AC issues in Texas heat

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

BenBB

FRF Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2016
Posts
1,813
Reaction score
2,481
Location
Lots of different places
How clean is your condenser ? full of bugs? Did you change your cabin filter out? My 2019 raptor 43 deg out the vents 117 ambient air.

My 2010 Raptor another story getting ready to change condenser. Blows cold then warms to 52 deg and 65 at idle . Already put new TXV and new compressor. Same crap , Condenser only thing left.

My 2014 Tremor was ice cold so i know how my 2010 should be.
@1BAD454SSv2 Check your evaporator. My '13 never cooled well, the previous owner apparently didn't know to use recirc when eating dust. Also search for thread about resistor mod on here. I did the resistor mod, wrapped the lines under the hood with insulation, recharged and then overcharged the R134a, and replaced the heater resistor (well it's not a resistor anymore it's solid state but does the same thing), nothing helped, barely blew cold air out of the vents. I pulled the blower motor and shoved my phone up in the heater box and found this on the intake side of the evaporator:
IMG_0157.JPEG
Pulled that heater resistor and got another shot:
IMG_0158.JPEG
Let this be a lesson to you all, use your recirc kids. Instead of replacing the evaporator/TXV/condensor, and since they apparently built the entire ******* truck around the heater box (6-8 hour job, whole dash, umm no), I spent a couple hours scrubbing it with Simple Green, various cleaning brushes I swiped from my wife, blowing out with compressed air and a shop vac, and finally backflushed with a garden hose (as a bonus, I now know the condensate drain works), got about 90% cleaner:
IMG_0172.JPEG
Now it blows frosty air, easily 400% improvement. No exaggeration, went from struggling to get under 60° out of the vents to under 40° and air speed quadrupled.

Gen2 guys I hope you find the culprit, I would definitely replace the cab air filter (wish mine had one!!!), use recirc, sunshades, etc. as others have suggested, all will help but ultimately some of these issues sound electronic, unless an evaporator issue like mine was heh. All the sensors, dual zones, and computers aren't letting the simple refrigeration system operate to capacity, or only sometimes...
 

DanT

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Posts
216
Reaction score
115
Location
North Texas
AC in my 2020 Raptor SCREW works too good - I’m constantly turning the fan down as I’m freezing in Auto mode at 70°
 

wheelman55

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2016
Posts
938
Reaction score
505
Location
Big Bend or MN
Try using a lower fan speed. That’s worked for me in other vehicles. The cabin gets cooler for me using a lower fan speed. My theory is that the higher speed doesn’t allow the condenser to get cold enough. The heat shield in the windshield makes a huge difference. Good luck...
 

MattR

Full Access Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2019
Posts
885
Reaction score
521
Location
Houston, TX
I did ceramic tint on all of the windows, windshield, and moonroof. It helped quite a bit, but the truck is black and it's hard to overcome the heat load produced by the sun in the South. I also believe that part of the issue is the space of the cab...it's a large, fairly un-insulated black metal box with interior ambient temps over 140deg. It takes quite a bit of air, even at 45deg, to cool that down to a comfortable 70deg.

I'm glad that Ford offers the FordPass app, as starting it up 10min or so before getting in it helps quite a bit. The cooled seats help a ton, too.
 

1BAD454SSv2

FRF Addict
Joined
Jan 8, 2019
Posts
1,398
Reaction score
1,723
Location
HELL I ZONA
@1BAD454SSv2 Check your evaporator. My '13 never cooled well, the previous owner apparently didn't know to use recirc when eating dust. Also search for thread about resistor mod on here. I did the resistor mod, wrapped the lines under the hood with insulation, recharged and then overcharged the R134a, and replaced the heater resistor (well it's not a resistor anymore it's solid state but does the same thing), nothing helped, barely blew cold air out of the vents. I pulled the blower motor and shoved my phone up in the heater box and found this on the intake side of the evaporator:
View attachment 150080
Pulled that heater resistor and got another shot:
View attachment 150081
Let this be a lesson to you all, use your recirc kids. Instead of replacing the evaporator/TXV/condensor, and since they apparently built the entire ******* truck around the heater box (6-8 hour job, whole dash, umm no), I spent a couple hours scrubbing it with Simple Green, various cleaning brushes I swiped from my wife, blowing out with compressed air and a shop vac, and finally backflushed with a garden hose (as a bonus, I now know the condensate drain works), got about 90% cleaner:
View attachment 150082
Now it blows frosty air, easily 400% improvement. No exaggeration, went from struggling to get under 60° out of the vents to under 40° and air speed quadrupled.

