Sub Par A/C performance

Has anybody experenced any sort of A/C issues with their Excursion? My A/C seems to work fairly well most of the time. But every once and a while it does not work nearly at all. For example I was on a 300 mi trip and the A/C was working well for the first 250 mi and then out of no where it is no longer cold. But after 15 or so miles it was back on-line with out issue. I almost want to say that it is freezing up the evaporator. Outside conditions within 10 deg f of the same the entire trip (90's). Running both the front and rear A/C (Also shutting off the rear A/C did not change anything) I have some HVAC but not with the dual zones.

Also if the ambient temperature is in the 90's and driving around town the A/C performance is pretty poor.

You may be a little low on freon I would get it checked out mine has never acted the way your describing


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Try looking at your condenser maybe its clogged with debris and not allowing air to pass through.

I have not had a chance to put manifold gauge set on it yet, but I did noice that the A/C performance degrades as I increase speeds. So it works much better at 45mph around town and if I run 70mph for 30 mi or so is starts to warm up.

Dealing with the same thing in ours... but ours is an air flow issue in the rear AC. It SUCKS!

I've removed the fan once and cleaned it, but it almost seems like the blend door is not working or something...

Pretty sure its going to have to go to Ford to get fixed.

Dzlsmok said:

I have not had a chance to put manifold gauge set on it yet, but I did noice that the A/C performance degrades as I increase speeds. So it works much better at 45mph around town and if I run 70mph for 30 mi or so is starts to warm up.

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my buddy has an 02 with this same problem, the faster you go the warmer it gets, his truck has 60k on it, so you wouldn't think it would be the compressor with only 60k on the clock

I think Ford dealer would make things worse....I am going to try and put gauges on it this weekend and see WTF is going on.

we put gauges on my buddies and got no readings out of the norm

I ended up putting 12 oz of R-134a in and it has not had an issue yet. The A/C seems to be performing as it should.

well damn i thought someone would have the fix to end all!!

If r134 is low enough it will freeze up the evaporator during extended periods of operation. Adding r-134 fixed dzlsmok's problem, zilla you might consider getting your system recharged.

I don't think that is it though, because why would it be fine at idle, and once up to cruising speed it gets warm, but as soon as you slow down its cold again. Seems bad in cruise also, but it has been a while since we messed with it though.

I originally thought that the evaporator was freezing up, but when it usually happened out on the road I did not have the time or tools to figure it out. What gave me an idea of freezing was the air flow seemed to be reduced when the A/C would no longer blow cold air.

any updates?

After I put 12 oz of R-134a in it it seems to be all happy now. Ice cold A/C for road trips. I have a 2400mile round trip coming up that should be a good test.

Dzlsmok said:

After I put 12 oz of R-134a in it it seems to be all happy now. Ice cold A/C for road trips. I have a 2400mile round trip coming up that should be a good test.

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you coming home dear ?

bigrpowr said:

you coming home dear ?

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Possibly.......I will give you a call when I am in Kalifornia.:grouphug:

bumping this back up...

Added 20oz of R134 in the Excursion I thought it was working ok... Its got the factory evaporator in it, maybe time to swap it out?

Wife just texted me "my AC sucks"...

20oz is alot, did it call for that much?

How hammered is the condenser? Mine was packed with bugs, rocks and trash. Changing it out made a noticeable difference.