Sounds like an overcharge, system restriction or condenser issue, to me. Fins on the condenser might be clean but it could be plugged internally. If you have a temp gun, use it on the condenser and see if it has any hot spots. You can go over all of the lines with the temp gun too.

Receiver/dryer shouldn’t cause this unless the desiccant bag burst and filled the system with desiccant. If that’s the case, you’d even need a compressor by this point. Desiccant is like sand in the system.

You can certainly have the refrigerant recovered and then pull the orfice tube out to check for debris. If you don’t find any debris though, my money is on the condenser, if the airflow through it isn’t restricted in anyway.

 

So today I decided to go ahead and replace the orifice and accumulator. I decided I didn’t think the condenser was plugged since the high pressure port is after the condenser. And I had high pressure. If it was plugged idve had low pressure on the high side. I also figured the system was overcharged. So anyways I replaced those items plus o-rings and drew a vacuum for about 45 minutes. Checked to be sure it held a vacuum of course. And added in the required 1.6 lbs of R134a. Now it is running much better. It was dark by the time I got finished, but I have 30 psi / 200 psi now. And vent is blowing 44 degrees. The real test will be during the day tomorrow when it should hit at least 85 outside.
I’ve attached a picture of the old and new orifice. The old orifice had gel type stuff clogging it up. Any thoughts on what that is?

 

That is desiccant from the receiver dryer. The yellow stuff is dye. Id say that someone has been working on that before.

 

That’s what I was afraid of. And wondering how much of that junk is in other places reducing overall system performance. Guess I’ll see how long this fix lasts.

 

looks like black death is coming to your a/c system

 

Isn’t a full kit (compressor, RD, condenser, etc) only like $250+ from RockAuto? Get a flush kit to rid the lines of crap.

 

I'll see how long this lasts, but yes....that will be the net step. Any recommendations on how to flush the lines? And can the EVAP be flushed? That seems like it would be a real PITA to replace. Thanks.

 

it's prey hard to flush the newer condensers and get all the junk out. you're better off to just replace the condenser with a new one.

 

Pretty sure they were saying to flush the lines and replace the condenser, in the previous post.