rebuilt compressors out there?
    Any experiences ?
     
  2. ItalGerBrit

    ItalGerBrit Formula Junior

    Mar 15, 2016
    804
    S La
    Nothing exotic about the A/C system. Most any shop should be able to diagnose the problem and fix it fairly easily.
     
    Sal Manzur likes this.
  3. smin9870

    smin9870 Karting

    Mar 6, 2011
    78
    CT
    Full Name:
    Steve
    I had to have my compressor rebuilt. I think it was ~$600. Your better off with that than a NOS that has 20 year old seals
     
    imahorse and Sal Manzur like this.
  4. FantasiaForest

    Feb 22, 2019
    32
    Jacksonville Fl
    Full Name:
    Joe C Rudkin Ii
    You can try adding freon to it yourself and see how log it holds a charge. For about $50 you can buy at set of gages at Harbor Freight or Home Depot. Some auto parts stores may even let you barrow/rent. The pure freon cans are about $5-$8 a can. Ive been told to avoid the ones with sealants they could gunk up your system. You could get a can with dye and see if its leaking at the compressor.
     
    Purch23 likes this.
  5. mello

    mello F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Jul 12, 2013
    5,035
    CA Bay Area
    Full Name:
    Steve
    The A/C doesn't work and it's a bad compressor, low freon, leaky seals? Quite excessive diagnostic conclusion given the lack of information by the OP. I would check the A/C clutch fuse first before anything else. A blown fuse will only set you back a few dollars. Good luck!
     
    f355spider and Sal Manzur like this.
  6. KC360 FL

    KC360 FL Formula 3

    Jun 20, 2017
    1,677
    Melbourne Florida
    Full Name:
    KGC
    My motto: If you are going to have a go at yourself ( and there's certainly nothing wrong with that in this case) always start with the cheapest route first then work you way up to the expensive stuff.

    A/C systems are not that mystical. And there are very few things you can due to hurt it with most modern cars having low pressure valves and high pressure shut offs built into the system. When my '03 started to not keep up with cooling a simple addition of 2 cans of freon had it blowing cold again as it should even here in the hot Florida summers.

    Mello's post is spot on.
     
    Sal Manzur likes this.
  7. BrettC

    BrettC Formula 3

    Aug 13, 2012
    1,970
    Calif
    Full Name:
    Brett
    Shop manual states to replace the filter in the front trunk every 2-3 years iirc....just did mine. 2004 360 with 43K on it. Might not be the failure reason but a gunked up filter might cause other failures...
     
  8. BrettC

    BrettC Formula 3

    Aug 13, 2012
    1,970
    Calif
    Full Name:
    Brett
    Actually shop manual, after checking, says every 2 years filter change ( or 20K kilometers) and check oil levels in compressor. HTH
     
  9. mike32

    mike32 F1 Veteran

    May 13, 2016
    5,828
    Isle of man- uk
    If the filter drier is getting dirty and the system is working, you will feel a different in temperature between the inlet and outlet pipes on the filter drier.
    The liquid will expand over the filter due to the restriction of the dirt blocking the filter drier.
    As for changing every 2 years, absolute rubbish if you have no temp difference.
    If the filter does get dirty this may be coming from wear in the compressor, as it wears the filter traps it.
    You are unlikely to lose any oil in the system if you still have your gas pressures as the oil would leak with the gas, you would see oil staining .
    Get the system pressure checked with compressor off, ( the suction and discharge will be the same) then check the pressures with the compressor running .
    Get this info before you start changing bits on guess work
     
  10. mike32

    mike32 F1 Veteran

    May 13, 2016
    5,828
    Isle of man- uk
    Which Freon are you using bearing in mind 12 and 22 are banned these days
     
  11. KC360 FL

    KC360 FL Formula 3

    Jun 20, 2017
    1,677
    Melbourne Florida
    Full Name:
    KGC
    I'm EPA certified. So I could still by 12 a few years ago and I have the recovery machinery for it. Now mostly all gone from the retailers and wholesalers. I have some 30lb canisters left for my old cars. I just bought some 134-A for the F-car a few months ago at Advance Auto.
     
