Automotive Air Conditioning Information Forum (Archives)

Provided by www.ACkits.com

We've updated our forums!
Click here to visit the new forum

Archive Home

Search Auto AC Forum Archives

A/C troubles

TheReasonIFailed on Mon August 13, 2007 8:49 AM User is offline

Year: 1997
Make: Chevy
Model: Cavalier
Engine Size: 2.2
Refrigerant Type: 134a
Country of Origin: United States

OK, Here's the lowdown:

Last year the A/C on the car stopped working, being as how it was late in the summer, I didn't bother fixing it. Fast forward to this year. About a few weeks ago, I attempt to "fix the problem". I buy a can of 134a and fill the system, and it works great for about one day. OK, so I thought I had a leak somewhere, I purchase another can or R134a along with one of those small cans of oil with red dye to detect the leak. I put it in and after 45 minutes, I can't find a thing, but it too only lasts about a day.

This past Thursday I took it to a professional to get it looked at. He hooks up the A/C to a machine. He checked it with the UV light and glasses and he checked to make sure that the system can maintain a vacuum. After 30 minutes he says that he couldn't find any leaks but that the system had alot of air. So he flushes the system and recharges it. I use the car extensively that day and don't have a problem. The next morning, I notice that it's not cooling as quickly as the day before but try and convince myself that it was normal. On Saturday, I took the car for a spin to make sure that the A/C was still working, sadly it was not.

Could something besides a leak be causing this? Any and all help will be appreciated.

Edited: Mon August 13, 2007 at 9:00 AM by TheReasonIFailed

mk378 on Mon August 13, 2007 9:32 AM User is offline

It's a leak for sure, a big one. You should use UV dye, not red. Actually for a leak this big a sniffer detector or even putting soap water on parts will find it. Most leaks on a GM seem to be the compressor, either the shaft seal or the case. A shaft seal leak may not show up immediately with the dye but with one of this magnitude you might see oil that has been slung out of the clutch gap area onto other parts of the car. Could be the evaporator too, those can be hard to find and expensive to fix, but realize that some mechanics will tell you that when they can't find a leak just to get rid of you.

TheReasonIFailed on Mon August 13, 2007 9:43 AM User is offline

Well,

I'm going to take it back to them and have them check it again, and if then "don't find anything" I'm going to have them refill it at their cost and then head on over to another mechanic and see if they can do better.

And I'm hoping it's not something expensive as it would probably cost more to fix the problem then what the car is worth!

NickD on Mon August 13, 2007 9:48 AM User is offline

Is such a thing as a hard or a soft leak, a hard leak can be had by drilling a hole in say the condenser, that kind of leak is pretty consistent. Soft leaks are those contributed by some type of rubber seal such as the compressor seal or an O ring, you can have a soft leak, charge the system, and it will hold indefinitely as long as you don't do something stupid like start the engine, the vibrations will shake that rubber and your refrigerant will leak out, and sometimes leak out very quick.

My money is on the compressor seal, easy to spot if you remove the hub, can always see oil around the seal, should be bone dry, not easy to spot with the compressor way down in the bottom and may only be traces of dye on the pulley surface, but not enough to drip on the floor. One test I do when checking for leaks is to put my hand on the compressor hub and move it sideways, with a system under pressure can actually hear the refrigerant leak out. But to do this, have to get under the car, and it's dark and scary down there.

NickD on Mon August 13, 2007 9:54 AM User is offline

Could also be a belly leaker, but again you have to get under the car where it's still dark and scary and look, that's an O-Ring problem. Again engine and compressor vibrations augment the leak.

GM Tech on Mon August 13, 2007 10:48 AM User is offline

Sounds like a shaft seal leaker- I change the seals on all V-5 systems of this vintage- very typical failure mode- a good sniffer will find it in a heartbeat...........look for the oil sling......



-------------------------
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......

NickD on Mon August 13, 2007 11:02 AM User is offline

GM had a good compressor seal, Ford had good couplers, and Chrysler had good evaporators, Ever question why when the EPA made a big deal about refrigerant loss, huge tech fines, certification, etc., etc., that the OE's went completely backwards?

One consequence, however is that "TheReasonIFailed" is having "A/C troubles", and he is not alone.

TheReasonIFailed on Mon August 13, 2007 2:58 PM User is offline

Well guys, thanks for the heads up.

I'm not afraid of getting under the car even though it's dark and scary but I just wanted to know what to actually look for.

Thanks again!

I'll update once I take a look.

Back to Automotive Air Conditioning Forum

We've updated our forums!
Click here to visit the new forum

Archive Home

Copyright © 2016 Arizona Mobile Air Inc.