Auto A/C problem... 'tis the season, eh? lol

[tRidiot]

OK, so the A/C in my truck isn't working too well lately. It blew ICE FRIGGIN' COLD up until a week or two ago, and now I can only get it really cool and comfortable in the truck (Tahoe) after 20-30 minutes of highway driving. It blows kinda hot when idling at stoplights, smells musty and damp when it gets like that, and generally is just kind pissy in general as far as cooling.

This is a very recent change.

So, I'm thinking either I've developed a leak and lost a good bit of freon, or my compressor may be going out? Not sure...

I am going to take it to a shop today and have them check it out, possibly do work on it, but the question is, how do I avoid getting taken to the cleaners? This isn't my forte, and I can change an alt, have even done some valve cover gaskets and brake jobs with help, but A/C is a whole other ballgame. I have no gauges to check things, and if I am a half-pound low on R-134, they could tell me I need a new compressor and charge me $500. No way for me to know the difference.

Honestly, I do a LOT of driving, work is 2.5 hours one way from home, so I needa get this fixed.

Any tips on making sure I don't get hosed?

 

[HMFIC]

If you just want to add some refrigerant to test if it holds or even use some with a leak stopper additive, it's easy.

Go to WM or the auto store and pay about $20-$25 for the can with the low side attachment already on it. It will have a small gauge built in and you just literally screw it onto the low side (it will be obvious) and let enough go in while it's running to bring the pressure up to where it says on the gauge.

If it works and holds, then no problem. If it works for a while and then gets uncool again, you have a bigger leak that will need to be fixed. If it's a hose or something, not a big deal. If it's the compressor, plan to pay in the high hundreds.

Hope that helps. If it's something else, I don't have enough experience with it to offer any troubleshooting.

 

[338Shooter]

Compressor just failed on my '04 civic last friday. Replaced the entire system in my '97 Silverado last summer. Gonna let 4play do the civic. I just don't have time to work on my daily driver.

 

[tRidiot]

Yeah, I'm doing some reading online.... says to look for evidence of a leak like excessive condensation. I do know the last few weeks it seemed like when I stopped the truck water literally ran out from underneath. I checked under the hood and it looked like an A/C hose was going into a metal cylinder up near the passenger-side firewall... this was dripping heavily from excessive condensation. Not sure if this is a dryer or what it is. Maybe that's where my leak is? No squealing from the compressor, so maybe it hasn't gotten that bad... yet.

 

[Hump66]

I just checked on getting mine charged since I replaced the compressor/drier/orifice tube. They have an a/c service special for 64.95, but somehow it's going to run me $192+tax. I'm not great at math, but that doesn't seem even close to adding up.

 

[tRidiot]

I just checked on getting mine charged since I replaced the compressor/drier/orifice tube. They have an a/c service special for 64.95, but somehow it's going to run me $192+tax. I'm not great at math, but that doesn't seem even close to adding up.

Prolly doesn't include the cost of hooking up the hoses for the test meters, cost of freon or cost of actually putting it in.

But it's special, alright!

 

[338Shooter]

That is the accumulator/dryer. Dripping is probably from the evap coil and is normal. Really the only way to start knowing what is going on is to put gauges on it. At least on the low side. Start the truck and turn the AC on full blast and recirculate. See if the compressor is cycling on and off. Should be easy to tell. Then have someone rev it up to about 2k RPM and see if it cycles on and off. cycling in either situation cold mean low charge. What year is the tahoe? If it is the GMT400 like my truck, you've probably got a belly leaking compressor. Very common and a pretty easy fix if you've got a couple hundered and a couple hours.

You might have a problem with your fan if it is warming up at stop lights. If the compressed freon isn't getting cooled into a liquid by the condenser it will get warm.

 

[HMFIC]

Seriously, putting in a can of refrigerant with a leak sealer might do the trick. For $20 it's worth it and you can do it yourself. At the least, even if the leak is too much to seal, it will probably last you a few days until you can arrange to get it in, etc...

[Broken External Image]

 

[338Shooter]

I just checked on getting mine charged since I replaced the compressor/drier/orifice tube. They have an a/c service special for 64.95, but somehow it's going to run me $192+tax. I'm not great at math, but that doesn't seem even close to adding up.

For that price, you can buy the vacuum pump at harbor freight and a set of gauges and the freon. Charging an A/C system is pretty simple.

 

[Hump66]

Prolly doesn't include the cost of hooking up the hoses for the test meters, cost of freon or cost of actually putting it in.

But it's special, alright!

It does include 1 can of freon, my car only takes 2 so that's some expensive stuff. I have gauges, just need a vacuum pump to get a good charge. Maybe I can get Dustin to come over to suck on the hoses.