My air conditioning doesn't blow anymore! The ac comes on and blows cool air, but it only comes out about an inch from the vents. When I change the fan speeds, I can hear the fan motor change speeds, but nothing much comes out. How does this system work? I have vacume going into and coming out of that canister on the firewall in the engine compartment. Is there any way to check if it's bad? I really need to get this working soon, because the Texas summer is about to start getting bad.

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82 Camaro:
350, Erson cam, ported heads, Crane Hi-6 ignition, Accel supercoil, Comp Cams 1.6:1 rocker arms, TH350 tranny with 2500 stall.
SLP 1 3/4" headers

 

Does the compressor cycle when you turn the switch on? It should stay on for at least 10 seconds and turn off, longer if it's warmer out. If it does not come on at all, or cycles every couple of seconds, then you probably are low on regrigerant and need to find the leak and recharge it. It could be something else, but this is the most common problem and the one I would check first.

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89 Transam GTA, 350TPI, auto, 3.27 rear, dual cats, gray.
Magnaflow cat-back,
K&N open element,
Best E.T. 14.63@95mph

 

Sounds like you aren't getting the proper amout of air out of your vents. Unrelated to your compressor kicking in and out. Do you have any air coming out of defrost or heater vents. If you do, the problems is either in the the ac/heater switch or in the ductwork. Also, try it on defrost and see if you get the full amount of cold air out the defrost vents--that will eliminate the fan possibility. The other possibility is the fan isn't working properly, plugged, worn-out, or otherwise.

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82 camaro--original steering wheel, brake/gas pedals, seats--everything else modified
82camaro

 

I misunderstood the question, sounds like something is plugged in the ventilation system(mouse nest, leaves, etc.), or the vaccum doors are not working.

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89 Transam GTA, 350TPI, auto, 3.27 rear, dual cats, gray.
Magnaflow cat-back,
K&N open element,
Best E.T. 14.63@95mph

 

How do the vacume doors work?

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82 Camaro:
350, Erson cam, ported heads, Crane Hi-6 ignition, Accel supercoil, Comp Cams 1.6:1 rocker arms, TH350 tranny with 2500 stall.
SLP 1 3/4" headers

 

ttt

 

The vacuum doors open and shut using vacuum applied from the control. The control is what usually wears out, not the doors. Did you try any of the above stuff? If so, what are the results?


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82 camaro--original steering wheel, brake/gas pedals, seats--everything else modified
82camaro

 

This happened to me once...turns out I dropped a bit into the defroster vent while removing the dash pad..... it took two damn days to get the little fu*ker out of there :-)

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88 GTA Notchback
A4 / 350
Stock
** New User Name**

Kill List:
95 Mustang GT
88 Mustang GT
94? Impala (real close)
97 Dodge Neon
86 Corvette
2000 Prowler
And more Civic's then I can count. Why do they even bother?

 

Check your Blower Motor. Take it off then turn on your a/c and see if it turns

 

HAH get ac delete!

 

I was able to get out this weekend get my ac blowing again. The vacume lines were messed up, but I was able to take care of them. I have to get a new fan speed switch for my controls, because one of the terminals is burned up and I can't turn the fan on high. Do all third-gens use the same climate controls or are the ones on my 82 different from later models? I'd like to see if I could find the switch and plug from a junkyard car before going to the dealer. Also, I think my vent passages themselves are kind of clogged with 19 years of accumulated dirt. I noticed that when I got in my car this morning, a bunch of dirt was covering my dash near the defrost vents. Is there a way to get in and clean these passages without dis-assembling the entire dash?

That might be ok in Canada, but I've been through the last three summers w/o ac and decided I didn't like it very much. Two hour trips in 110 degree weather with no ac get uncomfortable.

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82 Camaro:
350, Erson cam, ported heads, Crane Hi-6 ignition, Accel supercoil, Comp Cams 1.6:1 rocker arms, TH350 tranny with 2500 stall.
SLP 1 3/4" headers

 

ttt

 

Anybody know anything about the switch or the vents?

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82 Camaro:
350, Erson cam, ported heads, Crane Hi-6 ignition, Accel supercoil, Comp Cams 1.6:1 rocker arms, TH350 tranny with 2500 stall.
SLP 1 3/4" headers

 

If you have no high speed but all the others works, odds are the problem is not in the switch.

Find the blower relay, which is a little silver thing about 8" from the blower motor with a plug that has (among others) the big purple wire that goes to the motor and a big red wire. Follow the big red wire toward the driver's side. Somewhere about right above the right valve cover you will find a black connector. Take apart that connector. You will find that it is toasted. Replace it with a pair of big yellow slide terminals (not the regular ones) soldered onto the red wires.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

Thanks, I'll check that out this weekend.