Last summer we rebuilt the front end of my 99 Eclipse due to the car getting up close and personal with a giant pole. When we rebuilt the ac system we flushed all the components, replaced all the seals, replaced the receiver dryer, replaced the expansion valve, new condenser, put the vacuum on it for about 15 minutes and then added refrigerant. The whole summer it blew chunks of ice at my face.

This summer it will fluctuate between marginally cool to warm. We checked the refrigerant levels and everything was kosher, so we assumed there must be a leak that was allowing moisture into the system. We drained the refrigerant and vacuumed the lines again and filled it back up. Unfortunately that didn't really do anything.

I am wondering if a failing compressor could be causing the issue. Also it's the only part of the system that hasn't been replaced. Can any experts in the AC realm let me know if a failing compressor could cause this type of fluctuation?

Thanks in advance.

If there is a leak, no "moisture" should get into the system. If you did everything as you said last year and are just now experiencing this problem you may very well have a leak. But very doubtedly no moisture in the system.
Did you put the proper amount of oil in the system when you rebuilt it?

I had a problem with too much oil for the longest. That is a tricky thing because you really have no way of knowing how much is in there unless you completely flush it and start at zero.


You may just be low on freon. But in that case, you must have a leak somewhere. (Letting freon out, not moisture in...) You could invest in one of those leak detector kits. They will set you back a little, but not as much as a mechanic.
Try topping off the freon properly, and see how it reacts. That being said, have you checked the a/c system with gages? If so, how do the gages read?

Built block.
Refinished head.
Tuned suspension.
TURBO.

system is fine on freeon. the gauges we use to check test both the high and low side. also if i remember right the system needs 4oz of PAG100 oil. when we rebuilt the system last summer we used 4oz of the non pressurized oil (or whatever the correct amount is in the manual).

Is your A/C light orange, or green?

If it is orange, it is suppose to cycle, which means that it could be cycling improperly. i.e. the switches that make it cycle are not working properly.

If it is green... well we have to keep hunting..

Built block.
Refinished head.
Tuned suspension.
TURBO.

sorry about the delayed reply. the light stays green all the time.

The light being green means that the compressor doesn't cycle, it just runs while the button is pushed and the fan is on.

did you replace the dryer when you rebuilt the system? If not, you may want to do that when you evacuate the system this time. I would say evacuate it overnight, if you can, and then refill it. You just want to make sure ALL of the air is out of there.

Built block.
Refinished head.
Tuned suspension.
TURBO.

yeah the receiver dryer and expansion valve were both replaced when the system was rebuilt last summer. also the system just needs to be vacuumed to -30psi to remove contaminants from the system, or i have been misinformed.

it's 30 inHg... not psi. Technically, it would be a -14.7 psi. Not really important though. The goal is to get as close to 30" of vacuum as possible. You will not likely achieve that without a really good vacuum pump. Never the less, as long as you are pulling a vacuum better than about 25" you should be okay. Just keep the pump on there for a while. I recommend overnight if you can do so. Some pumps will cycle on and off and are the best to maintain that vacuum overnight. If there is any moisture in the system, it will not come out of solution and evaporate quickly. So a vacuum for just half an hour or so really won't do you any good if you suspect a decent amount of water in the system.
Hope this helps.

Built block.
Refinished head.
Tuned suspension.
TURBO.

ill give it a try, although i'm not entirely convinced that it is water in the system. i still seem to think that it is the compressor. when i pull that i'll vacuum it overnight to make sure the lines are clean. thanks for the advice.