DeTomaso Mailing List: July 98, Message #73

Tim wrote:

>My AC has worked great for 7 or 8 years now.  My only complaint is that the
system seems to cycle too often.  It blows really cold, but not for long
enough before if cycles.  I wonder if there is any way to increase the cycle
time that the compressor is on?

>>>Hmm.  I'm far from an A/C expert, but I'll give this one a shot, 'cause it
saw it happen to P.J. Couillard.  His '72 had some funky hard lines in the
system under the dash that you could see from the passenger seat.  We noticed
the same thing happening, and I could see that the metal pipe would completely
freeze over, then un-freeze, then freeze again...

The A/C would blow ice-cold for a few minutes until this hose froze over (and
was blocked off), then it would quit until it warmed up and melted off (and
dripped condensation all over my feet.)  Thus his system would cycle back and
forth like yours does.  I think he replaced the expansion valve and cleaned
(or discarded?) the screen and that solved it.

Might want to try having a passenger monitor the status of your hose (if
visible) as you drive down the road.

Am I WAY, WAY out to lunch here guys?  (I'm sure you won't resist the
temptation to tell me if I am! :>) )

Mike