So recently i noticed that my ac compressor cycled way more than usual when i had the defroster on... So i did some research and saw some mention that the system might be low on refrigerant. So i went to walmart and picked up an AC Pro recharge kit(the bottle, hose, guage deal). I hooked the gauge up to the port and found the system low so i recharged the system or should i say OVERCHARGED. I noticed soon after that my compressor was a bit more noisy and the engine struggled to run. So when i got home i checked the pressure and found that i did indeed overcharge the system. Like an idiot i tried to release some of the refrigerant by hooking the AC Pro guage/hose (without the bottle screwed on) and let it out until the pressure was back where i started. Now the compressor is back to cycling like crazy and my jeep will overheat if i leave it idling with the defroster on (with the compressor engaging/disengaging). Not only is the cycling driving me nuts but the compressor is relatively louder than before.
Did i ruin my compressor??
If so, can i put a new compressor on without doing anything with the system like evacuating/vac/recharge. I'm mostly concerned with HEAT at this time in the year and can wait till spring to do the AC overhaul. I just don't want to put another compressor on if i'll ruin it by using the heat. Will the heat even work after changing the compressor?

 

lol..I almost never use a heater, only cold A/C, but in the situation I wanted heat, and had a possibly bad A/C compressor, I would disable it by removing the power leads, so that just the pulley spins

Its is somewhat possible you have a failing A/C pulley bearing in which case, I believe that can be replaced in situ

Charging a A/C system is one of very few jobs I leave to the pros

 

Good point! That'll probably get me by for the time being im not sure how well the defroster would work without being able to trap moisture. I spun the pulley with the belt off and it spins freely so disconnecting the clutch would probably do the trick until i do a whole overhaul on the system.

 

defroster probably wont work too good, carry a rag to wipe the inside window

If your gas was low in the first place, reasonable chance the compressor main seal has failed and leaked it..examine for sign of refrigerant oil leakage

 

The defroster will work just fine. The main reason the A/C runs on defrost is so it cycles in the off season to keep the seals working. On GM cars years ago, it didn't and you had to recharge the A/C system every spring because the charge would leak out over the winter. The A/C in both my WJ and my XJ never worked since I've owned them and I've never had a problem with the defroster. It does take a bit longer to clear the windshield on a cold start, but not that much longer. I've never had ice build up on the inside either, even with wet carpets.

 

You are probably undercharged now. Unplug the wire to the compressor and see if your overheating issue continues. I'm not convinced they're related. Defrost will still work, you just won't have the dehumidifying that running the a/c during defrost provides.

 

Thanks guys for the replies. I unplugged the compressor this morning and so far so good. The defroster still works, It just takes a little longer this morning when It was damp and foggy.

 

Yes It is undercharged but I think the compressor is also on its way out as it’s hard to turn over when the clutch is engaged. I have air in the system as well because i bled the extra refrigerant out the incorrect way.