My 87 Firebird with the 2.8 has not had any a/c for quite a while. It's the middle/end of summer and here in NY the temps are over 85 every day. I can't take it anymore! When I turn the HVAC unit on to operate the A/C to "Max A/C" and the temp selector to "Cold", I get warm, if not hot, air. I looked under the hood while the A/C was supposed to be running and the A/C compressor don't turn, but the pulley does. I think it might be a defective switch, clutch, or that the system needs a recharge/repair of some sort. I know that in other cars, the compressor don't engage when the system is empty, and does intermittently when the system is running. It has me baffled.
It's HOT! I can't take it anymore, and I don't think my new Eclipse stereo head unit can either!

 

Hey Maverick,,,

I am sorry but I can't help you with you a/c problem. Mine works but, it needs to be charged but,,,, I gotta tell ya.. I'm from So. California and we are suffering down here with 108 temps. I'd give anything for an 85 temp day...LOL
Lucky for me I work graveyard so my car hardly ever sees the sun and the extremly hot. It stays parked in the garage. I hope you get an answer for your a/c problem soon. I know it can be uncomfortable.
good luck to ya

 

You can't take temps over 85 anymore ? *** DAMN! What about 110++ here in Vegas ? Then I guess I should just kill myself and get it over with! lol

 

No ****!!!!! 85 is a mid summers "cool" breeze to me. 100*+ temps really suck. Man i feel for yeah 110* whew......


really it could be that u have a leak somewhere and the freon ha leaked out. that would the first thing to do. leak check the system.
i would replace ALL the orings and choose according depending on refrigerant used. then check and see if the compressor is working. with hvac selector set to max a/c on, short the a/c clutch cycling switch. only for 1.5-2 secs max. this is to see if the compressor is still slalvageable and to hear for odd noises. after all that, replace the orific tube, accumulator, and vacuum the system. be sure to add the same amount oil that is removed from the old accumulator to the new one. this is if you are staying with r-12 or r-12 replacement (525 mineral oil). if your are retrofitting to 134a, which is not recommended you will need to flush the system out to get ALL of the mineral oil out. it is not compatible with PAG or ester oils (used with r-134a). 134a is not miscible with mineral oil. i would remcommend using BVA-100 oil which in miscible with both r-134a and r-12 refrigerants.


best of luck.

 

dude WHATEVER. 108 my fat a**

its mid 90's all week in so cal.

its supposed to be a 110 here in phoenix today, but your a little off about it being 108* in so cal.

 

excuse me Scottland, but I don't know whatever your fat*** has been feeling or whatever but you are off too. And how the heck would you know being in Phoenix. You aren't out here. It was 108 here yesterday. When they give the forcast on the news they mostly give the numbers by the coast... not the valleys...We are located in the valleys. So unless you are sure about what you are saying then Don't quit your day job because a wheather man, you are not so,,,, "Dude, you're way off".

 

if all the parts look good i would be willing to bet it has to be recharged, i just did mine and it would not cycle at all untill i started to add more to it, its cheap if u do it urself. it costed me 44 bucks canadain todo it, that includes the rental of the hose and gauges and 2 cans of coolant.

 

Like I was trying to say earlier when my pc died on me...
I feel really sorry for you guys in the desert southwest at 100+ degrees. but up here in NY, it's only been like this for the last three years. Before that, the mercury never rose above about 85*, and the last couple years is killing me. Why would I need to replace the accumulator and all of that stuff if it appears to be good? Is the compressor clutching switch the one with the red connector on the back of the compressor? Exactly which of the three or so valves is the one I use to do a pressure check and charge the system? I know how to do this, I just am unfamiliar with the system.

 

to check and to refill is the valve on the top of the silver canister.should have a black cap on it(might be blue too) looks just like a bike tire valve but alittle bigger, the lower one is the high pressure u dont want that one. hope that helps, i would bet that is all u need is just to recharge it cause if its really low then the clutch will not kick in.

 

Thanks, billyhoss. I thought that might be the one. I have older diagrams in a book that tell me which is which, but I wasn't sure. I just didn't want it to blow up when I charge it...

 

not a problem, good luck with it