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A/C troubleshooting

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Old Oct 20, 2011 | 01:12 AM
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Default A/C troubleshooting

Hey, I just bought a '99 Z28 and the previous owner informed me that the a/c system needed a recharge as it was cold at the beginning of the summer but now it doesn't blow cold. Sure enough, no cold. Does anybody have a link to a site or a thread here somewhere (I've been looking for a couple days) that gives detailed troubleshooting for the A/C system?

So far, I've checked that the static pressure (with the a/c off) is around 80 psi. When I first turned the a/c on, the LP went to about 28 psi but the HP was only 90-100 psi. I've put in 3 12oz cans of R134a and the LP is still about 28 psi and the HP is near 150 psi. Do I add another can? Is this indicative of a problem somewhere in the system? Appreciate any help or referral.

Thanks!
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Old Oct 20, 2011 | 06:53 AM
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Go get some dye and run it thru the system and check for leaks. This is the best method and it's likely the compressor case seals as these are most common on this type of compressor.
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Old Oct 20, 2011 | 10:10 AM
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Thanks. I put a 3oz can of Stop Leak in it, which says it contains a dye for leak detection. Keeping an eye out for the leak and will be sure to check around the compressor.
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Old Oct 20, 2011 | 10:32 AM
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Originally Posted by lounatic
Thanks. I put a 3oz can of Stop Leak in it, which says it contains a dye for leak detection. Keeping an eye out for the leak and will be sure to check around the compressor.
Get a UV light as that is the best way to detect the leak, and for future reference NEVER NEVER NEVER use that stop leak crap in anything - Transmission, Oil, Radiator, A/C, etc... That crap ends up causing more issues down the road then you are having now as it can gum up the lines or clog the condensor or evap.
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Old Oct 20, 2011 | 11:06 AM
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That is/was one of my worries with using it. Oh well, too late, hopefully it won't cause a problem. :/
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