Summer is comming!
I've seen a couple of entries on A/c problems. Depending on the severity of the leak a charge may last a season or a couple of days. At work we do alot of A/c repairs. They suck, by the way. the cavs are known for A/c compressors leaking , the clutch bearings going out, and also the air gap closing up on the clutch (causes a ting ting sound).
The compressers main shaft seal is usually the culprit, usually an oily film is noticed on the clutch surface (refrigerant oil)
The other place is on the compresser where the seams are in it, or where its put together. If you r in question of where the leak is, have an A/C service shop put refrigerant dye in it, they will have to put the full charge in along with the dye. I dont know If the public can get the dye or not. You will need a special light to see the dye.
Replacement is the only option that works. I have tried changing the main shaft seal before with no luck. I had to buy two specialty tools to take the clutch off and put it back on too. Wasted my time and now i have to tools that are useless.
Ok, New Replacement with a warranty requires a new drier, system flush, and new orfice tube. Four Seasons (compressor remanufacturer) requires all of these done by a qualified A/C service shop. We DO have warranty claims that we have turned in. they usually leak in the same damn places. If you can get ahold of a NEW DELPHI (oe) compressor you will be alot better off. Some parts stores can get them, CarQuest currently says that they can get them. Used is a possibility, but usually they are leaking already. I put 4 used ones on one car last summer, followed by a reman.
01 cav w/01 3400 gam gt 4t45e
This isnt a problem on my Cav, as it has no a/c. But rather my GTP (3800 S/C motor). I pulled the plug for the pressure, and then jumpered the pins. One way seems to do nothing, the other way turns on the cooling fans (there is 3 pins) But still.... the compressor wont click on, so I cant recharge my A/C
the three prong sensor doesnt work like that. It senses both high and low pressure to the pcm. the pcm judges whether to turn on the ac or not.
(1) turn key on, turn on ac
Find the ac clutch relay in the fuse box, pull the relay out, gently pry off the cover(its got litttle clippy things that hold it on) examine it, there are contacts that you will need to move when replacing it in the box. put it back in the box and move the contacts. Does the ac clutch turn on?
(2) Get a test light so you dont throw sparks for the next part.
If the compressor cluch turns on, look at the diagram of the relay cover, find the squiggly line, one side is a ground the other is 12v. the 12v should be from the computer. Sometimes they switch them around (- from the computer) Any way you should have a ground and 12v in the fuse box across those 2 plugs for the ac to work.
let me know what you get and we'll go from there.
The compressor wont turn on till the computer senses enough freon.
You can use the relay to charge it. As long as it worked in the first step.
01 cav w/01 3400 gam gt 4t45e
So, basically you're saying to throw a jumper on the relay, and the compressor will kick on, wether or not the PCM is seeing enough pressue, right?
I think mine is past that point, as the last sound coming from my compressor was that of a death rattle. aahhhh well, I guess the windows come down and I get to enjoy my ride with the wind in my face.
there's no room for the A/C compressor anymore anyway. I got to make room for some "goodies"
the car i paid the most for, 96 sunfire gt doesnt work too good but my 98 cavfire works awsome. they both have sunroofs so opening everthing up is also an option.
Shooff,
Thats correct about the relay. If it doesnt work you have a fuse blown.
I know what your thinking, "I dont need the computer to turn it on and off ill put a switch on it" Dont do it, there is a reason for the pressure sw. If the freon gets low then the refrigerant oil cant circulate through the system. The oil catches a ride with the freon to oil the compressor. Yes there is oil in there. You should add a little bit when you recharge depending on how severe the leak was. Any way if you jumper the relay, gas leaks out along with some oil, the compressor starts to disintagrate. Metal from the compressor gets distributed through out the system. Thats why you should flush the system when replacing one. If you pull the orfice tube out and there is a lot of metal in it, you gotta flush it. Orfice tube is in the condenser coupler end. It will have crimp marks in the tube visable from the outside of the line.
Hotbug
There are two rattles that come from it. One is the air gap the other is the bearings. if its the bearings It will eventually lock up and blow the belt off. take the belt off and spin it to determine which problen you have. If its the air gap, that can be fixed. it should be between .60 and .80 (Thats thousandths)
The air gap is the gap between the pulley and the outside part that engages. Most of the time It just needs sanded, other times it may need a little tweaking with a screwdriver. Use a feelerguage to determine what the gap is.
