Air Conditioning help please ?

[F Body]

The air conditioning has packed up on the GMC
It's a standard Chevy set up.

I've checked the fuses and the dashboard switch ( inside the heater controls ) all OK.
The clutch on the compressor turns by hand even with the engine running, wouldn't say it turns easily, but you can turn it with your thumb and finger.

Anyone got any ideas or have had a similar problem ?

[sixpack2639]

Martyn, it sounds as if you have lost some gas charge mate.

Find your low pressure switch, it's usually on or very near the accumilator dryer (big aluminum cylinder looking thingy) and will have 2 wires in the cannon plug.

Unplug it and take a piece of wire and jump over the 2 wires (engine running A/C on).

If the compressor clutches kick on your gas charge is low, if not your clutches may be bad.

Carl

[55starchief]

Quoting: sixpack2639

(big aluminum cylinder looking thingy)

thats the bit you like to polish like a mirror matey

[F Body]

Carl is da man  

Quoting: sixpack2639

Martyn, it sounds as if you have lost some gas charge mate.

Find your low pressure switch, it's usually on or very near the accumilator dryer (big aluminum cylinder looking thingy) and will have 2 wires in the cannon plug.

Unplug it and take a piece of wire and jump over the 2 wires (engine running A/C on).

If the compressor clutches kick on your gas charge is low, if not your clutches may be bad

Worked as soon as I jumped the two wires and dam cold as well !
Pitty we can't buy those home re-charge kits here in the UK, so I think it will be another trip to see Aircon Steve for a system re-charge

Thanks Carl you have saved me a lot of head scratching

[55starchief]

Quoting: F Body

Pitty we can't buy those home re-charge kits here in the UK

er yes you can try halfords

[F Body]

Quoting: 55starchief

er yes you can try halfords

Ears prick up - any idea how much ?

[55starchief]

Quoting: F Body

Ears prick up - any idea how much ?

ask chris or kenny as they have used them from memory

[F Body]

Just had a look  on there website £19.99

[Roadkill]

Job jobbed.

That one was easy.

[55starchief]

Quoting: F Body

Just had a look on there website £19.99

See told you so

[Kenny]

Yea thats good sh*t, used it to sort out my high'n'dry.  fixed the leak too.  and still got some in the can for next time  

[sixpack2639]

Quoting: F Body

Thanks Carl you have saved me a lot of head scratching

Glad to be of service Guvnah.

[sixpack2639]

Quoting: F Body

Just had a look on there website £19.99

DAYUM!!!!!!!

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=IDN&MfrPartNumber=SD134&CategoryCode=3571B\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=IDN&MfrPartNumber=SD134&CategoryCode=3571B

$14.94 for the same can!!!

[55starchief]

Quoting: sixpack2639

$14.94 for the same can!!!

yup rip off britain

[FUBAR]

Quoting: 55starchief

yup rip off britain

yup thats right

[CJ-IROCZ]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DIY-CAR-AIR-CON-RECHARGE-KIT-R-134a-NEW_W0QQitemZ220091736633QQcategoryZ108798QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DIY-CAR-AIR-CON-RECHARGE-KIT-R-134a-NEW_W0QQitemZ220091736633QQcategoryZ108798QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[55starchief]

They sell that on the MAC tools van, if i had know i could got one earlier today

[F Body]

OK after a trip to Hellfrauds I got me one of these :



Paid the extra tenner because it's a lot bigger tin with a gauge which is reusable

Followed the instructions and emptied the lot in with the air con running ( low pressure switch shorted out ) and the pressure gauge registered just above the OK range.
As you can see it runs as cold as ice :



However it still won't run without the low pressure switch shorted out
So two questions ?

1/ Does it need more gas or does it need a vacuum job first ( like Aircon Steve does ).

2 / Will it do any damage if I run it by shorting out the low pressure switch out ( only when the weather is hot ) providing it's still actually blowing cold air ?

[55starchief]

Quoting: F Body

1/ Does it need more gas or does it need a vacuum job first ( like Aircon Steve does ).

Thats done to remove the old gas mate before refilling. Did you say you emptied the entire thing into the AC system? have you retested the pressure after running? as you might need more gas

[sixpack2639]

If the dryer is staying frosted over it's still low on gas. Let it thaw out and check it again. If it still won't run without jumping the wires, add more gas.

[F Body]

Quoting: sixpack2639

If the dryer is staying frosted over it's still low on gas. Let it thaw out and check it again. If it still won't run without jumping the wires, add more gas.

Looks like more gas then

[sixpack2639]

You get it sorted yet Martyn??

[F Body]

Quoting: sixpack2639

You get it sorted yet Martyn??

Not yet, going to shop around for some cheaper gas, can't afford to dump another £30 ( $60 ) of gas in again before pay day

[sixpack2639]

Unfortunatly, I don't think I can ship any over to you mate. Their pretty strict on shipping chemicals. I can check into it if you want me to though. 12oz cans go for about $8 over here.

[F Body]

Quoting: sixpack2639

I don't think I can ship any over to you mate. Their pretty strict on shipping chemicals.

No problem Mate thanks for thinking about it !

Quoting: sixpack2639

12oz cans go for about $8 over here.

$8 = £4  Jeeze now you know why we call it rip off Britian