Dash A/C issues

[Nowabeachbum]

Originally Posted by Jburklo

All

Since we are on the subject of dash AC I had a similar question. My dash AC no longer gets cold. (2012 Aspire DEQ). I just checked my compressor and the belt is fine and turning smoothly. I hear and can see the compressor kick on but it goes off within about 30 seconds. Is this a low freon issue or compressor issue?

If more info is needed let me know what else but as usual this board is excellent at assisting with resolving issues. Y'all never cease to amaze me and I sincerely appreciate it!!

Jeff & Terri
2012 Aspire DEQ

Fast cycling is usually the classic reason for low refrigerant. Again, I would add dye to the system and then take a uv light(black light) and run it over all the ac components.

[waterboy10]

When we had no cold air on our 13 Aspire we were told to take it to the local Thermo-King dealer. They do heavy over the road tucks and refrigerated trailers and have all the tools and knowledge to do a good repair. Ours needed the end fitting replaced on the hose. The repair lasted over 2 years and 25,000 miles, I am sure the new owner is enjoying cold air to this day.

[AspireDoug]

Update on the dash A/C issues. Since the compressor is locked up I got a price from Spartan. Right under $400.00 (complete with clutch). I took a picture of the compressor and saw that it was a Sanden aluminum (made in the USA) U 4434. Less then 18 lbs! I searched Google and bought a new compressor with clutch for $234.15 delivered. Purchased it from Trucker's AC. I bought a dryer from MHSRV (it's an Evans Tempcon but the only part number I could get was Spartan's so I could not use that at a Evans dealer) for $50.00 and it will be dropped shipped to my business. So less than $300.00 in parts and I have a mobile A/C guy (Chris Gracy) going to install all of this at my home. Hoping he can find the leak. I read several other Entegra owners has loose line fitting/fittings. Hope to have good cold dash A/C next week.

Doug

[brobox]

Thanks for that great update Doug. Keep us informed of the repair, I have the same thing coming up.

[AspireDoug]

Originally Posted by brobox

Thanks for that great update Doug. Keep us informed of the repair, I have the same thing coming up.

I'm sure this is the same compressor as yours Chuck.

Sanden 4434 FLX7 (R134a) 03-3709 1 205.15
Subtotal 205.15
Shipping 29.00
Total 234.15

Heavy Duty Truck & Off Road AC Parts from Trucker AC

Doug

[brobox]

Thanks Doug, that info is saved. However I think my problem is on the leak end. I will be curious to know where he finds your leak. I am waiting for the Snowbirds to leave to schedule to get mine in. I am still under Spartan warranty until May.

[AspireDoug]

The mobile A/C guy came over yesterday after work and installed the compressor and dryer. There was ZERO oil in the compressor and ZERO oil in the dryer. He added 4.5 oz. of oil to the new compressor and 1.5 oz. to the dryer. Checked for leaks with nitrogen (there was no leak) then used the nitrogen to blow the system out. Evacuated the system and put in 2.5 lbs. of R134A. We are getting 46-47 degree air out of the dash vents ! The dash A/C has never cooled like this. So far so good. He charged me $344.00 for the labor (three hours) and R134A. Adding that to the $234.00 for the compressor and $50.00 for the dryer and my total to fix the dash A/C was $628.00.


Doug

[Nowabeachbum]

Sounds great!
I can't stress enough that Sanden compressors(American made) are virtually indestructible! If you are replacing a compressor, then check your oil cause I can almost assure you, its low or nonexistent!
Doug, perhaps you should ask Entegra where the oil went?

[AspireDoug]

Originally Posted by Nowabeachbum

Sounds great!
I can't stress enough that Sanden compressors(American made) are virtually indestructible! If you are replacing a compressor, then check your oil cause I can almost assure you, its low or nonexistent!
Doug, perhaps you should ask Entegra where the oil went?

My coach is coming up on four years since I took delivery. I doubt Entegra cares. They took care of me and my coach well after my 24 months. I'm just glad I got it fixed for less than a grand and at my home instead of having to drive it somewhere. As an old racer and auto tech (35 years ago) if I could rent something that would take out the old Freon and evacuate the system I would do the job myself. The compressor is easy to change via the hatch in the floor inside the rear bedroom. It's really an easy job. No reason to take a coach to an RV place for dash air work. Any automotive A/C guy can do it.

I did worry about oil pooling in a low spot in one of the lines but when he ran 200 psi of nitrogen through the system nothing came out. We don't see anyplace where the lines goes down very much at all. There was a film of oil inside the compressor, lines and dryer but not one drop came out of anything. I hope it's fixed for a while. It gets way colder now than it did when new.

As far as Sanden in concerned they must make several different designs for RV's (maybe with different amounts of cylinders I know some are variable displacement) but mine was $234.00 and my brother just bought one for his Foretravel from the same place and his was a hundred dollars higher.

Here are some cut-away Sanden compressors.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q...44&FORM=IQFRBA



Doug

[Jburklo]

Originally Posted by Nowabeachbum

Fast cycling is usually the classic reason for low refrigerant. Again, I would add dye to the system and then take a uv light(black light) and run it over all the ac components.

Nowabechbum. Well I just took my coach in to have the front tires replaced. Since I was there (Camping World New Braunfels, TX) I asked if they checked the dash AC. They did, so I asked them to diagnose mine. They hooked up a machine that extracted the freon, checked for leaks (none found) and then installed the freon. After two hours of the machine running (and $260 charge) they checked the AC....the compressor continued to cycle off and on about every 30 seconds, then they informed me the compressor would not hold the low(?) ... he hard wired somethings and re-tested. After all that he informed me my compressor was bad and gave me a 9 hour est ($129/hr) plus parts!!!

Me thinks me needs a second opinion!!!

I said it before but shame on me ... I'll never go back to CW.

any other ideas are welcome re my dash AC.

Jeff & Terri
2012 Aspire DEQ

[Nowabeachbum]

Originally Posted by Jburklo

Nowabechbum. Well I just took my coach in to have the front tires replaced. Since I was there (Camping World New Braunfels, TX) I asked if they checked the dash AC. They did, so I asked them to diagnose mine. They hooked up a machine that extracted the freon, checked for leaks (none found) and then installed the freon. After two hours of the machine running (and $260 charge) they checked the AC....the compressor continued to cycle off and on about every 30 seconds, then they informed me the compressor would not hold the low(?) ... he hard wired somethings and re-tested. After all that he informed me my compressor was bad and gave me a 9 hour est ($129/hr) plus parts!!!

Me thinks me needs a second opinion!!!

I said it before but shame on me ... I'll never go back to CW.

any other ideas are welcome re my dash AC.

Jeff & Terri
2012 Aspire DEQ

That sounds unfortunate. Sounds like you do need a second opinion! You didn't say what kind temperatures it was at the duct but if it was warm out, your compressor probably shouldn't be cycling that fast. Refrigerant still might be low. Also make sure the heater valve is positively closed off and not leaking hot water into the heater core. The compressor is a mechanical pump, generally if it is turning, it ain't broke! You might look into who in your area is doing heavy duty ac, i.e. trucks and off road equipment. Our systems are almost identical to those. Find a Red Dot or Kysor air conditioning dealer. They deal with on and off road ac systems.

[Gary.Jones]

Try Danny's RV repair in Dentin. Had good luck on other repairs there..

Gary

[Jburklo]

Originally Posted by Gary.Jones

Try Danny's RV repair in Dentin. Had good luck on other repairs there..

Gary

Thanks Gary I see you're in Rockport and I'm in New Braunfels. So I might reach out to you for your handy AC guy.

Jeff