LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Yes, some of the oil will blow out too. But some will also remain throughout the system. You need to buy a 3 oz can of just oil and 2 cans of 134. Start the engine with the A/C on "max" an fans on medium or high, doesn;t matter. Put one can of 134 in, the compressor will engage while its going in. Then put the oil in...then put the second can of 134 in. It should be ice cold.

Some will tell you to have the old 134 taken out by a professional, I think thats hilarious. Just expel it to the atmosphere, who cares. Obama is going to fix the entire world anyway with Cap and Trade, so we'll all be ok

I watched a mechanic once take a towel, wrapped it around his hand while he used a screw driver to push on the fill valve.......it sprayed out that way. Wrap the towel around to catch everything coming out or it will make a mess. Throw the towel away.
I would rather do the towel deal because you can totally control how fast it comes out. I wouldn't want to lossen a high pressure line, it could pop off like a bullet. Probably not, but why risk it.

Then when it has stopped coming out, still loosen that bolt slowly.

I certainly would not change the drier, there's nothing wrong with it. I had the line that holds the orifice tube off my system for weeks, I put it back on when I got the new one and it was fine.

I've never changed a drier, so I have no idea how easy/hard it is. Looks easy though.

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fozziejared

iTrader: (1)

DANG LS6427 u seem like a cool guy! i loved the obama comment! sounds like we r in the same car on that one! so no drier huh? i will give it a shot tomorrow then, thanks!

fleetmgr

The reason shops use the recovery method is because the law requires it. Requires them to be licensed to work on A/C systems, too. Just an interesting side note...if you do take it to the shop, don't let them charge you more than once for refrigerant. Once it's recovered, it can be reused.

You're quite right. Getting blasted in the face by an uncontrolled release wouldn't be fun. Frostbite isn't fun, either.

You've been lucky so far then. It will bite you in the *** one of these days. Not if....when.

You should absolutely change the drier. It's easy and cheap insurance to collect whatever little bit of moisture may be left in the system. As it's a dessicant cartridge, it can only hold just so much before it doesn't do anything anymore. Unlike on bigger systems, you can't readily regenerate it either.

I don't know what the refrigerant capacity on your Vette is, but for us F-body guys, it's 2 pounds. Only using 2 cans will leave you short as they are 12 oz. each.

fozziejared

iTrader: (1)

sooo.. i went and got the orifice tube, no drier.. replaced the orifice, recharged the system, it immediately took the first can, then the can of oil, checked it with a gauge at idle on max a/c and it was dead center of the blue zone! i added a tiny bit more out of the second can and it was near the top of the blue section, revving it up about 800rpms brought the gauge down into the green, i assume that is normal? anyway, i have cold air! i haven't tried it on the road, but just sitting it was cold! i had to hurry and wash her before it got dark, then i got her clean and didn't want to run through all the bugs, so i will test out the a/c on the open road tomorrow.. i hope that not replacing the drier was not a screw up.. my brother in law told the same type story that ls6427 told about his system on his chevy p/u being open for about 2 weeks as well about 3 years ago, he replaced the orifice tube, recharged and went on about his business, he now has over 300,000 miles on his truck! i will check the a/c out on the road in the am and report back, thanks for all the help guys!!

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

I have an f-body, 2 cans and I'm ice cold. Can't get colder.

I'm all for the vacuum if the system is completely opened up, removing a line for repair is hardly enough to allow enough moisture in. After my system being opened 3 times in the past 7 months and when the dealer changed my compressor 5 years ago (and they also DID NOT vacuum it down or change the drier of orifice tube, they are my factory originals)......its been ice cold ever since.



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fozziejared

iTrader: (1)

ok so i had a leak today when i got up the air was not cold.. so i found the leak, it was at the o-ring at the orifice.. i pulled that joint apart, found out i didn't put it together just right, so i reattached it, tightened it down, recharged with 1 can.. evidently it didn't lose it all? anyway, ice cold air all day.. when i got home and parked it, i started cleaning on it.. during that process i heard a tiny hiss.. turned off the lights in my shop cause they had a slight hum.. it was totally silent in there, except for the tiny hiss.. i re-checked the orifice tube area and found no leak, so i listened longer, and ran my hands over the lines where i thought i heard the hiss.. found it to be the connection on the back of the compressor!? what is the deal there? it was obviously not leaking before i replaced the orifice tube because i was in the blue section of my gauge before i replaced the orifice.. sooo, why did it decide to just start leaking!? it is in one of the hardest spots to get to.. i tried tightening the bolt on the back of the connection.. seems like both tubes are held on by one bolt right? so anyway, what do i do about this leak? replace the o-rings? man that is one hard job! is it more accessible from under the car? i am gonna try that tomorrow, i have a friend with a 2 post lift so i will see if i can get to it from under the car..

fozziejared

iTrader: (1)

oh yeah, when i was driving, any time the engine was under a load the belt squealed dramatically! when i was coasting, or under 1200rpm there was NO squeal, but over 1200 and the screaming began! with the air off there is no squealing at any rpm! does the compressor need more than 3oz. of oil since i re-opened the system? or do i need to replace the belt? the belt has all its ribs in all places as far as i can tell and still feels fairly supple, is it just the compressor needing oil?

fleetmgr

Sounds more like you have a bad idler pulley that isn't providing enough tension on the belt.

