Intermittent A/C (not the cabin filter)

[mattsnapz]

Jeeez man. Chill.
can you tell me what is written on this container I bought recently?

ps it’s sideways so you’ll lò.ók carefully )

Scrap the above and apologies. I’m on totally the the wrong thread confused

[map]

What is delta p? Well, since the Meineke guys asked what car I drove when I first called, I’m trusting they topped it off with the right refrigerant.

I'm sure that your Meineke guy used Delta P, since that's the type of equipment shops have.

Delta P is the fancy term for how they test your AC's functioning... the difference in pressure between the low and high pressure valves... the standard test. The test gives them an idea if it's low refrigerant or possibly a compressor or valve fail. Gas heats when compressed, so it's passed thru the radiator to cool, then expands/cools after passing thru the expansion valve and into the cabin where it absorbs heat, then repeat. Too much or too little refrigerant can be bad.

Yes, R-22 is the orginal Freon refrigerant, R-12 was in cars until 1993 or 1994, R-134A is used in the 500 and 500L, with the newer R-1234yf in the 500X. Freon is also used as a generic term, much like motor is used to refer to an engine.

[Alisobob]

Gas heats when compressed, so it's passed thru the radiator to cool, Freon is also used as a generic term, much like motor is used to refer to an engine.

The R-134A goes no where near the radiator! It pass's thru the condenser, after leaving the compressor.

Folks on this board, should limit their comments to subjects they know.... or..... just use the word "whatnot" or "thing-a-ma-jingy" when discussing technical issues

[map]

The R-134A goes no where near the radiator! It pass's thru the condenser, after leaving the compressor.

Folks on this board, should limit their comments to subjects they know.... or..... just use the word "whatnot" or "thing-a-ma-jingy" when discussing technical issues

OK... you have a general idea of how AC works. The condenser is located at the front of the car... a radiator of heat from the compressed gas. It's a radiator, usually in front of the car's engine radiator. A argument point.

[doverosx]

R-22 is Freon. Our cars do not use "freon"

Our cars use R-134A. It's a refrigerant, not a coolant as it keeps being called. Coolant goes in the radiator.

A/C systems work off the principle of "Delta P". Topping off your 134-A system will more than likely make it work worse, not better. This is terrible advice.....

Our cars also use R-1234yf

[Fiat500USA]

Yep, It's right around the refrigerant changeover. Early cars use R134a. Gotta check the sticker under the hood.

[fiatgal]

So UPDATE:

My guys at the shop looked it over. No leaks, no loose wires, no loose gaskets etc. Basically all's well. The only thing they noticed was a bit of rust on the AC clutch, which may explain why: 1. the AC would randomly come back on when I did a couple of sharp turns; 2. it came back on once the Meineke guys checked the compressor and other parts, maybe jiggling something back in place, this after having filled it with the correct refrigerant. I trust they filled it with the correct kind: they did ask what was the car year.

So it sounds like there were two issues:

Low refrigerant. It is a 2012, with over 140k. That would explain why it would come on initially, then drop off after about 10minutes
Some light rust on the clutch, which prevented good contact. That would explain it coming back on randomly, usually right after a turn.

Anyway, it's been working just fine since.

Thanks to everyone who weighed in and instructed me on the types of refrigerant and the AC physics. I find this forum VERY helpful and am always grateful when folks weigh in.

[smark]

That’s strange turning right, the compressor would kick in. Nothing in common, with each. Electric power steering rack. Accessory belt driven AC compressor?

Fiat 500 use R134a Freon, model year 2007 to 2010. R134a, 1234yf years models afterwards

[doverosx]

Sounds like the bearing or clutch would unbind after a corner which is pretty funny.

For my recent compressor replacement, the technician said my Freon (his words) was completely empty and the leaking was from the clutch.

[fiatgal]

Both to the left, as I wrote in the first post, and to the right, which happened since my first post on this thread

That’s strange turning right, the compressor would kick in. Nothing in common, with each. Electric power steering rack. Accessory belt driven AC compressor?