Are the A/C systems normally weak on these?

[Trainmaster]

Yes, the AC is weak on these. I've driven a fleet of them and every one almost stopped cooling when standing still and wasn't very cold on a 90 degree day cruising down the highway. I've measured 62 degree air at the vents. That's about it.

They are all properly charged and serviced and have always been. Use the rear along with the front system and open the windows when you get in the hot car. Lowering the fan speed will give you colder air but less of it.

 

[Danm355]

I realize this is a pretty general and sophomoric question, but wondering if my Expedition's A/C is normal and typical, or if I need to do further exploration:

I have an '11 XLT that I got in the Fall of last year, so mostly past A/C season. I have a set of gauges, and when it started getting really hot (over 90), and it was cooler with the vent on and windows down than with the AC on, I put them on and the system looked low. It then seemed like I either added too much or got some air in the system (high side went a bit too high), so I took it to a local shop to have it vacuumed down and recharged. They did that today, and when I picked it up, the owner said it held vacuum and was fully recharged, but only put out about 55 degrees - they would normally like to see it colder than that.

Driving it the rest of the day today (it's about 95 today), it is really, really weak - even on Max/ recirc. Do these things just generally have weak systems, or do you think there's a problem that I need to have someone look for?

I had a 2012, 2016, 2018 and now a 2022 Expedition Platinum and I never had an A/C problem. It always blew out very cold air.

 

[Bolt snapper]

While I'm asking dumb questions: I was changing oil last night and noticed the "blanket" (for lack of a better term) that is push fastenered in place underneath the radiator/condensor/fan. Would it not make the radiator and condensor work more efficiently if they had airflow from beneath? Has anyone removed this fabric? Advantages / disadvantages?

 

[max78]

That rubber piece being in place will help direct air through the radiator/condenser assembly while moving. Sitting stationary its not going to make a difference.

 

[Bolt snapper]

Let me also ask this (which sort of just occurred to me): Before I took the truck to the shop to have the system vacuumed down and recharged to the proper level, I put my gauges on it (and may or may not have put a can of refrigerant in it). When I shut the engine off, it seemed to take quite a long time (~3 minutes or more?) for the pressures to equalize. There was also an audible squeal/air leak sound that started as soon as the ignition was off and lasted for awhile until pressures began to approach equal. Could this be the cause of my poor cooling - but full charge - issue? Because I'm guessing the shop only starts the vehicle, runs the vacuum for an extended time to show no leak and then adds the appropriate amount of coolant and looks at high/low pressures while it's running, but may not look at it once it's turned off? So is that the expansion valve? And would that cause the lukewarm air at full charge?

 

[JamaicaJoe]

With the compressor off, the freon expands to a given pressure at a specific temperature. Ideal Gas Law. There are charts for this. This is why the suction side will rise to some crazy high pressure like 160 PSI when the compressor is turned off. You can estimate if over charged or undercharged with a table.