Hi All: Newby here, in need of urgent info. DW 95 Cirrus A/C died last week, took it to shop and $350 later a new high prressure hose/line was installed and new refridgerant added. First time out it worked fine. Next time (I was driving so it was not operator error) started engine turned on A/C and backed up about 100 ft. (long driveway) at low speed and within 1 -2 miniutes of A/C engagement, I heard loud studdering sounds from engine compartment and noticed smoke? comes from under car. Shut down engine, tuned off A/C, and restrated engine and everthing seemed OK, then turned on A/C with engine at idle and very soon the noise/smoke resumed, turned off A/C (engne still idleing) and noise/smoke went away. Turned off engine, opened hood, smelled a stange odor and restarted engine at idle turned on A/C and watched as noise resumed and a white cloud of smoke (refridgerent?) appeared directly above where the compressor sits. The noise was a very fast studder (like Granny rubbiing her knuckles over the old wash board), it lasted barely 2 or 3 seconds, stopped for 2 or 3 seconds and then resummed. Sounded to me like some kind of pressure release. I know it wasn't engine coolent (cold engine) and it went away with A/C off. Now the rest of the story, Turned off A/C closed hood, stqrted engine, shifted to D and drove off, when up to speed (engine maybe 1500 RPM) turned on A/C and it worked fine and continued to work great for 30 minutes till I got home, then I stopped in driveway, shifted to park and let engine idle, and sure enough within a few seconds the sound/smoke returned. Will take it to shop tomarrow, but before I do I hope to have some ideas about what is happening to the A/C. Iam anatural born skeptic, and operate on the basis that half of theshop mechanics I encounter are less competent than the average shop mechanic. Any one with any ideas for me. Help! and thanks in advance. CRay

 

Sounds to me like you lost your compressor for some reason. It IS possible that the methods used to do the mentioned repair caused this problem with the compressor, but it is also possible that once your compressor had the appropriate amount of refrigerant and developed full pressure in the system, that it couldn't handle it.

If you seriously question the veracity of the shop that did the repair, go to another shop for an estimate. Let them tell you what is wrong before you tell them your story. If after you tell them your story they tell you that the other shop is to blame, or that the other shop should have forseen this problem, then deal with the other shop on that basis.

If you trust the second shop, and feel that you have unlikely recourse with the first shop, let the second one fix it.

 

Hey Irdaneel: Thanks for the comeback, while I may have injured the compressor, after the initial blowup, I drove the car for 30 minutes at modest RPM and the A/C worked and cooled the car, but when I got home and at idle the noise/smoke resumed, so I am fairly certain the the compressor isn't dead YET!!!. Cray

 

FWIW Closure: Subsequent diaognostic efforts by yours truly discovered more symtomes, very hot high pressure line at dryer and the fans were not engaged. Testing confirmed fans OK and fan relays OK only thing left was either A?C pressure transducer or main computer. Shop replaced pressure transducer recharged system and back on the road with working A/C and fans that engaged when at idle. Ray