  12. FantasiaForest

    Feb 22, 2019
    32
    Jacksonville Fl
    Full Name:
    Joe C Rudkin Ii
  13. I'm 360 Canuck

    I'm 360 Canuck Formula 3

    Nov 21, 2015
    1,911
    Ontario, The Real One in Canada
    Full Name:
    Lars!
    I had a shop test and fill mine this year
    No big deal
     
  14. mike32

    mike32 F1 Veteran

    May 13, 2016
    5,828
    Isle of man- uk
    Its high time they got rid of 12 , 22 . The damage it does is terrible.
    We used to use a lot of the big 6 feet high cylinders using 12+22 when i worked deep sea and with the constant ship vibration cracking the pipes we always had leaks.
    Very surprised you can still get any as banned over 15 years or more now
     
  15. vrsurgeon

    vrsurgeon F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 13, 2009
    15,866
    Charleston, SC
    Full Name:
    Curt
    I predict it’s low Freon level or a bad ac ecu.
     
  16. Stout

    Stout Formula Junior

    May 9, 2013
    259
    Helotes, TX
    Full Name:
    Victor
    My AC problem was dirty contacts on the "Stop" button. Compressor worked fine on "defrost" as this turns on the compressor without depressing the "Stop" switch.
     
  17. Skidkid

    Skidkid F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 25, 2005
    8,682
    Campbell, CA
    Full Name:
    John Zornes
    You are right but I am betting on a different root cause. My bet is on a leaking compressor.
     
    vrsurgeon likes this.
  18. KC360 FL

    KC360 FL Formula 3

    Jun 20, 2017
    1,677
    Melbourne Florida
    Full Name:
    KGC
    Also not uncommon for hoses to "weep" freon through the years. Sudden loss of all cooling is one thing but simply not keeping up with the cooling the cabin any longer could be a result of "weeping" hoses. Not that they need replacing. Just a fact of life for cars with rubber A/C hoses.
     
  19. EastMemphis

    EastMemphis Formula 3
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    May 25, 2019
    1,717
    Memphis, TN
    Full Name:
    John
    I believe the weeping issue is limited to systems that were converted from R12 to R134a. The molecular size of R134a is smaller than R12, hence the "weeping" effect. Systems designed for R134a should have the proper hoses and seals to prevent the loss of working fluid over time. The compressor seal against the rotating parts is a much more likely source of slow leakage.

    Then again, what do I know?
     
  20. KC360 FL

    KC360 FL Formula 3

    Jun 20, 2017
    1,677
    Melbourne Florida
    Full Name:
    KGC
    Probably more than me. I'm not a scientist of any sort. :)
     
  21. Sal Manzur

    Sal Manzur Formula Junior

    Sep 12, 2004
    282
    Upland Ca
    Full Name:
    Salvador Manzur
    It went from
     
  22. Sal Manzur

    Sal Manzur Formula Junior

    Sep 12, 2004
    282
    Upland Ca
    Full Name:
    Salvador Manzur
    My local mechanic had a try at the 360. All
    He has ever done on it is change the break
    Pads. First phone call-How do you open the hood?. Second phone call-the compressor is not turning on....do I know where the fuse
    Panel is ? I gave him the phone to my
    Ferrari mechanic who was helpful.
    Third phone call-was tinkering with the fuse
    Panel and the compressor started up!
    Blowing cold air just fine but then it stopped.
    Couldn’t get it started again. He has a friend
    Who is better electrician then him going to look at it after work.
    Nothing is ever simple with these cars. I am
    Sure for some one who sees a lot of 360s
    This has already happened.
    I hope this panel thing can be fixed
     
  23. mwstewart

    mwstewart F1 Rookie

    Feb 5, 2014
    2,624
    England
    Full Name:
    Mark
    This is really good advice. I'm against opening the A/C system unless absolutely necessary. Changing the dryer every two years is nonsense.
     
    APA#1 and EastMemphis like this.
  24. mike32

    mike32 F1 Veteran

    May 13, 2016
    5,828
    Isle of man- uk
    Ok, the bit about it was blowing cold air, then it stopped.

    Before you do any more get a set of gauges on the compressor suction and discharge

    Did the compressor stop turning and/or did the cold air become warm ?
    If the compressor was turning, ie clutched in then either it has pumped all the available gas and it has cut out on low pressure by the clutch disengaging.
    Connect up a meter to the pressure switch on top of the filter drier, then run the compressor- you will get cold air out and then warm air- if this happens and the meter shows the switch has operated then chances are you are short of gas.
     
  25. Sal Manzur

    Sal Manzur Formula Junior

    Sep 12, 2004
    282
    Upland Ca
    Full Name:
    Salvador Manzur
    Apparently it’s either a damaged wire from the relay to the compressor or something wrong in the panel. They out electricity directly to compressor and it started blowing cold. Freon already topped off
     

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