A/C questions ...

[TC]

Comp running .... switch jumpered...

Low side is 90-95

High side is right on 100

No noises coming from comp (I knopw that doesn't always mean anything)

Bad compressor............That is exactly what my Camaro did when it was eating compressors........I bet when you pull the orifice tube out it is covered in black crap, worst case there'll be metal shavings....... Make sure you flush the whole system..... Condenser may not be flushable, I'd need to see a pic of it to tell you if it is or isn't..........

[yellomalibu]

I've proven I'm not an AC expert in this thread already, but when I was working at the parts store I did sit through a class put on by the AC supplier. They said that some of the newer vehicles have such small passages in the condenser that they can't be flushed good enough to not kill the next compressor. They also told us that they wouldn't warranty any compressors that were sold if a new orifice tube/ expansion valve and a new filter drier weren't sold with the compressor. All three items had to be on the receipt for them to warranty the compressor.

[TheSilverBuick]

They also told us that they wouldn't warranty any compressors that were sold if a new orifice tube/ expansion valve and a new filter drier weren't sold with the compressor. All three items had to be on the receipt for them to warranty the compressor.

Yup, that was policy at Autozone too.

[JeffMcKC]

The stuff that gets into the orfice tube is out of the reciver drier. If the Condencer is a restriction then that will work like a orfice tube and you will have a "Hot" side and a "cool" side to it as the fluid expands in it past the blockage. If something has came apart flushing it out is a given they also make filters that go in line to catch anything left

[Bamfster]

Ok, I know where the orifice tube is, where might the expansion valve be or how can I ID it?

[TC]

Ok, I know where the orifice tube is, where might the expansion valve be or how can I ID it?

It will have an orifice tube or it will have an expansion valve but it won't have both.......

Expansion valves are old school....pre mid 70's............

Most everything today uses an orifice tube......

[ls7gto]

new fords went back to expansion valves ......

[JeffMcKC]

LOL Thanks thought I was going to have to tell him, the expansion valve works way better

[TC]

LOL Thanks thought I was going to have to tell him, the expansion valve works way better

That's why I said "most" cars use orifice tubes......Problem with expansion valves are they take a crap, where orifice tubes just get clogged....... And isn't Bamfster's truck a Chevy??..........Or at least I thought it was........

[Bamfster]

Yea Alex, it's a '92 Chev (1 ton if it matters). 99.99% sure it has the orifice tube. I'll pull it out this week and look at it.

The comp hub DOES NOT turn by hand with the engine off.

If I didn't mention it already, the system has already been converted to 134 by P/O.....it has those fittings, not the R12.

[anotheridiot]

easiest way to see readings is to look at one of those freon cans that come with a valve. You will see green, yellow and red. Pretty sure you should be around 35 on the low side.

Definitely if you have a bud with a vacuum pump, use it and triple evacuate the system, thats draw it to a vacuum, throw in some gas,(can right side up to just send gas and no liquid), vacuum it again, it should draw deeper, and then a third time. after the third time you can allow the system to suck in new freon to start charging the system. Part of converting should be evacuating the system, not just changing fittings after the gas has farted out. Thats what kills compressors.

[SpiderGearsMan]

35 psi low side

[Huskinhano]

Slightly off topic. My buddy use to have his own HVAC biz. He said if a system burned out, he'd replace everything...even all the copper tubing! Refrigerant is nothing more then a solvent. Before '93 when you didn't have to recover, when you had a burn out, you would just blow refrigerant through the copper pipes to clean them out. Now that refrigerant has to be recovered, there's no way you can blow it out to really remove all the contaminates.

Factoid buses use R22 because they hold more then 5 pounds of refrigerant and MV EPA cert only handled R12 or R134 up to 5 pounds. BTW, it's super easy to get a MV EPA cert, It's an open book test and cost $25!

[Bamfster]

They actually sell flush kits for the auto a/c systems. Then compressed air for 30 minutes to dry the system out. If mine needs a comp, it'll get a drier and probably and evap too.

[Bamfster]

So I got a hair up my .....

And today I pulled the system apart. When I drained the comp, the oil was clear and clean with a few black specs .... very very few .... and nothing metallic. The orifice tube has 4 different sections of screen on it (hope I described that right) and the upper 2 had some of the same black stuff on it ... the others were clear/clean. The black gunk seems almost like a clutch dust out of an auto trans.

I bought a can of a/c flush and the recommended amount of "ester"oil for the comp. The flush didn't push out any foreign materials or chunks either. I have compressed air going thru the system now.

Give me some thoughts and opinions guys ...