MAX A/C setting provides cold air. "Regular" a/c setting provides only HOT (120 degree) air.

Ambient air that flows thru the vents is not ambient. It is HOT. Outside temps are in the 70 degree range. I can hear and see the a/c compressor faceplate "click" and it stops spinning for 5-10 seconds and then resumes. This goes on....and on.

Took to a local AAA approved shop and they pronounced it fixed after replacing two Shrader valves and recharging with R134a. NO...it was not fixed, after trying out on the road back home. MAX A/C worked fine....and regular a/c put out WARM/HOT air.

It will go back to shop next week for another try. Any guesses as to what is the problem and how it can be solved ?

I tested out yesterday and found that HOT air (120 degrees +) is coming out of all vents, even tho dash dial is set to blue/cold....defrost, floor vent, dash vents. Except MAX A/C: Good, cold air in the 40-50 degree range. It was 75 degrees yesterday.

Thanks for listening

 

Max air is the system running in recirculate mode. It doesn't use any outside air.
When it's in regular A/C it draws air in from outside. Since the temperature is higher than the outside temperature it sounds like the blend door (heat to cool) maybe be going to heat and as well as the outside air door opening.

Since you have correct temps in Max air..... I'd say the A/C system is normal and there is a vacuum problem. Possibly a leak not allowing the doors to go to their proper position.

 

Thank you Pete....After asking friends about this, one mentioned a blend door. Do they have a "step motor" or something similar to operate the doors ? BTW, I am an automotive dunce. A vacuum leak I had not thought of.

 

On a 2000 I'd think it was a vacuum operated door as opposed to a stepper type.

 

Yeah, Google Ford Ranger blend door. A lot of Fords have that problem.

 

After testing each switch and dial in all their positions....the problem has resolved its self. COLD air comes out of regular a/c as well as in MAX AC. Maybe fiddling around shook something loose...and all is well as we speak. Thank you all for your posts.