AC, idle, and other problems 03 PT

[cajuncody]

Thank goodness you are here. I am having a couple of problems with my PT and being a female I want to get some idea of what is wrong before I take it to the shop on Tuesday.
The long and the short of it.
I have an 03 PT automatic touring edition. Recently I started getting a "hitch" in my idle at stop lights and other stops. While this happens my AC blows warm air. I know that this can be common at an idle with less cool air coming through. However, I can now drive several miles before the AC blows cool air. Also, at a stop (in gear or neutral) the car vents something from the bottom of the compressor (air or freon I don't know). I took it in a few weeks ago and was told the compressor may be getting ready to go out but there was "no way " I had a leak in the system. My freon (or what ever it is) was low so they charged me an arm and a leg to add more with some dye in it to check for a leak. I took it back last week and sure enough, I have a "small " leak in between the compressor and the condensor in a "rubber" hose. No other signs of freon anywhere (so what is coming out of my compressor). The mechanic (same shop different man) said the compressor is fine. They filled it back up and set me an appointment for Tuesday to replace the holey hose. My AC is working even worse now and the "pshhhht" is coming more frequently from my compressor. Is the hole allowing air in and causing the compressor to vent or is the compressor going bad? If it is the compressor I would rather replace it now than wait for it to blow and mess with the entire system. Please give me some adivce!
Also, my fuel mileage is rock bottom with this problem going on. Please help!

[CREWZIN]

Cajuncody.

WELCOME to the forum. I'm no expert in air-conditioning, but have had enough problems with all my cars and heard enough on the forums to try and help. The noise you here coming from the compressor is normal but it shouldn't be too loud. It happens when the compressor kicks ON and should only kick on about once a minute or less depending on the outside air temperature. If it's on/off continuously, it means you are low in R134 (they don't use FREON any more). There's a switch that monitors pressure in the line and if your low, it cuts off the compressor. Pressure builds up, the switch sees it back to normal and the compressor comes back on. That's a simplified version. It's hard to tell exactly when your compressor might fail completely, but one sign is oil all over the place near the area of the compressor. Hard to see on the PT Cruiser.

If you live in a hot area where you use your air-conditioning all year, possibility that it's starting to wear out, but after saying that, i'm in Florida, air on all year with a PT built in 2000 (86,000 miles) and (knock on wood) the compressors fine.

What should you do? Have the hose replaced. Fill up the system and make sure it's working before you leave the garage that fixed it and hope the compressor keeps going another couple of years.

As for fuel mileage. Some owners are getting 20 or less, others in the high 20s. Air-conditioning takes away maybe 1 or 2 mpg. Your problem shouldn't have a lot to do with a big drop in gas mileage.

[bobs turbo pt]

welcome to the board as crewzin said i dont think your compressor is wearing out , did you ever change the plugs & wires ??

[cajuncody]

I must not have been clear, it is not a noise coming from my compressor it is actual air (or freon) shooting out the bottom. I have been told that it is releasing pressure but then I have been told that can't happen as that is a sealed system. If you are outside the car you can see the air shoot out the bottom of the car and dust and dirt on the road blow away. It is not just the sound of the compressor kicking on and off, you can hear that too and quite frequently I admit. Does it vent air or is it going out?

[CREWZIN]

Cajuncody,

4 words. Ain't supossed todo that. The only thing I can guess is that the "small leak" that the mechanic found is letting out gas (pardon me) whenever the compressor turns on. Hopefully when you have the hoses replaced it will stop. As I said, don't leave the place till your sure it's working correctly even if you have to wait there idling with the air on full blast.

[Hooligan]

I agree with all Crewzin said. That said, may I ask how many miles does your car have on it? I had the same problem on my Dodge Dakota with a "hole" in the line and it was replaced under warranty. I had purchased Chryslers Extended Warranty that they backed up.

Just work on one thing at a time, A/C first, then work on the mileage problem.

[cajuncody]

85,000 miles and just out of warranty, go figure. I am probably going to get a tune up on Tuesday as well as fixing the hole in the line. Any recommendations on the tune up?

[mowerman]

Just today my pt started doing the same thing there is a hi pressure release on the bottom of the compressor that lets out 134 when the pressure gets to high. My problem seems to be that the fan is not coming on when the ac is on.

[cajuncody]

The dealer tried to tell me my fan was out so I took mine to a different mechanic, he said the fan is fine. I had dye added to my freon (easier to remember than numbers) to see if it was coming out the pressure release and was told it is not. That is how they found the small hole in the line. I will know for sure tomorrow as that is when mine is scheduled to be fixed.

[cajuncody]

Forgot to add:
I think the fan not working is a common problem as the dealer told me this on the phone without looking at my car. I was told they were 100% positive that was my problem. I took my car somewhere else because I was afraid the dealer was too positive about the fan and I was afraid I would be replacing it regardless of what the real problem was. I wonder if they should have recalled the fan?