The AC in my '97 Park Ave has always worked well until just recently. Now it only blows cold air from the 2 vents on the passenger side. The driver side vents still blow some air but it is not cool. I'd appreciate any suggestions as to where the problem might be. Thanks.
Just noticed another sort of similar problem described here on the Regal that referred to vacuum operated switches. I haven't been able to locate any of those rubber tubes on my Park Ave. Where might they be?
Question - does that PA have dual-zone A/C (speerate temp controls for each side)?
The items you refer to are not vacuum switches but vacuum motors (or actuators): these are the devices that move the various air doors that direct the air flow to various outlets. Also, there are electric actuators that move the temp doors (and on a dual-zone, there are 2 of these temp door motors).
Check and see if you can direct air to the defroster vents and the floor vents: if that works, then your vacuum source from the engine is probably OK, but it would not be a bad idea to check out the vacuum hose to the HVAC system.
On your car, that vacuum connector is located underneath the "beauty cover" on the top of the engine if you have a non-supercharged engine
- cannot remember for sure where the vacuum manifold is on a supercharged Series II 3800 (and the computer with my GM SI software on it is down right now) - - -someone else in the group - bail me out on this one :))
Anyway, make the tests I've outlined above (air flow changes and such) and post your results - then I'll have an idea what you are up against.
If it tends to blow hot on one side and cold on the other and is a dual, it may be the actuator. These are electric, not vacuum. The actuator is not too expensive... $30-40 depending on where you buy. I have anew one on my bench, not yet installed, so you may judge my expertise on the issue!
If it's not the actuator, bad news. Other possibility is the HVAC controller which is 10x as much.... well, almost.
Thanks for the replies. The car is currently being moved to another location where I'll be better able to check the suggestions... in about
10 days.
I wasn't clear. The drivers side vents aren't blowing hot, they seem to be recirculating the the air in the car. All the other vents are blowing cold air ok, and as they make the overall temperature of the car go down the drivers side vents temperature feels just like the rest of the car... not colder.
Bill, Thanks for the reply. I got sidetracked and just got back to the problem. Wanted to look at the vacuum tubes first, but couldn't get the " beauty shield" out of the way. The back of it is no problem, but how do you get it loose of the oil filler cap extender, (without breaking it)?
The extender should just screw off the same way the filler cap did. However, pulling the back of the sight shield up first may be binding the extension. Clip it back in place, remove the extender, THEN unhook the sight shield from that back clip.
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