With A/C season just around the corner, this seems like a good time to provide some updated information on these units. NOTE: Receiver driers are sometimes called filter driers and accumulators are sometimes called accumulator driers.
As mentioned in last week’s article, the first thing I did with the machine was check the pressure of the refrigerant in the tank. It was extremely high (well over 400 PSI) indicating there was a refrigerant contamination problem.
A customer driving a 2014 BMW 328i arrived at the college’s 2nd-year electrical lab reporting his illuminated check engine light. The customer had no complaints other than the light. The vehicle had just over 82K miles showing on the odometer. A student (Phil) assigned to the BMW performed a review with a scan tool, and a single code (P0597 – Thermostat Heater Control Circuit Open) was present.
I encountered a situation in the early days of recovery/recycling machines when they had just been introduced. I had set up a machine about four months earlier when the customer purchased it. I went to great lengths to cover proper operation of the unit and the shop owner even attended a certification clinic I conducted.
MACS is changing leadership. Elvis L. Hoffpauir, is stepping down at the end of January 2022 from his duties as MACS president and chief operating officer to enjoy retirement. Following a 42-year distinguished career at the Mobile Air Climate Systems Association (MACS), Elvis will transition to past president and association advisor.
We covered a base line test conducted with 0% air contamination and provided pressure and temperature information. This week we will provide pressure and temperature information experienced with 7.7% air contamination and 18.9% air contamination.
The conversation involved a clutchless compressor unit. A CSR who had sold one to a shop contacted me and said his customer (who was both the shop owner and technician working on the car) had just called him. There was a concern that the compressor didn’t have a clutch wire.
To help service shop owners, MACS has created a 30-page consumer guide for your customers that explains how their car’s engine cooling system and air conditioning system works. “Getting to know your car’s air conditioning and engine cooling system,” details how these vital climate systems work and why they may require an extensive repair.
