bad_408_vert

iTrader: (6)

Is there any problems or do i just need to get the cooling gas(freon?) refilled.

Is this a DIY for a relative noob or should I take it to a shop? Also what should I expect to pay for a shop to do it?


Thanks.

slow

iTrader: (7)

It can be a DIY or a shop fix, it depends on the reason why it is not cold.

Few questions, when was the last time the AC worked? Do you use it in the winter to keep the seals lubricated?

Is the compressor clutch engauged when you turn the AC?


Ryan

fleetmgr

Is it blowing warm in your face, or on your feet?

bad_408_vert

iTrader: (6)

The AC worked last year but it didn't cool enough so I assume it was on its way out. I didn't use it in the winter. I 'll check to see if the clutch is engaging once I get home today.

Thanks Ryan

Its blowing warm air from vents for the face and the feet area.

Thanks.

iamchevyman5

I need help desperately in this area too. I'm scurrying to try to get my car ready to sell before summer sneaks by and the value goes down (I live in Michigan).

Right now, these are the problems:
high idle
AC doesn't work
belt squeak

What would cause that? My uncle said it was the a/c condenser clutch. How do I verify that and if I confirm it, what's it like to take that off? If I'm correct I just take off the air intake to the throttle body(just for access and room), then remove the serpentine belt, and finally, take off the condenser? How do I take off the ac lines connected to the condenser?
If you've done this job or have a link to a work up on how to do it, please share.
Thanks!
Dan

iamchevyman5

sorry, meant to say compressor, not condenser

fleetmgr

may be a vacuum leak
If you'll use the search feature, you'll find all manner of A/C threads within the last month. Does the belt squeal all the time, just with the A/C on? Need more info with all the details.

JohnnyBz28

iTrader: (12)

I just recently had a friend refill my freon at his house. All you need is a hose from pepboys, it's like $20 and 2 cans of freon $22. If you need any help let me know

lt1pwr1

iTrader: (1)

First, you guys need to know that just because your compressor clutch is not engaging doesn't mean you have a bad compressor. Most of the time it won't engage because there is not enough freon in the system. The A/C compressor won't kick on if it is too low on freon.

Your compressor could indeed be bad but most of the time there is a leak somewhere (although the compressors usually leak when they go bad). Really the only way to find the leak is to get some leak dye and charge the system with it. Then use a black light to see where the leak is coming from. The last thing you want to do is just go throwing parts at it without really knowing for sure what is wrong.

You could get lucky and just charge the system and it will be good for a while if it has a slow leak. You can also try tapping on the A/C pressure switch when you have the A/C turned on and see if it kicks on. Although I'm not sure exactly where the switch is located on these cars.

fleetmgr

Or you could go to Harbor Freight, and get their $70 electronic leak detector that will find as small a leak as 1 ounce per year (dye won't find them that small). Over the years, the leak detector will save you money. Just a few cans of refrigerant + dye and it would have paid for itself.

If the seal on the compressor is leaking, and that is the most likely spot for a variety of reasons, then the only cure is a new compressor. That seal isn't available as a separate repair piece.

Just throwing refrigerant into an empty system is a bad idea. Sure, in the short term it may give you cold air. But long term, you'll cause yourself problems by doing it.

iamchevyman5

To answer your question, yes it squeals all the time. If I put the ac on, nothing happens except cool air comes out ONLY ON THE DRIVERS' FEET. The idle is high, about 900, and then when I put it into or take it out of drive or reverse from park or neutral, it shoots up to 1500rpm, then jolts forward. Because the idle is so high, whenever I'm at a stoplight and it turns green, right when I lift the brakes the car will lurch forward. Also, this makes the car harder to keep immobile at stop lights.

Let me know what you guys think this is PLEASE!
thanks,
Dan

fleetmgr

Sounds like you have more than one vacuum leak. All of the A/C blend doors are vacuum controlled, so start by checking the hose on the back of the intake that disappears into the firewall and make sure it's connected.

As for whatever else may be leaking, you'll have to do some looking.

For the belt squeal, something is probably seized. Could be the A/C clutch bearing, or could be one of the idlers. Take the belts off, and see what can be turned by hand and what can't.

iamchevyman5

Hi again,
as per your first paragraph of response, you'll have to dumb that down for me, because I'm not quite getting it. Are you talking about the very tiny hose that connects to the intake manifold?

3rd paragraph, good advice, my uncle told me the same thing. Now I just need a day when it's not 100 degrees out.