Gen2 guys I hope you find the culprit, I would definitely replace the cab air filter (wish mine had one!!!), use recirc, sunshades, etc. as others have suggested, all will help but ultimately some of these issues sound electronic, unless an evaporator issue like mine was heh. All the sensors, dual zones, and computers aren't letting the simple refrigeration system operate to capacity, or only sometimes...
Not saying mine is not plugged i will be checking this weekend . I have always used recirc on truck since brand new. ac has never really been that great since new it was always at 50 but would hold 50 at idle. If it is dirty I will be using foaming cleaner for evaporators. Really not looking forward to tearing into a condensor in this weather. But if evap is clean that is next item. By way i have correct amount freon and pressures seem low thats why suspect condensor
 

sixshooter_45

2019 Ruby Red Metallic SC, 3.5 L Twin Turbos.
Joined
Jun 17, 2012
Posts
1,596
Reaction score
877
Location
Arnold

WH7

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2019
Posts
115
Reaction score
91
Location
Texas
2018 and I'm also in Texas. Mine blows really cold and cools that black on black down quick.
 

970rap

Active Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2020
Posts
67
Reaction score
58
Location
CO
My 18 blows plenty cool at the coldest settings but when using auto mode on a hot day it doesn't seem to pump out enough air to keep it at the set temp. To feel like it's 70 inside I have to turn down to 66-68 depending on how sunny it is. This is exacerbated with people in the back seat, since the rear air vents provide nearly no flow unless one or more of the front vents is closed.
 

smurfslayer

Be vewwy, vewwy quiet. We’re hunting sasquatch77
Joined
Dec 16, 2016
Posts
17,595
Reaction score
27,110
I'm living in the same TX heat and not having issues. I will say that one of the better investments I've made is for this Heatshield sunshade https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BN6TJ8K/?tag=fordraptorforum-20 Don't go cheap...this has insulation and makes a significant difference. Guessing it keeps the cab 20+ degrees cooler. Especially if you park with your windshield toward the sun. Your mileage my vary.

Legit. I couldn’t believe I had to pay Raptor Tax prices for a stinking sun visor. I mean, who makes this, Baja Designs? :p

But, I bit the financial bullet and bought it. It makes a huge diff. No tint (yet), so that may also help.

I did ceramic tint on all of the windows, windshield, and moonroof. It helped quite a bit, but the truck is black and it's hard to overcome the heat load produced by the sun in the South. I also believe that part of the issue is the space of the cab...it's a large, fairly un-insulated black metal box with interior ambient temps over 140deg. It takes quite a bit of air, even at 45deg, to cool that down to a comfortable 70deg.

I'm glad that Ford offers the FordPass app, as starting it up 10min or so before getting in it helps quite a bit. The cooled seats help a ton, too.

Yup. a pre-start takes the edge off and gets you cooler faster.
 

greatone99

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2019
Posts
785
Reaction score
358
Location
ma
@1BAD454SSv2 Check your evaporator. My '13 never cooled well, the previous owner apparently didn't know to use recirc when eating dust. Also search for thread about resistor mod on here. I did the resistor mod, wrapped the lines under the hood with insulation, recharged and then overcharged the R134a, and replaced the heater resistor (well it's not a resistor anymore it's solid state but does the same thing), nothing helped, barely blew cold air out of the vents. I pulled the blower motor and shoved my phone up in the heater box and found this on the intake side of the evaporator:
View attachment 150080
Pulled that heater resistor and got another shot:
View attachment 150081
Let this be a lesson to you all, use your recirc kids. Instead of replacing the evaporator/TXV/condensor, and since they apparently built the entire ******* truck around the heater box (6-8 hour job, whole dash, umm no), I spent a couple hours scrubbing it with Simple Green, various cleaning brushes I swiped from my wife, blowing out with compressed air and a shop vac, and finally backflushed with a garden hose (as a bonus, I now know the condensate drain works), got about 90% cleaner:
View attachment 150082
Now it blows frosty air, easily 400% improvement. No exaggeration, went from struggling to get under 60° out of the vents to under 40° and air speed quadrupled.

Gen2 guys I hope you find the culprit, I would definitely replace the cab air filter (wish mine had one!!!), use recirc, sunshades, etc. as others have suggested, all will help but ultimately some of these issues sound electronic, unless an evaporator issue like mine was heh. All the sensors, dual zones, and computers aren't letting the simple refrigeration system operate to capacity, or only sometimes...
a dirty evap will give u less air ,but ir would be colder ,a dirty evaporations does not cause warmer air
 
Top