- 2004 F250 Superduty 6.0 Powerstroke 195,000 awesome miles, no codes. Scotty, I recently had my entire AC system replaced (professionally) from the condenser to the evaporator. Even the high and low pressure switches are new. All parts EXCEPT for the evaporator are Motorcraft and still under warranty. Just as it was prior to replacement, the temperature of the air out of the center vent “at max” is around 58 degrees which is not comfortable on a 90 degree southeast day. Cooling fan is working perfectly, pressures are perfect, the lines going in to the evaporator housing are ice cold, but the evaporator condenses so much it drips on the rubber floor mat inside. The drain on the evap housing was cleared and enlarged but it still drips inside a bit. Starting to hit a wall here please help. Was hoping for air temp of 40-45 degrees or so on a 90 degree day.
It may be that the evaporator is getting nice and cold but your blend door is not working properly and is mixing hot air in, raising outlet temperature. Dripping on the floor could be due to clogged evaporator drain.
Chuck thanks. I will take another look at the air inlet/blend doors. They appear to be actuating correctly but, maybe not. This has been maddening…
Thoroughly checked the function of the air inlet/blend doors. Both are working as designed. I pulled the blower motor out yesterday to get a peek at part of the core. Even after running the AC on high for 10-15 minutes (with the fan still connected), I placed my hand on the core to feel that it is not getting all that cold. Gauges yesterday tell me that low pressure side is a bit high despite the exact specified amount of refrigerant being installed. So I’m thinking for sure that the aftermarket evap core is the problem… an obstruction or defect internally perhaps. It produces so much condensate, overwhelms the already cleared and enlarged evap housing drain. So, another $800 to the $2k already spent. It’s my fault… I should’ve used a Motorcraft core.
Sounds like the evap core to me, and I'm sorry to say it because they aren't cheap. Sometimes you have to go OEM on certain parts and that one is one I recommend doing so.
It likely has an internal defect, as you said. You've checked pretty much all the other possibilities so its narrowed down to it pretty much.
Yessir, you’re right. Will report back when I figure it out.
This is a tough one and I ain't an A/C guy but I'll throw this out there.
My 1st guess was this may be an HVAC (blower/vent) control issue but @chucktobias brought that up and you replied that you also physically placed your hand on the evaporator coil and felt that it's "not getting all that cold."
You determined that "the lines going into the evaporator housing are ice cold" but that "feeling" may be relative on a hot day. You can measure those with a digital thermometer.
So by "lines", there's 2. One goes in and one comes out. There shouldn't be more than a couple of degrees difference (if any) between those 2 lines.
Then you observed that the Low Side pressure "is a bit high" but didn't complain about the High Side pressure.
Makes you wonder, what would cause that?
Let's look at the system:
I never worked on a Powerstroke but I'm pretty sure 2004 Fords used a Fixed Orifice Tube.
Looking at the picture, what would cause "a bit high" pressure on the Low Side and reduce cooling?
(the "Low Side" refrigerant circuit is after the orifice tube, through the evaporator, through the accumulator and to the compressor inlet)
1) A faulty inlet valve on the compressor but you have a brand new OEM compressor.
2) A "clog/restriction" in the Accumulator but you have a brand new OEM accumulator.
So if this isn't an issue of a restriction, maybe it's an issue with the orifice tube.
What would happen if the A/C orifice tube wasn't properly seated, maybe the O rings got damaged during installation, or was just a size too large?
You'd have liquid refrigerant, which should be vaporized after passing through the orifice tube, (with the oil charge along with the refrigerant) collecting in the bottom of the evaporator with some liquid being sucked into the compressor inlet.
That may explain increased Low Side pressure and would affect cooling.
Just sayin', if you decide to evacuate the system, before you tear into that evaporator housing, maybe pull out the orifice tube and examine it for correct size and any damage to the O rings
