A/C - Expansion Valve?

[txfromwi]

2013, V8, LR4, 92K miles.

She has been in storage in my garage since 2020, run and moved a bit over the years, everything is fine.
except
very, very little to no A/C.

In hindsight, I did not run the A/C during that time.

The local independent took out 640g (or thereabouts) and recharged with 920g (or thereabouts) of freon (I wasn't paying enough attention...),
so there was a leak, somewhere...
They did the job correctly, took their time, left it under vaccuum for a couple of hours.
Added correct oil plus some UV dye for future diagnostics.

Pressures are not correct, low at 30, high at 80-100, and with temperatures today he said high should be 200-240.
High side line is not hot to the touch.

He thinks it's the expansion valve, his advice is to run it and hope that is unsticks itself, given the 6 years in one position.

He will not do the work himself, he says it's inside the dash and he's too old to take out the dash.
But I cannot find any reliable information on where it is and how to get to it.

Also, blowing warm air in the rear.

Advise on further diagnosing?
And guidance on where it is and how to get to it?
I can do the work myself, maybe quickly if the project isn't too bad, but I have upcoming shoulder surgery - ugh.
Thanks

 

[powershift]

The owners manual states to use the A/C weekly. In your case I would take it to another mechanic. I think the part in the dash is bs. Probably a compressor problem. If you could start driving it daily I'd leave the A/C on for a couple weeks and see if it works itself out.

My AC sucks pretty bad during early summer when temps reach ~115F+. The air blows fine and the temperature is not cold, but I know that if I turn it off while stuck in traffic on the freeway when 120F (its actually hotter on the freeways 130F) I might die. At 80-100F its cold. Not sure what to expect from these rigs in high heat. It gets 120F at least once a year and I'd like to have ice cold air at 40 MPH in high heat. 2024 it was 122F for 5 days straight.

 

[ugmw177]

Our 2011 A/C is really cold with ambient temps of 95-98 or so; it rarely gets above that here, thank goodness but humidity is usually really high when temps are 95ish so there's that. Anyhow, I think your low pressures assuming refrigerant charge is correct are a result of a faulty compressor. Not sure where the TXV is on these but most cars have it under the hood near the firewall where the lines head through to the evaporator.

 

[ugmw177]

fyi

https://landroverforums.com/forum/lr4-38/front-txv-expansion-valve-replacement-its-easy-116374/

 

[txfromwi]

Thanks, ugmw177, I have seen that photo, but without taking the lower dash apart I cannot confirm.

I am looking through the mechanics manual and I see 2 expansion valves, one in the front and one in the rear.
Seems to me that as both zones are blowing hot, that simultaneous failure of both expansion valves is unlikely.
But symptoms match expansion valves more than compressor so still trying to diagnose a bit on my own.

Open to all suggestions.

The service manual suggests that accessing the front expansion valve requires total disassembly of the dash.
BUT, of course it's that manual that is sold as a 2013 V8 manual but is really a 2014+ V6 manual, so some uncertainty there.

Might need to take it to Rover for additional diagnosis, but not happy with any of the 3 dealerships here in Houston.

 

[ugmw177]

If memory serves, there is a pressure switch on the system that monitors high and low refrigerant pressures and I think it interupts the compressor solenoid if pressures are out of range. You may be able to jump the switch/sensor and see if your high side goes to near normal [probably >200psi on 90 ambient day].

 

[txfromwi]

Well, hope or false hope?

Started her up this afternoon and A/C working just fine front and rear.

We shall see what tomorrow brings....

 

[16FujiDisco]

+1 on the switch option; had that be an issue on my Silverado once. Although it would work for 1 compressor cycle then stop working, until you turned it off and back on.