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Here is the long story.....
1996 Volvo 850 sedan with climate control. The car has 165,000 miles on it and is fantastic. I was recently driving it with the A/C on when I felt the cabin getting humid. I felt the air coming from the vents and sure enough they were blowing warm wet air. I noticed the vaccum plumbing noise that usually comes from the dash during the routine cycling on/off while the A/C is on had ceased. The A/C had stopped. I switched off the A/C switch on the dash control and waited about half a minute and switched it back on. The vaccum noise began again, the compressor load turned on and cold dry air came out once again. The weather was about 90 degrees and humid this day and I had been driving and using the A/C for about 1.5 hours at the time it stopped. I have had the car for 5 years and 115,000 miles, used it in this same way and situation throughout this time, and never had a problem.
I brought it in for service and after the mechanic tested the A/C system I was told that the green test dye was coming out in several places. The evaporator and dryer needed replacement and because of leakdown the A/C was losing coolant pressure so the compressor was short cycling. OK, I have had perfect service from this garage and think extremely highly of them so much so I purchased an S70 which I have them also service. So, I dropped the 850 off and they did the dashectomy to the tune of $1,300.......yes, I felt that based on their perfect track record and the age and history of the car that the evaporator and dryer job was acceptable. I got the car back and a few days later found myself driving another highway and mixed city run in 90 degree humid weather. Same deal, A/C works normally and then after about and hour and a half warm humid air suddenly comes out of the dash vents. I cringed and said a few bad words. I then turned off the A/C via the dash switch for less than a minute and the rest of the ride the A/C worked normally.
OK you Volvo gurus and expert mechanics, whats the answer to this problem? Why after 5 years and 115,000 miles of good service to me (7 years and 165,000 total time) does the A/C stop compressing and then need to be manually cycled with varible results?
-Bill the Warm
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