Only half of evap coil seems to be getting cold

Have noticed over the last few years that the AC in the house doesn't seem to want to keep up like it once did. It does still blow cold air. Peeked in through an access panel at the evap coil and where the line comes into the manifold for the coil lines, the 3 lines for the left side of the coil are cold and have condensate on them, the 3 for the right hand side of the coil are warm, dry (no condensate on them) and the fins on the right have no condensate on them either. Anybody have any suggestions. Am i looking at a blocked manifold or possibly just low on refrigerant? Would like to be well informed when i talk to the repair man.

 

probably low charge or a failed txv........... (you may not have a txv)

 

Yes,do have txv. Also, it seems to be make a liquid gurgling sound just outside of the sheetmetal

 

...the txv is unlikely to be bad in that case.

Sounds like the coil isn't getting a full column of liquid - chances are that there's a refrigerant leak.

A tech can verify that by taking pressure and temperature readings.

FIY (not for DIY use - call a tech)...
Low pressures, high superheat (superheat can be normal if system is only slightly low on refrigerant since the txv compensates), low subcooling = refrigerant leak
Low suction pressure, elevated head pressure, high subcooling, high superheat = bad txv (not opening enough) or liquid line restriction

 

This has the appearance of a plugged distributor port, or a plugged feeder tubes.

Normally the feeder tubes are fed & feed equally &, there is little difference in temps between the usually 4 coil circuits.

Low on refrigerant would normally starve all the circuits rather evenly...

'If' it is a plugged or restricted circuitry the cure is to replace the E-Coil.
Make sure it is a matched coil with a TXV metering device.