Well, yesterday we finally had a decently warm day, one of our first so far this summer. I remembered that the A/C on my car really sucked, and now it is time to fix it.

My car has already been retrofitted to R-134a. I find that the A/C and also the heater blow super-weak, like not hard at all even on the high setting. I get very little cooling out of my AC too.

Now, tech articles don't have much on AC, my Haynes doesn't have anything on AC. I know I have a compressor and a condensor, and I've read a little bit on the boards, but I'd really like to learn as much as I can to fix my AC by myself.

Has anybody heard of R-12a? I saw this at a local store the other day, apparently it is able to replace either R-12 or R-134a. It was only about $15 for a small can (12 oz?), and I only noticed it because it was on a display shelf.

How much should a can of R-134a cost? I would like to do my AC right the first time around, and spend whatever I have to so it works like it should, but do whatever I can myself to save some cash and also to learn for future reference. Where is a good place to beef up on my AC knowledge, and what are some mods I can do to get this system working like it should?

-Dustin

 

Is your A/C compressor cycling on and off like it should? If not, then the system, might be low, indicating a leak.
Did you change the accumulator and the orifice tube when you had it converted? They are both types of filters, and if they are old and clogged, it will also not cool well.
I agree that the blower motors on these cars do not push air quite as hard as a newer car. Maybe either find a way to get a newer type blower, and/or try to get some more current by using thicker gauge wiring for it. I'ev heard of guys doing this to help speed up their power windows, so why not the blower motor?

 

My compressor is cycling, but if I remember correctly, it goes on and off pretty rapidly. I will have to check it out again tomorrow. System was retrofitted before I got the car, so I have no idea what was done.

Since I know next to nothing about air conditioning, I wish that there was a guide to an AC "tune-up", just like a regular engine tune-up. I'm sure there is a way to figure out if my system has leaks, is low on coolant, etc, and also new parts I can add or parts that can be replaced to upgrade the cooling of the car. Also ways to check different components to see if they are working properly or not. Again, my Haynes has been the best $20 I think I've spent on my car so far , but when it comes to the AC section, all it shows is how to replace the blower motor and heater core.

Anybody else's experiences/suggestions are very welcome on this topic.

-Dustin

 

http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/tec...9/article.html

http://www.misterfixit.com/aircond.htm

 

Thanks for the great articles. Quickly ran outside during lunch break after reading articles and checked out the system. Compressor is NOT cycling on and off, I know that either last summer or the summer before it did.

Sticker on the car says retrofit to 134a was done in May/2000. 1 lb 12 oz. of R-134a, and 6 oz. of Ester 100 oil.

Would adding more refrigerant to charge my system be the best way to go about things, or are there other parts I should check first before adding coolant? And any way with gauges etc. to tell how much I should add?

-Dustin

 

The mister fix-it article should have what you need. Take the time to read the whole thing, as he explains his method of topping off the compressor.
A good way to check for leaks is to look on the lines to see if there is build up around any ot the fittings. That is a sure sign of a leak.
On my car, I just noticed that the compressor is not cycling on and off like it should (you jinxed me, man), and when I looked closely around, I found that the switch on the back of the compressor has a build up of what looks like anti freeze around it. When we retro fitted mine, they added oil and also some of that flourescent dye. My guess is that the seal at the switch is leaking out the oil/dye mixture, making it look like antifreeze. So I can either just keep topping it off, or evacuate the system, fix the leak and then recharge it. What do you think is the best option?

 

How much loss of refrigerant does it take for the compressor to stop cycling? If stock it holds about 40 oz., I'm just wondering how much it has to lose.

To me, A/C was a black magic voodoo science before looking into it a little bit, so if I can actually buy 134a for $7-$9 a pound, I would be happy to top it up every summer if I have to, and it works after that. I used to always think fixing AC would cost hundreds of dollars, but it even means a $40 recharge per year, after having no AC, that's something I'm willing to pay. Of course, it all depends how slow the leak is, and if there is only one to fix. Obviously fixing the leak should be cheaper in the long run.

-Dustin