Air conditioning

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CorvairGeek

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1978
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C20 Scottsdale
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292 L6, T400
Is it possible the lines are reversed at the condenser, like happens on the GMT400 trucks? My 292 L6 system is so different from a V8, I don't recall if reversal is possible.
 

Bextreme04

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K25
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350-4bbl
how much oil did you put in it.. .and where?
 

Wesley0620

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I put 3 oz in compressor and 1/5 in the suction line from the dryer I completely drained the compressor first then added oil
 

SirRobyn0

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1984
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305
No the orifice tube is also brand new and my vacuum was showing 29in/hg I let the pump vacuum for 90 minutes when I started introducing the R134a. Yes the complete system was flushed before I installed the new compressor and condenser and dryer and orifice I cleaned with a good flush kit the evaporator blows air through doesn't have a blockage as far as I can tell
That's nice but if there is crud in the system and it wasn't flushed out then all that crud gets pushed into your orifice tube.

Pretty much you have 2 options.
#1. clogged orifice tube.
#2. Bad fan clutch.

If it's the orifice tube the pressure will build very quickly, like a couple of seconds, if it's the fan clutch it'll be slower like a minute or so.

There are other possibilities like possibly a kinked line causing a restriction, but I don't think I've ever actually seen that happen. Or non condensable gas, but you'd have to pump it that in. There is no way that not vacuuming the system alone would be enough to cause this.

If it was me I'd pull the refrigerant out and look at the orifice tube first. Actually even if the current one in there looks fine I'd put another one in there just to make sure I didn't get a defect. Then I'd fill it and try again. If you can't properly recover the refrigerant in A/C system then check the fan clutch first, you can set a big box fan up right in front of the radiator directly in line with the radator and see if that helps lower the pressure. If yes then that would point towards the fan clutch too.

You'd have to do a VERY serious oil over fill to get the high side to 350.

What does the low side pressure do during this? Does it get low to or high. Unlikely that it would be normal.
 

Bextreme04

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K25
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350-4bbl
Having seen that you have changed the orifice tube more than once and the you have a fan on the condenser and only put in 1-1/2 cans of refrigerant and are getting 350 psi... it cant even be making it through the condenser. What temp is the condenser(too hot to touch?)? can you feel the temp change before/after the orifice tube? If you spray water from a garden hose on the condenser, does the pressure drop?

My K25 takes about 3 cans of R134. I'm using a blue orifice and my pressures are about 35-40/250-275. The high side goes up a bit more when the ambient is higher, but not much.

How about posting some pics of what your setup looks like including the condenser, compressor, and lines?
 

Bextreme04

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oh, and just to make sure... you are filling through the low side fitting, right?
 

AuroraGirl

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400(?), 350
I have a 1987 R10 1/2 ton pickup I put a new compressor, drier(accumulator), orifice tube, condenser flushed out system vacuumed down but my problem is I have really high side pressure (350 before I unplug the compressor) and really low side pressure the evaporator blows open when I flushed and cleaned it I am at my wits end evaporator is the only thing not replaced except I still have the original hoses any help at all
Is this a pancake compressor
 

CRM

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K2500
Engine Size
350 CI
Let's back up the boat here for a minute. You say the high side runs 350 psig before shutting the compressor off. What was the low side pressure?
 

SirRobyn0

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Let's back up the boat here for a minute. You say the high side runs 350 psig before shutting the compressor off. What was the low side pressure?
Ya, that's my question too, I'd like to know if it's elevated or sucked into a vacuum or never changes from static. That could be the key info to help him figure this out.
 

CRM

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You must be registered for see images attach
 

Wesley0620

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C10
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The low side sucks right down to around 20 then the compressor cycles off and on I know that the book says 3.2 pounds but the high side keeps climbing and yes I'm charging through the low side
 

Wesley0620

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Yes the condenser definitely gets hot I will try spraying it with water
 

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