Look at the idler with the car running. It should wiggle just a little as the belt moves round it. If it doesn't move at all, time for a new one.

fozziejared

iTrader: (1)

that was one thing i was thinking it might be, but it honestly SOUNDS like it is coming from a bearing instead of the belt the more i listen to it.. i put some of that leak stop crap in it on a recommendation from an abc auto employee.. it seems to not be leaking, but im sure eventually i will have to replace the o-rings on the connections to the back of the compressor..

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Try to tighten that bolt on the back of the compressor just a little bit. The leak stop stuff sometimes lasts for a very long time.

Probably not a bearing if only happens with the a/c "on". That tensioner might be losing its tension.

Put another 3 oz can of oil in if you opened the system.

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fozziejared

iTrader: (1)

i did try to tighten the bolt, it is very hard to get a turn on it though at least from the top.. i got like 1/16th of a turn on it and pulled the ratchet out, spun it 2 clicks put it back on and turned it another 1/16th of a turn and that is all i could get top side anyway.. can i get under and it be easier to access? and the squeaking, i could hear it faintly with no a/c on when i go over 1500rpms.. so i am still not sure.. it still sounds like a bearing though, but i could be wrong.. sounds like the alternator bearing.. but that is hearing it from inside the car, so i could be way off on where the sound is coming from, but it sounds like it is ALWAYS in the same spot, on the driver's side up high.. which also makes me think NOT the belt, because it would surely squeal in more than one location? anyway, i have cold air still, so we will see if it has stopped leaking by giving her some time..

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Take the A/C belt off, go for a drive and see if the squeak is still there. If its totally gone its one of the A/C spinners. That'll at least narrow it down to 3 spinners. It would most likely be one of the A/C tensioners.


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fozziejared

iTrader: (1)

that is one H of a job isn't it? that belt it tucked in behind everything right?

fozziejared

iTrader: (1)

ran the a/c all day ice cold since yesterday, added a can of oil yesterday as well and all the squealing is gone!!! but, at the end of the day i gauged the pressure of refrigerant and it has dropped down out of the blue section just barely, it is still fairly cool, but not cold like it was this morning.. so i evidently still have that leak.. should i try another 3oz can of stop leak? it says it just conditions and revives old o-rings, so i can't imagine it being bad for the system, unless it might try to stop up the orifice? what should i do?

fozziejared

iTrader: (1)

please read last post^ and offer advice if you have any! thanks!!

Marc 85Z28

iTrader: (8)

Don't use any sealers or stop leaks!!! They do not work and often damage expensive AC equipment that us professionals use.

The leak you describe is coming from the compressor manifold O-rings. They are servicable separately from the compressor.

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

A/C belt comes off in 3 minutes on an F-Body. Not sure about the Vette.
F-Body:
Loosen the serpentine but leave it on, put a ratchet on the movable tensioner and take the a/c belt off, and slip it by the serpentine at the crank pulley. Then tighten the serpentine again. Go for a drive.


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fozziejared

iTrader: (1)

the leak stop i am using says oring conditioner.. they had a bottle right beside it that said leak seal and the manager at abc auto said that the seal stuff may cause damage and cause things to gum up, but the leak stop shouldn't hurt a thing, so i tried another can, and i think it solved the issue.. if not i will not put another can of leak stop in it, i will replace the o-rings.. and the squealing situation was solved by one 3oz can of oil!

fozziejared

iTrader: (1)

piece of crap compressor o-rings are still leaking.. i am soo frustrated and partly because i know i should have done it the right way from the start and just replace the crappy orings.. but oh well, i really hope the orings fix it and there is not another leak somewhere else!!

ragu1585

iTrader: (4)

not to hijack but i got simiar problems..

my vents are blowing warm at 60 and when i increase it the air does get hotter.. compressor/clutch is turning on.. after readin some of these posts i turn the ac on and ran it for a while today, and there was no condensation dripping from the drier, none of the tubes were remotely cold.. the system was just vacuumed and filled btw.. could this still be an orifice tube deal or drier itself? should i replace both of them anywayz and see if that works.. this is on a 2000 vette also

btw no ac in houston, tx when its 100+ outside sucks ***!