Hello all,

So my dad had some leftover R134a in one of those AutoZone recharge cans, with the nice gauge and everything. My A/C hasn't worked since I got my XJ, and the humidity here in PA sucks right now, so I figured what the heck, why not give it a shot. I jumped the compressor with a paperclip and followed all the instructions on the can until the gauge read around ~50psi in the green for the ambient temperature at the time. I ran it until it took the whole can, and the A/C was working great for a few minutes. Now, when I turn it on, it will cycle on and off and cause a horrifying squeal, and the compressor will make a loud hum sound and next thing I know, it BLASTS refrigerant out of a little port on the back of the compressor into the engine bay. I removed the gauge from the empty can and it's just stuck at 30psi. Piece of crap!!

I haven't found anything about this on the search, so I was just wondering if anyone else has stupidly overcharged their system as I have.

 

1 can shouldn't be enough to overcharge the system. You probably got ice in there from not evacuating the moisture first, that blocks the plumbing and raises the pressure sky high.

 

This.

I'd say let the pressure continue to blow off. Unless you have a vacuum pump and a reclaiming tank to reclaim the refrigerant and hold it while you can dry the system out and recharge it.

 

I'm fine with doing that but I just want to make sure I'm not doing any harm to the compressor by letting it blow off like that. It's pretty scary, lol

 

sounds like your orifice tube is stopped up. hook up a full set of gauges: on a normal 90 degree day they should read @30-50psi on the lp side and @250 or so on the hp side. If lp is normal and hp is too high you have a blocked metered orifice tube. replace tube(comes as assy of line w/ tube installed), and dryer together. then vacuum and recharge the system with 134

 

Where is the orifice tube located?

 

it is located inside the metal lp line, the same one you hook up the low side gauge to so you can charge the system. orifice tube is what is called a "fixed" orifice tube meaning you cant change just the $2 tube you must change the entire line.Chrysler should have stayed with the expansion valve..... they almost never failed!

 

Interesting, I haven't heard of this being an issue before. I was able to charge the system so I take it a potential blockage wouldn't prevent that? Is this common with XJ A/C systems?

 

It's common with all orifice tube designed systems. The tubes eventually block up if moisture or contaminants enter the system.

Due to this, most parts suppliers won't honor the warranty on a replacement compressor if you don't buy the corresponding orifice tube and dryer assemblies.