Welp fellows here we go. After searching and reading Jon89 very informative thread https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/s...e-start-36924/, this subject was not touched upon.

With my cheapie AC gauge on the low side line I am getting a reading of 73 lbs. which is way into the red section of the gauge. I have been in contact with 01stype30, he is very graciously going to let me borrow his newly aquired professional AC gauges and other tools to get proper high and low readings. Hopefully I will get them in the next couple of days.

Well heres our problem ever since we purchased the vehicle over 2 years ago there has been a green light oily film on the compressor, I clean it, it comes back slowly. Leak right(?) thats what I thought until I put the cheapie gauge on the low side. The AC has worked flawlessly over the years until now, I have never added any R 134A. It blows coldish air while driving, come to a stop *poof* warm air, start driving cools back down but not icy cold.

Back of my head is saying compressor time, although it makes no unusual noises and appears to kick on and off at idle with AC set at coldest setting with fan on high.

Thoughts???

 

If the oil's coming out then surely the gas has largely gone so it's in need of a top-up I'd think. Pressures (when on) at both ports will help. However, if it's leaking then curing the leak sounds #1 thing!

Proper gauges for high & low are quite cheap (even here!!).

 

Rick,

Raise your front end, remove your belly pan, get a mechanic's stethoscope, crawl under there, and listen to your compressor while the engine is running and the A/C is set to high. Remember that our compressor was diagnosed as faulty in May 2010. I didn't believe it initially because it sounded normal to me when I was standing over the engine bay. But when I crawled underneath the car and used the stethoscope, I could hear the piston sounding like a cement mixer inside the compressor. The A/C shop said that it was in the early stages of failure and that it would eventually give out. It may have lasted another couple of months or it may have failed within a week. The bottom line is that it was in the process of giving up the ghost and it could not cool the cabin any longer when the outside temps rose above 85 or 90 degrees. As you know from my thread, a new compressor solved our problem....

Other members here have had to replace their compressors during the last few months as the weather warmed up. While they don't fail on command like the IMT O-rings and DCCV, they do indeed fail. I haven't had a compressor go bad on me for 20 years until this one began to die late last spring, and that's why I had a hard time accepting the fact that it was indeed the compressor. It sure sounds as if yours is beginning to die as well....

I hope it is something less costly for you such as a worn O-ring causing a 134a leak. But I really suspect your compressor based on what you've said about it thus far. Good luck and keep us posted....

 

Remember that IF you do need a compressor that the Lincoln LS unit will be fine and is MUCH cheaper.
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Often the high pressure is related to the A/C system not being turned on. Check to see it is on and that the compressor is engaged and no blown fuses. As for the compressor I understand that a control valve operation is a problem.

 

Well guys, taking a crap shoot here, I just purchased a reman. compressor off ebay, just shy of $165.00 total it will be here friday.

REMAN AC COMPRESSOR 2000-2005 LINCOLN LS V6 3.0 | eBay

I will be picking up 01stype30 AC tools tomorrow and looks like a go for friday night fun!

 

Boy to highjack my own thread this has been a costly month in vehicle care:

Jaguar: Finally got around to ordering the rear tie rods (the ones with the visable bushings through the wheels) $200.00 ea., the rear sway bar bushing/bolts (visable only with rear tires off) $30.00 ea., 2 new Michelin Pilots $200.00 ea. (includes mounting and balancing), and an alignment. This work has not been done yet but will have to wait until next week.

$65.00 in rear ceramic brke pads 3 weeks ago.

Now AC compressor $165.00 and 3 cans of R134A $20.00ish a can (?)

Full write ups on above w/pics to come!

Escalade ESV: 2 weeks ago $400.00 in 2 rear shocks.

Well we are still smiling after all the above! Just think if we had to pay someone to do all the repairs

 

You should replace the 4way pressure switch if you are going to replace the compressor. That switch failed on my xk8 and had to drain the system to replace it, I hate to see you do it all over again.

 

Thanks Gus, you mean #5 in your above ACsystem pdf?

 

Yes! If it is not working it will prevent the compressor from kicking in.

 

I hear you, Rick. It's no fun shelling out cash for costly repairs. I don't mind routine maintenance but when expensive things break, I'm not a happy guy. 2011 has been a very quiet year thus far with nothing major failing on any of our vehicles. I'll do the rear brake pads on the S-Type this summer (probably with Vance's kind assistance), and I expect the factory batteries in both the S-Type and the Lexus SUV to give up their respective ghosts sometime later this year, probably as the weather turns cold again. Cheap as I am, I'm not replacing those batteries until the telltale signs of failure show up....

Good luck with the rebuilt compressor and the HVAC evacuation and recharge. Sounds like a busy weekend at Rick's Shade Tree Emporium and Gnome Ranch. Keep us posted....

 

Sorry I've been out of the loop Rick. I was in DC for two days for FDA compliance training.

Did you ever get high / low side pressure gauges setup on it yet?

Call me.

Take care,

George

 

I thought I would check in to see how the compressor replacement went. I hope all went well.

 

+1 How is it going?

 

A few things popped up. Long story but I haven't done anything to the vehicle yet, I have all the parts and equipment (thank you Nick) Sunday is now the day.

I will report.

 

Ok guys:

Ambient Temp: 70 degrees
Low Preasure: Fluctuating between 51 and 55 psi. (needle jerking)
High Preasure: 100 psi.

As car runs, the high preasure dropped from about 125 psi down to the current 100 psi, vehicle has been running for 10 minutes. AC on coldest setting, fan on high.

 

This should help. http://www.gusglikas.com/images/Auto...s/ACSystem.pdf I am not an expert but it seems that your pressure is low and if it is (based on the attached chart) the pressure switch will prevent the compressor from kicking in and allowing the A/C to work. My system did not work properly when I got the car and charging it fixed the problem.

 

Rick,

95% you are describing a compressor failure.

The low side seems a bit high, but the high side is definitely low, as if the compressor is not efficiently functioning. I think one of the internal compressor seals may be failing, as it seems like some of the high side pressure is bleeding back to the low side.

The jittery gauge also is indicative of a compressor that's seeing friction on a bearing.

I can walk you through the proper vaccum / recharge procedure. You have Nick's gauges and vacuum pump right?

Take care,

George

 

I agree George.

 

Thanks guys heres the new scoop.

The remanufactured compressor is wrong part, although it is listed as a 2005 Jaguar S Stype replacement AND Lincoln LS. I could make it work but for $165.00 (2nd day air included), we will wait for a replacement. I could use 1/2" spacers to make the reman work.

The good news is that it took longer to drop the belly pan than it did to drop the compressor. I spent 1/2 hour from jacking up the car to having compressor on work bench!

Ok I see I did not explain the difference in the 2 compressors below. In the yellow rectangle the bolt guides are about 4" long for the 3.0 litre engines. The red rectangle is for the V8 engines with the bolt guides at 3 1/2" long.