If your doing away with it whats going down there?
01 cav w/01 3400 gam gt 4t45e
Actually, I wasnt thinking that. What I was thinking actually is that the AutoZone recharge kit is more of a band-aid kind of repair.
Auto zone just wants to make a sale so they got into freon and a/c parts a few years back, Im not sure that they actually know how the ac systems work either, just want the sales.
What is coming in the recharge kits now? We dont buy them, we get the 30lb jugs to charge with.
There is a stop leak that is supposed to be available this summer for small leaks. I dont know who all is going to carry it yet. Napa is who told me about it.
01 cav w/01 3400 gam gt 4t45e
Mine works...if it's turned on when I start the car. I can't have it running, and THEN turn on the ac.
Someone also told me to get in the habit of turning it all off before you cut the engine, in other words turn your ac off turn your radio etc off then the engine supposedly it saves a strain on the engine and i guess is supposed to increase belt life also.
joe malechowski wrote:Hotbug
There are two rattles that come from it. One is the air gap the other is the bearings. if its the bearings It will eventually lock up and blow the belt off. take the belt off and spin it to determine which problen you have. If its the air gap, that can be fixed. it should be between .60 and .80 (Thats thousandths)
The air gap is the gap between the pulley and the outside part that engages. Most of the time It just needs sanded, other times it may need a little tweaking with a screwdriver. Use a feelerguage to determine what the gap is.
If your doing away with it whats going down there?
The bearings in the compressor are gone, not the pulley. it went after a couple 7000+RPM shifts with the AC on, it doesn't make a peep with it off, and now it doesn't come on at all, so I'm guessing the seals finally leaked out.
What's going in it's place... The alternator of course, to make room for the M90 supercharger. That I should have on as soon as the intake is done...someday, when I can get the accessory mounts made, the ports machined, and the tubes welded together. doing it all myself, so it's taking me a little longer than expected.
So, that's my warning for everyone, the A/C doesn't like high RPM's, then again neither does the alternator, but they are cheaper to replace LOL.
this is on your 03 cav that your ac can only be turned on when the engine turns on? Thats strange, havent come across that yet. Do the 03's use the a/c button still? Ill see if I can find any service bullitins on that tomorrow.
01 cav w/01 3400 gam gt 4t45e
^^^yeah, on the 03. I think it was cuz the car was rebuilt...somethin was screwy with the wiring.
on my 97 no it doesnt....but almost every older cavalier i know of the a/c is bad
on the 05 it does, it better.
is your floor wet on the pass side front? Check to see if the drain on the firewall is not plugged. passenger side firewall just behind the belts.
01 cav w/01 3400 gam gt 4t45e
hey joe you left out how big of a bitch it is to add oil to those accumulators trust me i know from experience
Hey DeadBob and this is probably just me but as far as my ac goes, i don't use recirculate for anything other than getting rid of the excess heat from when the car has been sitting in the sun all day that's it then i move it up to the vent and i never have problem one. My question however is this in the last week or so and it may have a lot to do with the fact that it has been 114 115 out here with about 67% humidity, is that when i am at traffic lights etc idling with the ac on, rather than stopping at 195 my temp gauge will actually climb to like between 198 and 201, 202 somewhere in there. Just enough to the point where i turn the engine off with the ac still on and the fan will stay running, maybe i am missing something but i didn't think the engine normally got hot enough for the fan to continue running after you turned the key off unless you left the ac off. Because normally with mine if i turn it off with the ac on the fan won't continue running, now granted i realize your not really supposed to turn the engine off with the ac on because it does a number on the belts but yeah .
Yup mine will freeze your ass out on the hottest day within like 15 minutes ! The air coming out is at like 30degrees ! Its awesome !
First car I've ever owned with A/C and it ROCKS !
Semper Fi SAINT. May you rest in peace.
currently it works lol just recharged it today cause a black car in summer doesnt work well.. but when i bought the car almost a year ago it didnt so we shall see if it leaks..
1998 Cavalier
1995 Trans Am
1984 Camaro Z28
wish the air coming out of mine was at like 25 to 30 degrees i'd probably have to pay an arm and a leg for mine to be that cold kind of pi**es me off gm seems to think 46 is just fine heck 46 may as well be 106 in that car LOL.
