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Engine feel so heavy when AC is on

Tiny
HUDARSONO
  • MEMBER
  • 2014 FORD ECOSPORT
  • 1.5L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 31,000 MILES
Hi There,

Recently I pay a visit to repair shop because of constant hissing noise when AC is on.
They vacuumed the line, and run ten minutes leak test, no leak has been found. Then they refilled the Freon 600 gram according to the manual book.
When driving back home, I can feel the AC is getting cooler, but the hissing noise has increased.
So returned to the repair shop, they suspect need more freon, so they manually added freon until the hissing disappear.
So I went back, and yes the hissing become quite minimal. But I measure the AC become less cool using thermometer. And the more important issue is my car engine become more heavy and slugged. When I turned the AC off, engine become smooth and light.

I lived in area with ambient temperature of around 90 F, so always need an AC.

May I have some advice?
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Monday, July 16th, 2018 AT 1:57 AM

16 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,904 POSTS
It sound like the AC system is overcharged. The hissing noise I need to hear. Can you take a quick video with you phone and upload it in your response the site will upload the video to the post?

Your AC compressor could be going out or you need a new serpentine belt installed.

I will know for sure if I can hear the noise.

Cheers, Ken
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Tuesday, July 17th, 2018 AT 12:42 PM
Tiny
HUDARSONO
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Hi Ken,

Thank you for your response.

I have reduced the Freon again, seems overcharged, now engine back normal and lighter. However, the noise has increased. I have attached video for the noise in this link :

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qvnyk4lwsaskgy0/20180718_152100.mp4?dl=0

I tried to locate the noise, it seems coming from evap, around where the cabin filter is. Also, if the fan speed is increased, the noise become much less.

Do you have any idea what caused it?

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Wednesday, July 18th, 2018 AT 9:49 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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Thanks for the video can you upload it here to the site? We have the capability. Can you take a video from under the hood when the AC is on then off?
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Thursday, July 19th, 2018 AT 10:58 AM
Tiny
HUDARSONO
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Hi Ken,

I have attached again the video of noise inside cabin. I will come back to you with video under the hood.
Video (Click to make bigger)
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Friday, July 20th, 2018 AT 2:13 AM
Tiny
KEN L
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Please do. I want to help you get this fixed.
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Friday, July 20th, 2018 AT 10:31 AM
Tiny
HUDARSONO
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Hi Ken, I have attached the video. The AC was on when the video start, then on 0:11 the AC switched off, then switched on again on 0:23.
I can see the AC clutch turned off and on according to the switch.
Video (Click to make bigger)
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Saturday, July 21st, 2018 AT 8:09 AM
Tiny
KEN L
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Thanks for the video. When the AC fan is on full does the air in the vents stay cold? A compressor will cycle like that when the system is cold enough which will be normal.

Run this test and let me know.
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Saturday, July 21st, 2018 AT 1:40 PM
Tiny
HUDARSONO
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
When I run it with fan on max for some minutes, it stayed cool all the time. Does not seems to cycle on off. Is it supposed to cycle?
As regard to the noise, do you have idea what caused it?
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Monday, July 23rd, 2018 AT 4:57 AM
Tiny
KEN L
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Yes the system can cycle which controls pressure and temperature. The noise seems normal to me I do not hear anything out of the ordinary. I might be missing something is the noise louder from outside the car?
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Monday, July 23rd, 2018 AT 10:31 AM
Tiny
HUDARSONO
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
I just checked my recording, I just realized it is not showing clearly when recorded on my phone. It is not loud, but clear enough as both me and my partner sitting on a seat beside notice the noise. It was not there before. The noise feel like water rushing through the pipe, and it is almost constant. I often need to increase my fan speed to reduce the annoying noise. Somehow it is reduced when fan speed increased.
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Monday, July 23rd, 2018 AT 8:12 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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Is it the blower fan making the noise? Also there is no noise with the AC off and the blower motor on?
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Tuesday, July 24th, 2018 AT 11:00 AM
Tiny
HUDARSONO
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I guess it is not the blower, as the noise is gone if AC turned off although blower on.
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Wednesday, July 25th, 2018 AT 1:46 AM
Tiny
HUDARSONO
  • MEMBER
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By the way, during driving today, I just notice a new behavior of the AC, the blower no longer blow cold air mid way although the cabin had gotten warm. I lowered the AC temperature setting, still same. Then I increased the fan speed, it started blowing cold again. Even after returning to low fan speed, it still cold.
Could it be icing in EVAP? So when fan speed increased the ice melted?
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Wednesday, July 25th, 2018 AT 6:04 AM
Tiny
KEN L
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Yep, that is what it sounds like. I am wondering if you have too much compressor oil in the system which I have seen make a noise like you have described. The only way to tell that is open the system and look at the residual oil in the opening. This will take an experienced AC guy or I can walk you through it if you can send pictures or videos.
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Wednesday, July 25th, 2018 AT 2:42 PM
Tiny
HUDARSONO
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
I will not be able to open the system myself, as no device to deal with Freon stuff. I may need to visit repair shop again to do that.
Three months ago (the very first AC issue happened). I visited the first repair shop for intermittent cooling (sometime cold and not and keep alternating like that). He said, the compressor clutch still running when its not cold, so he suspect dirty solenoid valve. He opened the compressor head, to clean solenoid valve, which cause a lot of oil came out. He then put back about half plastic glass of oil (100 - 120 ml) back to compressor. Is that too much?

Anyway thank you so much for keep following this and trying to help.
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Wednesday, July 25th, 2018 AT 11:34 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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Yep, I think we found the problem. I would open the system to dump oil out and then vacuum down and recharge. Here is a guide to help:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/re-charge-an-air-conditioner-system

Please run down this guide and report back.

Cheers, Ken
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Thursday, July 26th, 2018 AT 4:14 PM

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