hey guys, i just got a new compressor and pulley assembly, belt, and pulley bracket installed, and put in a 23 oz can freon recharge w/oil. car was blowing cold yesterday and now its not working and its warm again. took it to some mechanic tells me wasnt enough freon in there and that i need to put in liquid freon r134. which he wanted to charge 85 for. than later said that my condensor must be clogged and along that with a new accumulator, 125 for condensor 45 for accumulator and 165 in top of labor, plus 85 for freon recharge. i dont know what to do anymore already paid 400 in parts and labor to put the stuff already there in. please help thanks.

 

sounds to me like you got a leak. take it somewhere and have it vacuum tested. if it was cold the day you filled it and warm the next, i cant see it being clogged. if it was clogged it wouldnt of worked from the start. imo. id put my money on a leak somewhere. if it is they can put dye in the system and using a light can see where its leaking from

 

the guy told me it looked like most likely wasnt a leak, and that the condenser might have been clogged as well as needed accumulator and then proper recharge with liquid freon..

 

If the condenser was "clogged" the A/C would not have worked, [as mentioned].

A 2001 Acura Integra does not have an accumulator, it has a filter/dryer, making me think the "mechanic" that told you, you needed one along with the condenser, does not know anything about A/C.

The correct A/C charge for a 2001 Integra is 24.65oz of R134a refrigerant, [use 25oz] there also needs to be 5oz of A/C oil, [PAG 46 or Ester oil].

Question, did you not have a filter/dryer installed when the new compressor went in?
If not, you should have.

Anytime a compressor is replaced, the system needs to be "flushed" to clean it out, the filter/dryer, [or the accumulator where used] must be replaced, a proper charge of oil needs to be installed, then a nitrogen pressure test, to 200psi should be done, [to check for leaks under pressure] then a full hour on a vacuum pump to boil of any moisture in the system needs to be done, a 10min. min. vacuum leak test should be done, [to insure no leaks under vacuum are present] yes, a system can leak under pressure and not vacuum or visa versa.

Now a proper charge of refrigerant can be installed, not doing the above will most likely result in problems like yours.

With all that said , I agree with Coopa B18c5, it is probably a leak, to confirm, remove and jump the A/C clutch relay, to turn compressor on, if still no cold air, you are low on refrigerant, due to a leak. 94

 

The mechanic sounds questionable to just be jumping at the notion of clogs, from what I read. Are you sure that you really needed a new compressor in the first place, when it was installed? With an overnight leak, you should be able to find the area soaked with refrigerant oil. Track down every area where there is a line connection with a seal, as well as a general inspection of the condenser and compressor. I installed new body seals in my compressor that were really leaking to the point of overnight, but did not install the top plate seal which did not seem to be leaking (I know, should have) and used the newer 134 o-ring line seals on the compressor, but they were not exactly new. We'll get around to the top plate seal and line o-rings soon with a new filter on hand also, rather than wasting 134. It's still working after a month, but has required around 12oz of 134/refrig oil to remain charged, and you can easily see the refrigerant oil leakage from the upper plate/line seal area which collects on the frame crossmember below. Even after wiping the frame off, a drop or so can be seen after just one night, and this is not a leak that discharges the system in one day either. With your fast discharge, a leak will definitely show refrigerant oil and the red dye, granted that the refrigerant has dye. The only thing you can't directly inspect is the evaporator, which should have refrigerant oil exiting with water from the drip tube, if it is a fast leak. Likely some residue would be on the inner windsheild also, if it was a major evaporator leak. You could detect an evaporator leak with a paper towel under the drip tube to catch the water, and see if there is refrigerant oil/leak detector color on the towel.

 

Thanks so much for the info. no new drier was installed with the compressor. its a used compressor that seems to work. a small can of oil was used before the 134 refrigerant. i took it to good year and they said the pressure gauge needles fluctuate up and down, and there is possibly a leak. i check after they recharged with the dye and i see a greenish/yellow liquid dye spilling close to the inner headlight housings. near the high side tubing. im not sure if its a clogged condenser, but neither the condenser nor the drier was changed. only a compressor and tensioner pulley/belt installed.