If this is worth mentioning, I recently acquired the car through a trade on craigslist. The trans am has 80k miles on it, and sat in a garage through Michigan winters and probably part of fall and spring also.
Thanks again for your help!

fleetmgr

Yes, that's the one if it's at the very back of the intake. There's also a little plastic "T" inside the car by the pass. side kick panel that's a common failure item.

I wouldn't say you got ripped. Any used car will have wrinkles.

iamchevyman5

BUMP!
Hey again,
I took off the serpentine belt today and hand-checked all the pulleys. All the pulleys on the serpentine belt path seemed to spin freely. The hardest one to spin was the alternator pulley, but I believe this is because many of the pulleys are plastic, and the alternator pulley is metal. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the belt is routed from the idler arm to the water pump, then to the power steering, then to the crankshaft or whatever it's called, then back to the idler arm. I know I skipped the small guiding pulleys, don't worry, I'm aware of them.

The AC compressor is not on this pulley system though is it? It's on that small belt?
Is it a possibility, even if I only do it for a short drive down the driveway, to remove one or both the belts to see if the symptoms change and/or disappear?

The way I'm thinking of it, if the AC compressor has failed, it's currently dead weight on that belt system, and the ECM is compensating and forcing the engine to idle higher so that it can continue to turn these belts and compensate for that dragging force.
If it is indeed the AC compressor, I should see a noticeable difference when/if I remove the small belt, right?
The serpentine belt was in perfect condition, so I don't know why something is squeaking. Unless you guys tell me differently, I'm going to take off these belts tomorrow and start the engine and see what happens.
Please let me know if I can do this, and if my diagnostic 'theory' or test is valid.

fleetmgr

If the compressor is on a separate belt that doesn't drive anything else, then yes you can remove it with no ill effects. However, even if the compressor is locked up solid, it shouldn't make the engine idle as you describe.

iamchevyman5

Then what would cause that high idle? I've been looking&chasing vacuum leaks for months now, and have even taken off the intake manifold, to no avail. I sprayed the engine bay with starter fluid to check for a vacuum leak also, with no result.

I'm about to go outside and take off that other belt. I'll let you know what happens after I do!
Thanks!

iamchevyman5

BUMP!
I just took off the belt that goes to the ac compressor. The way my belts are set up is there's the serpentine belt which powers the power steering and alternator, and a separate belt that goes only to the ac compressor.
I had to take off the serpentine belt to be able to remove the belt to the ac compressor, but even after I did this, the squeaking didn't go away.
This leads me to believe that there's a different pulley on the serpentine belt path that needs to be replaced.
I'm thinking of the possibility of two separate problems, not one causing another. Meaning, maybe it's not a failed compressor causing no AC, but maybe it's two problems which make it look like a bad compressor.
Maybe there's a bad pulley causing rough and high idle and low r134 oil causing no ac.
What do you think? What should I do next? I think tomorrow I'll take off the whole serpentine belt and see what happens.
I will also make a video tomorrow and show how the car acts.
Thanks,
Dan

fleetmgr

A bad pulley can not cause a rough idle, or a fast idle. So, you have 3 separate problems, possibly 4.
1. A/C doesn't work
2. Something causing belt squeal
3. Rough idle
4. Fast idle

The last two probably have the same root cause. 1 and 2 are completely unrelated to 4. Also, 1 and 2 are not related to each other. So, you need to start thinking of them separately. 1, 3 and 4 may be all tied together.

Typically, a fast idle is caused by a vacuum leak, and it can also make it run rough. You've changed the gaskets where it bolts to the head. Have you change any others, anywhere in the intake system? Have you checked the intake for cracks? Are you absolutely positive that all the hoses going to the intake are connected to something on both ends?

A/C - you stated that you only get cool air on your feet. All of the blend doors in the heater box under the dash are vacuum controlled, and what you are experiencing is quite typical of a vacuum leak in the tubing going to these doors. It will also drive your idle speed high/make it idle rough if it's bad enough. Worry about fixing this first.

Belt squeal - may be as simple as a new belt if you don't find any of the pulleys with a bad bearing.

iamchevyman5

BUMP!
I took off both belts & the air box& duct up to the throttle body and ran the engine for just a second today. When the belts were both off, no squeak was present. Both belts are in near perfect condition, no cracks or anything, ribs still good.
After that I put both belts back on, started the car, put the ac on MAX, and checked the pressure of the freon in the system. The pressure is 28psi. At what PSI will the compressor not function in order to save itself? Is 28psi low? High? Good?
My gauge said it was getting low.