P1497 Rapid AC cycling. HELP

[1fast4]

Ok, so I am driving home after picking up the kids from school. The AC quit blowing cold and started blowing cool. Barely.

So I hook up the SCT and it pulls a code P1497 Rapid AC cycling?
Is there anyone out there that can tell me what the freak this means? Is my compressor fixing to shat the bed?

It is on my 98 Mark VIII

Any help is greatly appreciated before I start throwing money at it.

In a black car, it is starting to get WAAAY too hot to not have working AC!!

Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

[kingjason]

If it is cycling faster then normal it probably just needs to be topped off. Go buy you a small can with a guage on it and hook it up. It is really easy to do.

[JimD]

x2 on the freon being low, but id put gauges on it, you can put too much in. If you don't know what your doing, take it to someone that does.

[1fast4]

Thanks guys will check tomorrow. I just had it filled and serviced last summer. It is 13 years old now. Maybe a slow leak somewhere?

Thanks again for the input!!

[astang95]

It probably does have a leak, if its still cycling there still should be freon in there still. Depending on how bad it is, you might be able to see where its leaking from, look for wet spots around the compressor or the compressor itself. If you have a uv light with some yellow lenses you can see freon (its bright green)

[stephen4785]

It probably does have a leak, if its still cycling there still should be freon in there still. Depending on how bad it is, you might be able to see where its leaking from, look for wet spots around the compressor or the compressor itself. If you have a uv light with some yellow lenses you can see freon (its bright green)

You cant see freon with any kind of light. You can only see uv dye if any was added to the system.

[stephen4785]

Sounds like theres a leak somewhere. Need to have the system filled and some dye added then leaked checked.

[1fast4]

Sounds like theres a leak somewhere. Need to have the system filled and some dye added then leaked checked.

Yes sir, has a small leak. Topped it off for now till I can get it repaired on the inexpensive side. Trying to watch every penny these days.

Thanks for all the help and input everyone.

[autotek]

If you leave on Fort Worth, or you want too drive hire, I can check your A/C, I'm a ASE certified techinician, and I'm doing many side jobs for cheap.( I have a RTI A/C machine to do the work right) PM me if are you interested.

[astang95]

most companies have dye in the freon from the factory, its normal to see it

[stephen4785]

most companies have dye in the freon from the factory, its normal to see it

Very few companies put dye in a system from the factory. There are more and more of them doing it but no most. Im not aware of any companies adding dye to the ac system on any 90's model car from the factory.

[stephen4785]

Yes sir, has a small leak. Topped it off for now till I can get it repaired on the inexpensive side. Trying to watch every penny these days.

Thanks for all the help and input everyone.

Shoot me a pm if you need someone to fix it for cheap. Im ASE master auto certified and ASE master truck certified. Iv also been fixing board members cars for years and if you do any side work on this forum and survive then you have to do good work.