Fredzep

It is the hottest day of the year today and the AC starts to blow hot. I went to recharge it, but the pressure on the Low side is in the RED of the AC recharge kit gauages' Kpa or whatever the measurement is. I let some pressure out and filled with a can of 134a. Still hot.
Compressor is 3 years old and appears to turn on when I start the AC while car is running.

Why would the pressure be so high? Could it be a vaccum line not opening the flaps in the Venting system? CL 2.2 has 278K on it and runs great outside of an idle issue. But AC have been strong all summer.

Fredzep

I got a better look at the compressor today and found it is NOT turning on when the AC is set ON in the car. There were 2 pieces of really crusty/easily breakable black wires about 6 inches each I found under the compressor. I fear that they may have come from the compressor and it is hosed.

genokan

Generally if your low side has really high pressure, I would check your orifice tube (or expansion chamber) for obstructions. Also, if the low pressure side is showing high pressure, that could mean that the low pressure shut-off switch has gone bad. To test this, you can try and find the switch and jump it. If the compressor kicks on, then the compressor is good and the switch is bad. The low side will show high pressure with the compressor NOT engaged, because it is not sucking the liquid into it and converting it into the gas in which the high side uses.

Feel your high-side and low side lines. Generally you want the high side to be warm, if not a bit hot and the low side to be cold, but not frosted over. Use caution to not burn yourself obviously.

Fredzep

I tried to jump what I think is the low pressure switch. The compressor only has one wire coming from it and that goes to a switch, which I think is the shut off switch. The compressor did not kick on. The orfice tube was clear. There are no frosted lines. I may just go for a new compressor - Rock Auto $167 Advanced/Autozone $249 - both w/2 year warranty.