The ac in my 2001 mazda protege will come on but then does not stay cool, repair guys said it was the compressor are they right?
Turn on the ac, the compressor kicks in, and it will start out cool, but then it looses the cool air altogether
perhaps the blower resistor pack is burnt~
perhaps you could inspect this part for conductivity~
Elimination process is always the best way to go (Start with most obvious and or least expensive and work your way up) 1) If your compressor cycles on and off, chances are its still in good condition AND that your system possibly has no leaks. The compressor has a mechanism to keep it from cycling on when there a low charge. This prevents it from getting damaged. Nevertheless, check your charge by using a set of manifold gauges and the readings should give a good indication of what's going on. Here is a good video I like to help understand how the different combinations of readings on high and low side could mean different things.{ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9yv0euT7xA } >>>>You may simply have a low charge and need a little more refrigerant or an overcharged system and need to lose some. Once you do this move to the following step. 2) Since your AC is cycling on, cools for a little while and then does not stay cool, there is a possibility that: A) you have blockage in an area of your system - maybe the Dryer/Accumulator or Orifice Tube (under the hood) ... OR B) you have a defective Evaporator - the part of the AC that creates an exchange of warm air for cooler air in the car (usually under the dash by the blower). This part is a pain to replace or repair because of its location. Are you looking to fix this yourself? AC repairs can be complicated and it takes a pretty good understanding of how it works PLUS having all the right tools. You can loan the tools from a parts store (AutoZone has gauges, Vacuum pump)... Otherwise, I recommend shopping around for a good price and reliable technician to fix it for you. Again, watch the video and you will have a rough idea of whats going on with your system so they won't just tell you anything. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9yv0euT7xA Hope this helps :)
