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'99 Chevy Suburban DIY project

Walter69 on Sat April 09, 2011 7:14 PM User is offlineView users profile

Year: 1999
Make: Chevrolet
Model: C1500 Suburban
Engine Size: 5.7
Refrigerant Type: 134 a
Country of Origin: United States

We recently had some intake manifold work done on our truck and now the a/c doesn't work. Money is tight so I'm going to try to fix it myself. I found the MACS pdf files and will read through them before I ask any questions. Right now, I'm pretty sure the manifold / hose assembly is leaking. (green dye) and that is why it won't hold a charge for even a day. The mechanic shop wants to charge about $1000 to fix it. That includes a new compressor and probably a new drier and component flush as well. I think if I take off the old manifold / hose and inspect some key areas that I can maybe replace that thing and evacuate and recharge it without a flush and new compressor. A new receiver/drier might be needed, at this point, I just don't know. I just want to get it running because $1000 is too much right now. If it will run for a couple months, then I can get a new compressor and have it flushed at the shop with that machine. Or just buy all new components. Anyway, if my wife can survive a couple more days, I'll order the DIY kit from your sponsor there to show thanks for the help. Whew! That's a long post! -Walter

GM Tech on Sat April 09, 2011 8:48 PM User is offline

Post a couple photos of the dye leakage, we can advise based on that.. Also, how does the compressor belly look, is it oily/grimey, green?

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The number one A/C diagnostic tool there is- is to know how much refrigerant is in the system- this can only be done by recovering and weighing the refrigerant!!
Just a thought.... 65% of A/C failures in my 3200 car diagnostic database (GM vehicles) are due to loss of refrigerant due to a leak......

Walter69 on Sun April 10, 2011 1:05 PM User is offlineView users profile

It's covered with black greenish goo! And there's green stuff all down the hose leading to the condenser. The wife needs to drive it tomorrow so I put the comp. back on and put the drive belt on. So a gauge set, vacuum pump, and those quick connect removal tools from Harbor Freight, a new compressor, drier, and hose / manifold assembly, and some gas and oil and a new orifice tube. The compressor wasn't real noisy or anything so maybe I could just put it together and hope for the best?

Dougflas on Sun April 10, 2011 9:58 PM User is offline

A Harbour freight guage set will be mistake. Check this site for DYI tools.... much better quality for some more $$$ but well worth it. You will need a new drier as long as the system has been opened.

Walter69 on Mon April 11, 2011 4:17 PM User is offlineView users profile

Yeah, I was going to order them but the wife wants me to hurry up so I went over and picked up a gauge manifold set with hoses. I also bought a two stage vacuum pump. The sales lady offered to sell me a service plan for it and then forgot to ring up the gauge set. I also had a 20 percent off coupon so I made out pretty good, I think. I guess I won't really know until I really put them to work. BTW, that canister by the passenger side firewall, I thought was the receiver / drier but isn't it really the accumulator? Well, whatever it is, I plan on getting a new one. Just need to come up with a flush plan. Been busy at work today so haven't really had time to mess with it.

Dougflas on Mon April 11, 2011 4:35 PM User is offline

So you got a guage set for free? You didn't tell her she forgot to ring it? Oh man, can you live with yourself?

Walter69 on Fri April 15, 2011 11:06 PM User is offlineView users profile

I didn't realize it until hours later at home examining my receipt. Yeah, I would have told her had I noticed. Luckily for me, I can afford it. I mean, it's Harbour Freight stuff. Hmm, that's a double edged statement. Ahh, I digress. I think I performed what's called a "hijack" on someones thread. I guess I'm not real clear on what that is. Is that when you change the direction of thread by not staying on the main topic stated in the first post? Are you supposed to just answer questions and not post more? I tried to answer his questions but really I was just seeing if I was correct. I figure, right or wrong, some comments will be made.
OK, so I'm gonna take a break and get my "organized" list of questions and assumptions for critique. Just a few more subjects to research before I post.

Walter69 on Mon April 18, 2011 11:44 PM User is offlineView users profile

Well it's turning out to be a real can of worms. Had to drain the coolant and the block plugs, well nothing came out when I removed the first one. I was shocked, we just had a bunch of work done to it. So I stuck a screwdriver in the hole and it was clogged up with sludge and stuff. I got it draining and wow, what a mess. Then it was the accumulator inlet, very tight and at an awkward position. Ended up, the wife helping and she put a slight twist in the evaporator pipe. I got mad and just grabbed the accumulator and wrestled it off. It was in the way of those other coolant and refrigeration connections. So a new evaporator is now part of this... I won't say nightmare, not yet. Now the box that the evaporator is in has me scratching my head. Been digging around the web and read that the whole dash needs to move out a bit. Dropping the steering column a little bit, I cannot seem to find a good tutorial. Maybe they keep the good ones under wraps unless you make a donation? Oh yeah, when I got that accumulator off, I set it down on the ground and wrenched those dudes apart. I didn't think they would undo, but they did. I wonder, would a pipe wrench have worked? I was afraid to try.

Dougflas on Tue April 19, 2011 12:47 AM User is offline

there is a proceedure to remove some of these stuck component connections. It invloves drilling a small hole in the nut and squirting a penetrating fliud into the threaded area. This proceedure should be located in the tips section of this web site.

HECAT on Tue April 19, 2011 7:41 AM User is offline

Quote
Originally posted by: Walter69
Well it's turning out to be a real can of worms. Had to drain the coolant and the block plugs, well nothing came out when I removed the first one. I was shocked, we just had a bunch of work done to it. So I stuck a screwdriver in the hole and it was clogged up with sludge and stuff. I got it draining and wow, what a mess.

Google "Dex-mud"

That is what this tool is for.

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HECAT: www.hecatinc.com You support the Forum when you consider www.ackits.com for your a/c parts.

FLUSHING TECHNICAL PAPER vs2.pdf 

Walter69 on Wed April 20, 2011 1:43 AM User is offlineView users profile

Wow, no wonder I hear nothing but bad things about dex-cool. And to think, that shop put that stuff in there! I won't be dealing with them anymore. Well, it's been another day of wrestling a pig in the mud with that dashboard job. I'm getting a lot closer though with the info I got on the web. Just had to read it a couple times, take a few notes even. There is an awful lot of wires in this truck. It used to have a very elaborate anti-theft thing on it and then some people must have ran into trouble with it and now it's a spaghetti garden. I plan on keeping things very organized when I start back on it tomorrow. Maybe a job will call in and I can get a day away from the confusion!

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