A/C Pressure Zone "D" Diagnosis
WARNING: This page does not describe the selected car, but rather 7 other vehicles, including the 2002 GMC Yukon XL, 2002 GMC Yukon, 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe, 2002 Chevrolet Suburban, and 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
WARNING:
Avoid contact with moving parts and hot surfaces while working around a running engine in order to prevent physical injury.
- Were you sent here from the A/C System Performance Test? If so, go to next step. If not, see A/C SYSTEM PERFORMANCE TEST under PERFORMANCE TESTS.
- Feel the liquid line before the orifice tube. Is the liquid line cold before the orifice tube? If so, go to next step. If not, go to step 8.
- Feel along the surfaces of the compressor discharge hose, the condenser and the liquid line between the condenser and the orifice tube. Did you detect an abrupt drop in temperature along the surfaces of any of the listed components? If so, go to step 7. If not, go to next step.
- Feel the liquid line at the orifice tube location for extreme cold, possibly accompanied by heavy frost. Feel along the liquid line beyond the orifice tube location for warm temperature. Is the liquid line extremely cold at the orifice tube location and warm beyond the orifice tube location? If so, go to step 11. If not, go to next step.
- Feel along the surfaces of the:
- Evaporator Inlet Tube Between The Orifice Tube And The Evaporator Core
- Evaporator Outlet Tube Between The Evaporator Core And The Compressor
- Accumulator
- Compressor Suction Hose
- Feel along the surfaces of the:
- Evaporator Inlet Tube Between The Orifice Tube And The Evaporator Core
- Evaporator Outlet Tube Between The Evaporator Core And The Accumulator
- Accumulator
- Compressor Suction Hose
- Compressor Discharge Hose
- Condenser
- Evaporator Inlet Tube Between The Condenser And The Orifice Tube
- Recover the refrigerant. See RECOVERY, EVACUATION & RECHARGING in GENERAL SERVICING PROCEDURES article in GENERAL SERVICING. Remove the restriction from the component, or replace the component which produced an abrupt temperature drop. After repairs are complete, go to step 9.
- Recover the refrigerant and evacuate the system. See RECOVERY/EVACUATION & RECHARGING in GENERAL SERVICING PROCEDURES article in GENERAL SERVICING. Record the weight of the recovered refrigerant. Compare the weight of the recovered refrigerant with the system capacity. See SPECIFICATIONS . Is the weight of the recovered refrigerant charge greater than 75 percent of the total system capacity? If so, go to next step. If not, go to step 10.
- Recharge the A/C system. See RECOVERY/EVACUATION & RECHARGING in GENERAL SERVICING PROCEDURES article in GENERAL SERVICING. Is the cooling performance improved? If so, go to step 21. If not, go to next step.
- Leak test the system. See LEAK TESTING in GENERAL SERVICING PROCEDURES article in GENERAL SERVICING. Repair any leaks. After repairs are complete, go to step 21.
- The orifice tube is restricted. Replace the orifice tube. See ORIFICE TUBE under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. Are metal flakes present? If so, go to next step. If not, go to step 13.
- Remove the suction line from the vehicle. See SUCTION HOSE under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. Inspect the hose for debris by blowing shop air through one end of the hose while covering the other end with a shop towel. Observe the amount of debris collected in the shop towel. Remove the compressor hose assembly from the vehicle. Inspect the hose for debris by blowing shop air through one end of the hose while covering the other end with a shop towel. Observe the amount of debris collected in the shop towel. Did a large amount of debris collect in the shop towel? If so, go to step 18. If not, go to step 20.
- If the orifice tube was restricted with a Brown or Black residue, flush the A/C system. See FLUSHING PROCEDURES in GENERAL SERVICING PROCEDURES article in GENERAL SERVICING. Replace the accumulator. See ACCUMULATOR under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. After repairs are complete, go to step 21.
- Recover the refrigerant. See RECOVERY, EVACUATION & RECHARGING in GENERAL SERVICING PROCEDURES article in GENERAL SERVICING. Disconnect the suction and the discharge lines from the compressor. See SUCTION HOSE and DISCHARGE HOSE under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. Recover the refrigerant. See RECOVERY, EVACUATION & RECHARGING in GENERAL SERVICING PROCEDURES article in GENERAL SERVICING. Disconnect the compressor hose from the compressor. Inspect for the presence of debris in the compressor suction port. Inspect for the presence of debris in the compressor suction port. Is debris present in the compressor suction port? If so, go to next step. If not, go to step 19.
- Remove the debris from the suction port. Inspect the orifice tube for damage or debris. See ORIFICE TUBE under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. Did you find evidence of damage or debris? If so, go to step 17. If not, go to next step.
- If the orifice tube does not show any signs of damage or debris, remove the suction line from the vehicle. See SUCTION HOSE under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. Inspect the hose for debris by blowing shop air through one end of the hose while covering the other end with a shop towel. Observe the amount of debris collected in the shop towel. If the orifice tube does not show any signs of damage or debris, remove the compressor hose assembly from the vehicle. Inspect the hose for debris by blowing shop air through one end of the hose while covering the other end with a shop towel. Observe the amount of debris collected in the shop towel. Did a large amount of debris collect in the shop towel? If so, go to step 18. If not, go to step 19.
- Replace the orifice tube. See ORIFICE TUBE under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. If the orifice tube was restricted, observe the type of debris present. Are metal flakes present? If so, go to step 12. If not, go to step 13.
- If a large amount of debris was collected in the shop towel from the compressor hose assembly, replace the accumulator. See ACCUMULATOR under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. Install an A/C refrigerant filter. See A/C REFRIGERANT FILTER under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. After repairs are complete, go to next step.
- Install the suction and the discharge lines. See SUCTION HOSE and DISCHARGE HOSE under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. After repairs are complete, go to step 21.
- Install the suction and the discharge lines. See SUCTION HOSE and DISCHARGE HOSE under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. Install an A/C refrigerant filter. See A/C REFRIGERANT FILTER under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. Recharge the A/C system. See RECOVERY, EVACUATION & RECHARGING in GENERAL SERVICING PROCEDURES article in GENERAL SERVICING. Install the compressor hose assembly. Install an A/C refrigerant filter. See A/C REFRIGERANT FILTER under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. Recharge the A/C system. See RECOVERY, EVACUATION & RECHARGING in GENERAL SERVICING PROCEDURES article in GENERAL SERVICING. After the repairs are complete, go to next step.
- Record the low and the high side pressures and the panel outlet air temperature after you perform the repairs. Compare the pressures and the panel outlet temperature to those listed in the A/C Performance Table. See Figure or Figure . Are the readings within the specified ranges as shown on the A/C Performance Table? If so, go to next step. If not, see A/C SYSTEM PERFORMANCE TEST under PERFORMANCE TESTS.
- Operate the system in order to verify the repair. Did you find and correct the condition? If so, system is okay. If not, go to SYMPTOM TESTS .