Hey gang...
I just replaced the expansion valve and evap coil. (Evap coil because when I was pulling off the expansion valve the cap screw snapped off in the block)
Evacuated the system properly, system holds vacuum at 30 inches but when I try to recharge it is not taking any more than what seems like enough to fill the line and it's building pressure on the low side.
I tried bypassing the pressure switch (not absloutely certain I jumped the right pins) and still nothing. Any thoughts?

 

Moved your post to gen tech, so you'll get a response. The DIY section is for write-ups on DIY procedures.

Is the engine running and the a/c turned on when you are recharging?

 

Yes. Running at full blast

 

When recharging, make sure you are charging on the low pressure line and not going through the high side. When you first start recharging, the pressure will build on the low side, but the a/c will remain off. Once the pressure in the system is over 28 psi. Watch the low and high pressure as it may take some time), the pressure switch should close and the a/c compressor will turn on and start drawing in R134a.

 

I was charging the low side

 

Are you charging through a manifold, or using an adapter directly from a can?

 

Manifold and gauges

 

Some manifolds have a screw cap on the connector directly to the car's low pressure side. You need to screw that in to push down the schrader valve to allow R-134a into the system. You don't need to crank down very tight, just enough to push down that schrader valve. If you overtighten, then you can damage the schrader valve.

Another check you can try is to evacuate the system, disconnect the manifold, then push down on the schrader valve and listen for air to be drawn into the system. You want to make sure you evacuated the system and not just the lines to the system.

 

Mine does not have the screw cap. I did evacuate for an hour. It pulled to 30 inches pretty quickly. I noticed the refrigerant was not moving in the sight glass after a minute or so, so I think it was filling the lines and then hitting a restriction. I tried jumping around the pressure switch but that didn't work. Does anyone know which pins to jump to bypass the switch?. If that doesn't work I am just replacing the compressor and condensor coil and being done with it

 

To bypass the pressure switch for low pressure, jump the blu/red to the blu wire. If low system pressure is the reason why your compressor won't turn on, the compressor should turn on. If the compressor doesn't turn on, then you don't have a blockage and you'd have to troubleshoot why the compresser isn't turning on.