A/C cool, but not cold???

[4207jeremy]

2006 350 drw, I use for lawn and landscaping so I am in and out of my truck 20 plus times a day. My a/c is a little cooler than than the outside temp. When I push the recirculate button, the a/c cools down, but it is not very cold. Should the a/c be cold on the normal mode or do you have to push the darn recirculate button everytime you get in the truck because it is a PITA!!

[4207jeremy]

truck has 35k on it by the way, does it need a recharge maybe??

[FamilyRide]

Mines got 51k on it and it's never been touched. It'll make icicles on my ears if I get in sweating. If you're idling a lot, it'll have a hard time keeping very cool. Once I get moving, mine is like a freezer.

[waylntat2]

My 2004 F250 6.0 is the same , moving cold , standing a lot not very cold, the 6.0 idles low so the compresor turns slower when your idling , and the turbo in in a close place behind the dash .. alot to fight.
,you need to move to stay cooler ,,

[sootballz]

I bought a bottle of 134a that has a boost additive in it man that helped alot with the AC getting cold faster, now I have to turn down the fan because I get to cold. I bought it at NAPA.

[jbdawson]

My '05 is the same way and has ben since I took delivery. Dealer checked it the first summer I owned it and claimed all was fine. Their is a TSB out that covers an A/C problem on the 05/06 years that has to do with the dessicant stopping up the expansion orifice. Seems to me that it would nor perform at all if this were the case but who knows. My dealer went out of business and it's just too much hassle to go to the next nearest dealer to be told the same old crap about nothing is wrong. I think that I'll just live with it unless it gets unbearable. I am considering purchasing some extended warranty. I've had no problems with the truck so far but as sure as the warranty expires it will start. I've still got about a month and 3k miles to decide.

[twinturbo550]

Mine started this cold, then cool thing(goes back and forth), and I disconnected the pressure switch and plugged it back in, located by the pass hood hinge. Works perfect now.

[hbattaglia]

My 2005 had the same EXACT same problem. Took it to one dealer and they said it checked out fine. A few months later, took it to a different dealer and they said it was about 1/2 pound low. They purged the system and recharged. That was a year and a half ago and still works great.

Make sure the tech guys check your AC with gauges, not just looking at the sight glass.

[jimmy]

There is no sight glass and the orifice tube system used on our trucks does not give reliable readings with gauges due to small changes in temp, level of humidity, how long the sytem has run, and what fan speed is used all making big changes in pressure.
Drain and refill accordingto charge label is best followed by a very experienced tech setting controls to a predictable setting and then momitoring temps of suction line evap outlet and suction line at compressor.

When the system is charged properly there will be little difference in those temps when the fan is at a moderate level and the interior temp is 20 degfrees below ambient temp.

Overfilled will give too cold at compressor and underfilled will give too warm at compressor but this is a subjective test based on knowing what it should feel like when it is charged by weight to proper level.

If the service person lets the engine run at idle speed while he is checking then get in truck and leave, he has already shown he is not qualified. Compressor is way below full efficency speed when engine idles and no proper diagnosis can be made then.
Same for checking it if vehicle temps is already too cold inside.

[4207jeremy]

is this something warranty will take care ?? Because even on the highway for say 10 minutes or so, it will get warm off and on every now and then and even then its cool, but not always cold

[agdodge4x4]

I am not a fan of the climate control system. On automatic, once the temp gets to the setting, it usually kicks over to 'vent'. In texas, in the morning especially, the humidity is so high, its not comfortable on this setting, not only is it IMPOSSIBLE to cool enough, its also very 'wet' feeling. I usually have to manually kick it over to recirculate.

[tincan]

where is the low pressure side charge valve located at on these trucks?

[HoustonPerson]

If you are in TX, you have to use the "recir" button to make it cool the truck.

Also, after I took my back in for not cooling FOUR times, they finally found a tech service buletin to add 1/2lb freon to the thing. Made it a LOT BETTER! Ford's AC overall is still way way short compared to all other car companies. My truck has broke down again, and this time they loaned me a Dodge Dakota...........man that thing is COLD