Originally Posted by
HiFiBri
They checked a lot of things including the A/C, and told me it was low. They tried to sell me a $150 flush and re-charge, which I passed on. The A/C was working ok, btw.
If they checked it, and are telling the truth - then then opened the system to measure the charge. BAD IDEA on a working system.
So, 2 weeks ago with the FL summer, I figured I should top off the R134a coolant myself. Went to AuzoZone and got a can of the stuff, the guy there even helped. It made it worse. When it's middle of the day, it doesn't cool much at all.
I have no comment you want to read.
What is odd, is I hear a fan noise that I hadn't heard before. I had thought it was the compressor, maybe adding new coolant stirred up gook and was clogging something to make the compressor run harder.
Well, we KNOW that they apparently screwed the system up, so anything is possible. I sure dont understand why you cant see where the noise is coming from. UNPLUG THE FAN - if the noise goes away, you know where it is coming from. (DONT LEAVE IT DISCONNECTED LONG, OF COURSE).
I went to the dealership today, no XF techs in on Sat, but one of the service managers looked at it. It's not the compressor, but the cooling fan (for the radiator) running a lot faster than it should be, maybe 2-4 times faster. He was worried I could damage the fan.
So you went to a dealership. Yea, this will turn out economical and good.
Fan motors are easy to replace, and with my -10C fan mod, mine runs most of the time. Big deal.
Any ideas why adding A/C coolant would make the main engine cooling fan run harder?
No. But with these car's electronic controls - who knows? We can almost assume that Jiffy Lube has compromised the system, who knows what has been done.
The whole thing is simple:
With a cool engine, the fan does NOT run, unless the A/C is on, then it runs at low speed to provide airflow for the A/C condenser at slow speed and stops. If the engine warms up beyond 218F, then it is sped up to help the radiator dissipate engine heat. The ECM/PTCM monitors engine temperature and whether or not the A/C is on can commands the Fan Control Module to run the fan at the speed the ECM/PTCM deems nessesary. In the -10C mod, the ECM/PTCM starts the fan at a temperature -16F lower than factory setting, hence, my fan runs a LOT. Why did I do the mod? Easy: Fan motors are cheap and easy to replace, heat will damage an engine.
Anyway,
I do my own oil changes for this very reason - you have no idea what the fools, crooks and creeps are doing to your car when you are not standing there.
This is going to cost you a LOT of money, and Jiffly Lube is not going to back up their incompetent or dishonest help.
I hope your savings account is healthy, cause you really need it now.