AC problems 2005 Thunderbird

Grouchosbp

Grouchosbp

Member
Bronze Member
Last seen
Joined
Sep 7, 2019
Thunderbird Year
2005
I have recently purchase a 2005 Thunderbird. The AC worked great but started blowing hot air. Compressor works and I replaced the dual control valve. It now will blow cold air on freeway but not in town. Freon was also checked. I get error cold 1265 on ac controls but my understanding that code may not apply for a 2005 Thunderbird. Any help would be appreciated. I took it to one mechanic could not figure it out. I guess Ford dealer is next option.
 

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Your Ford dealer will charge the most, but when you get it back they will have topped all your fluids and they give the car a good once over inspection, letting you if any other unseen problems exist. Again, it will cost more, but I don't think you will be disappointed in a certified ford mechanic.

Good luck my friend and Happy Motoring!!!!
W
 
Sounds to me like your Freon charge is not correct. Best thing to do is to recover charge,
evacuate system, and weigh in the Freon charge per the ac label under the hood, about
28 oz.
 
I just bought my 2005 about a month ago from my local ford dealer. During the test drive, one thing that I noticed was that the AC was not strong, sitting at traffic lights it would blow air that was only slightly cool, not enough to overcome the heat outside. As I got it up to speed, the air did feel much cooler but again it was hard for it to overcome the outside heat. I had to direct the vents directly towards me to get ny real comfort. When I returned to the dealer, I told the salesman that I wanted them to look at it before I would buy it. They diagnosed a bad compressor and replaced it as part of my buying the car.
 
The fact that it works on the highway and not in town makes me think that the cooling fan is not running when the A/C is on to add sufficient cooling to the condenser up front by the radiator.
 
Grouchosbp said:
I have recently purchase a 2005 Thunderbird. The AC worked great but started blowing hot air. Compressor works and I replaced the dual control valve. It now will blow cold air on freeway but not in town. Freon was also checked. I get error cold 1265 on ac controls but my understanding that code may not apply for a 2005 Thunderbird. Any help would be appreciated. I took it to one mechanic could not figure it out. I guess Ford dealer is next option.
Click to expand...
It could be the Expansion valve.
 
T Birds like most cars do not have expansion valves, they have a orifice tube, which also
has a metallic screen built in to catch any metal shavings in the system.
 
edward301 said:
T Birds like most cars do not have expansion valves, they have a orifice tube, which also
has a metallic screen built in to catch any metal shavings in the system.
Click to expand...
Funny, I just ordered one for my 2002 Tbird. I need to find it first. I think it is behind the glove box.
 
Usually the orifice tube is near the accumulator on the high pressure side leading to the
evaporator coil.orifice.jpg At least that is where it was on a Ford F250
I have that I replaced the compressor on.
 
I had the same issue blows cold on highway, barely cool on side roads and warm at a traffic light. I had replaced the compressor 2 years prior. Unfortunately I don't work on the car so I had my mechanic do the job. It was a fraction of the $3500 that the Ford dealer quoted me. The problem this time was the expansion valve. I think it about about $25 part but required a lot of labor to replace so it was another $1000 job. This time I did replace another part even though it was still functioning to avoid another expensive repair I think when you have an AC problem replace any part that could potentially become an issue at a later date if you have to pay a mechanic to do the work. If i had done it when i replaced the compressor I would have saved $$$$. I only drive the car about once a weeks so not enough use causes issues also
 
Any time you replace the compressor, you should also replace the accumulator, and the
orifice tube. This is only way to know you got all the contaminates out of the system.

It is possible when they replaced the compressor they did not replace the orifice tube,
and the screen was clogged with metal shavings from the worn out compressor.

I do not know where the orifice tube is on a T Bird, but from what I read here, it must
be in a hard to reach location.
 
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