2002 Mitsubishi Lancer Compressor

Hi there,

Refrigerant gas is drawn into the compressor under low pressure, where it is compressed into a high pressure gas which is hot, the hot high pressure gas enters the condenser as it cools it is condensed into a liquid and enters the receiver drier or filter, from here it passes into the evaporator via a thermal expansion valve, when the high pressure gas passes the expansion valve and the pressure drops rapidly it boils back into a gas and as it passes through the evaporator it continues to boil off extracting heat from the air passing over the evaporator and also this de humidifies the air as well, that is why you have water draining from the A/C evap unit under the car, the gas is then cool and drawn back into the compressor via the suction line.

This is a basic description of the A/C system, i hope that it helps.

Mark (mhpautos)