A/C guys need some help

[bballr4567]

Ok about three days ago I noticed my AC was kinda acting weird. It wasnt getting as cold as it did the day before and well I kind of shrugged it off due to the heat (almost 100) and the humidity (almost 100 also). Well yesterday I go to go somewhere and the AC never gets cold. Hell it didnt even get cool. Needless to say its not working. The compressing is kicking on because I can hear the clutch engaging.

Any help?

[daman]

Well it seems like you have a leak....if you have the proper tools
Vac pump/set of gauges/ leak detector(sniffer), you can work on the problem your self if not you need to take it in to a Ac shop..

when working on AC systems you need to do things right or it'll
just bite ya in the ass later down the road. :)

don't run it any more till it's fixed, a V-5 compressor will still
run being low on freon, running it low will starve it for oil and ruin
your pump.

[bballr4567]

I havent ran it since I noticed it was getting warm. Just once to confirm it wasnt cooling. Was off all day long on the 900 some odd mile trip.

[daman]

Good :)


do you have any place you can rent or borrow tools?

if not you have no way of finding the leak in your system. :(

[bballr4567]

I know we have a DIY garage on post but I doubt they have the tools. Plus Ive seen what happens when you dont take it to the pro with the AC. My stepdad tried to replace mine when I had a 92 Lumina, then 3 compressors later he took it in.

[daman]

LOL...yea that's what i'm talking about, nobody ever wants to
take it in and spend the $$ but unless you have the tools and
knowledge there's not much else you can do.:(

it looks like you have a nice car there it's worth the $$ to me,
just make sure if you do take it in that you take it to a
reputable shop that does good work..:)

[bballr4567]

Yea its almost got 150k miles on it. Almost 3k in the last 16 days. I think the south Texas heat did it in.

[bballr4567]

$110 to recharge and add dye and if there is a leak then they will fix the leak and not charge for the refill of freon. Not too bad I guess.

He said it was almost completely gone and with the symptoms said that more then likely one of the hose fittings is cracked.

[daman]

Not to bad, so it's working?

you definitely have a leak so you'll be back. lol

[bballr4567]

Well I didnt get it refilled today, just went and got it checked. He said its good I didnt run with the AC on for long bc it could of killed the compressor which is never good. Im just wondering how much that hose will be. :(:(:(

[daman]

Ok i see,

boy i never heard of a hose cracking?? if so look for one off
a scrap car new would probly be scary..

[bballr4567]

Yea Im kinda scared too.

[daman]

Dunno how they think it's cracked without pressurizing
the system and checking for leaks?

[bballr4567]

They used a pressure tester to see how much was in there and so on.

[daman]

Well i wish ya luck on it i guess. :)

[rixGAphx]

Rebuilt Hoses

A cheaper fix for nearly any fluid hose (AC, PS, whatever) is to have the old one rebuilt:
Every city has 'hose rebuilders' who specialize in repairing/rebuilding the hoses of hydraulic equipment:
Construction equipment if you’re in the city, agricultural equipment if you’re in the country.
The base maintenance shop/hanger if you're in the military.
Find them in the 'Yellow Pages'.

Take the old hose to the shop.
They have the tools to safely remove the rubber from the old metal parts (the tubes and fittings, which are the 'custom parts' that fit your application).
They take the old metal and install new O-rings and new rubber hosing of the proper size, strength, and composition. Then they attach the hosing to the metal with new crimped compression fittings.
They can repair or re-make the metal if it’s damaged.

Voila!
A rebuilt hose is just as good as a new OEM part, usually for 1/3 the cost.

Hope this helps.
-Rick

[bballr4567]

So the guys should offer to rebuild the hose if one is bad??

Or should I take it to the AC shop and let them take the hose off then take it to the hose rebuilder and then back to the AC shop for them to put it back on and then let them charge the system??

[daman]

If there any kind of shop they will be able to make one up for
ya/have the tools to do so.

tha last hose i had made do not hold kep leaking, i won't
use another,thats why i find use off a scrap car, but in your
case that might be hard to do

[rixGAphx]

Originally posted by bballr4567
So the guys should offer to rebuild the hose if one is bad?No, they're gonna buy a new one thru NAPA or the dealer, $75 to $300 :eek: depending on complexity.
And R&R for about 2 hours at $80/.

They don't want to spend 1/2 to 1 hour of their time running around saving you some money on a hose.

Or should I take it to the AC shop and let them take the hose off then take it to the hose rebuilder and then back to the AC shop for them to put it back on and then let them charge the system?? They won't like that, either.

See, NAPA will sell the shop (or you or me) a $100 LIST hose for about $70.
When you see your invoice from the shop, they will charge you the LIST, $100; so they make $30 profit on the part.

