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AC stops cooling intermittently


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imhotep
User

Jun 15, 2010, 11:32 AM

Post #1 of 6 (4718 views)
AC stops cooling intermittently Sign In

This is regarding a 2000 Ford Escort ZX2 with about 150K.

Cold air stops blowing out of the vents after about 5 minutes of driving. It stays cold only for a few minutes starting from the time I get into the car and crank it. Then a few minutes later the air is no longer cold, as if merely venting from outside. All four of the fan speeds still work, it's the cooling that seems to give out very quickly.

One of my coworkers said it could be a bad vacuum hose that has started leaking. I know very little about AC but I have worked on my cars quite a bit replacing things like alternators, struts, oil, etc. So I wanted to ask the forum if this is something I may be able to troubleshoot on my own or should I just take the car into a shop.

Thanks for your help.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jun 15, 2010, 12:22 PM

Post #2 of 6 (4716 views)
Re: AC stops cooling intermittently Sign In

Since it cools for only a short time I would suspect that the heat is leaking into the cold air. Try completely pinching off one of the heater hoses where they go into the firewall and see if that changes anything.



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



imhotep
User

Jun 15, 2010, 12:38 PM

Post #3 of 6 (4712 views)
Re: AC stops cooling intermittently Sign In

Ok I will give that a try. I'm in FL and the ambient temps are in the 90's so it wouldn't even have to come from the heater hose, right?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jun 15, 2010, 12:41 PM

Post #4 of 6 (4710 views)
Re: AC stops cooling intermittently Sign In

You don't have to tell me that.....LOL
I'm in WPB and it was 99 here today.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Jun 15, 2010, 12:42 PM)


imhotep
User

Jun 15, 2010, 12:44 PM

Post #5 of 6 (4705 views)
Re: AC stops cooling intermittently Sign In

Is there going to be one heater hose or several?

What should I look for to identify them? Do they run across the top of the engine, sides, or elsewhere?

Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jun 15, 2010, 12:59 PM

Post #6 of 6 (4701 views)
Re: AC stops cooling intermittently Sign In

There will be 2 going from the engine into the firewall. Pinch off either one will work. They run in a loop.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.







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