They have no interest in saving you money.

They do NOT want to use parts supplied by the car owner:
1. They didn't make that 30% 'profit' on the part.
2. They will not warranty their work of installing your possibly-defective part.
* * *

If you wanna go the 'hose rebuilding' route, then you find out from them which hose(s) is/are bad, and say thanks, "I'll be back in a week after I change them."

Disconnect the wire lead from the compressor clutch so it can't possibly come 'on'.
Depressurize the system; it's completely legal to vent modern refrigerant (r134a) to the atmosphere (though wasteful).
Then remove the hoses yourself and cap the open ends on your system to prevent contamination.
Deliver them to the rebuilder.
Pick them up, and install them yourself.
None of this ^ ^ ^ is difficult or requires special tools.
Drive the car to the shop, tell them you installed re-built hoses, and pay for a re-charge.
Or just go to a different shop.
I *think* your system takes about 2.5 pounds of refrigerant, and it costs about $15/lb.

Or have them discharge the system after they tell you where the leak(s) are. just to 'save' the refrigerant (though they *might* charge to do this, and won't credit it back when you return for charging).

Or pay whatever they want to do the job with their new parts :shrug:

[daman]

Rix any reputable shop WILL be able to make up a hose on site,
ay least the AC shops around can, if i read your responce
right. :)

[bballr4567]

Ive done that before Rix with my wheel hub. I couldnt get it off and was tired of messing with it so I took it to a shop and paid 60 to get it changed. Im going to get them to find out which hose leaks and then go and probably take that hose off and see if i can find a rebuilder that will do it. I also did a quick search for a hose rebuilder here in town and there are none. Closest is in Nashville which is hour drive.

Also I already asked the shop if I could take them the new hose and let them put it on. They said if I do that they would charge 30% extra!!!

Im pretty tempted to take the hose off myself when I figure it out and put a new one on. I looked on rock auto and only found two hoses and neither one of them were rather expensive.

[Wstangland]

did they tell you for sure its the hoses? ive seen more high and low side pressure valves leak. and since the condensor is in front a lot of them too. i would have it charged and dye added thats a good price. way less the the dealership i work at.

[bballr4567]

Yea he said that its either a fitting or one of the valves are leaking. I trust this shop for the most part. He was very forthcoming with me about what would be done. That has never been done before at a shop.

Another plus is they are on the list of Ft Campbell approved places. Its pretty hard to make it and stay on it so I dont think they rip off soldiers.

[Wstangland]

good if it is a valve most of them can be bought with out the lines.
i replaced one on my gf's sunfire its basically a large tire valve core. hope that helps, but that dye works great cuz it glows in a black light.

[bballr4567]

Yea Im really really hoping that is what it is. :prays:

[daman]

Originally posted by bballr4567
so I dont think they rip off soldiers.
We would hope not.

[bballr4567]

You would be surprised. There are actual industries that it is their only job to do that. One place in particular markets life insurance as a investment and eventually when it reaches maturity you will make money on it. Its such a pathetic practice.

Another thing is the used car dealers. They offer financing for lower rank soldiers but then charge you 23% APR. It really is bad.

[daman]

:jason: rip-off artist

[rixGAphx]

Originally posted by daman
Rix any reputable shop WILL be able to make up a hose on site,
ay least the AC shops around here can, if i read your response
right. :) I did not know that.

The only time I encountered hose problems, I was only offered Mopar factory hoses at $3bazillion.

Good to know that AC shops are nowadays so equipped.

Thanks,
-Rick

[daman]

Originally posted by rixGAphx
I did not know that.

The only time I encountered hose problems, I was only offered Mopar factory hoses at $3bazillion.

Good to know that AC shops are nowadays so equipped.

Thanks,
-Rick
No problem. ;)

[bballr4567]

Ok so the lower pressure valve has a leak. Well had they replaced it for free.

The bad is the compressor is going out. Although its going out slow and I caught it right as it was starting to sure enough it is. In the past few weeks while driving with it on and working all my lights would flicker. I never thought too much about it bc I thought it was the ALT going out because it makes a little whine when idling. Come to find out its the AC doing it. It only does it when its on.

Plus the guy pulled me out in the shop and showed me the pressure gauge and it was bouncing back and forth about 50 PSI and was told that is pretty sure fire sign its going out. When it starts to flicker about 200 PSI its time to replace everything.

Will run me about $700 for everything. Im going to split the cost with my brother who is buying the car. I told him Im not going to pay 700 to have AC for 3 months and if he wanted it fixed for him at half price to pay me now. Well there ya go. lol